The University of Melbourne is Victoria’s oldest tertiary education institution and is recognised as one of the nations’ premier urban campuses. In 2014, OCULUS was engaged by the University of Melbourne to design the landscape for the ARM Architecture and Architectus-designed Arts West building. The landscape architectural approach for Arts West was defined by a contemporary attitude toward the integration of landscape and architecture. This approach carefully references the University’s System Garden in proposing a high standard of functional and aesthetically interesting landscape that is consistent with the University of Melbourne’s Parkville Masterplan 2008.

The new landscape combines greater outdoor amenity for staff, students, visitors, and improved campus connectivity through pedestrian prioritisation that reroutes vehicles and anticipates the proposed Melbourne Metro stations, increasing walkability across the busy campus. High-quality landscape treatments interface with the adjacent precinct and wider Parkville campus enmeshing with the built-form.