Victoria Square Pocket Parks
Victoria Square serves as a classic town square, supporting the local neighbourhood, Royal Perth Hospital, St Mary’s Cathedral at its heart and various local businesses.
Steeped in history and stunning heritage architecture, the square is bustling with locals, workers and visitors from all walks of life. Whilst the space features a few patches of grass, the four corners of the square lack quality green infrastructure and places to sit or rest. This space currently represents a gap in our open space network and an urban heat island hot spot.
The project’s design proposes four pocket parks in the corners of the square. All featuring new seating, planting and some pops of playful public art. This includes up to 32 new seats, 15 new trees, 970m2 of native planting plus habitat logs and insect hotels for boosting urban biodiversity.
For fun, the hospital entry will feature a sculptural arbour structure by ‘Urban Canopee’. And a pair of social bird cage swings near Mercedes college draw on the school’s rich heritage and the global ‘Make Space for Girls’ initiative to activate the edges with people and colour.
Artist impression of the Canopee Corner and Restorative Corner
The design was developed in collaboration with Mercedes College and consultation with the Cathedral and Hospital with particular focus on safety, health and ecology. This project will be delivered alongside the Urban Forest Infill Program which together, will plant new and replace a total of 60 trees in the square.
Project outcomes
| Seating | Planting | Art and play |
|---|---|---|
| Seating32 new seating opportunities | Planting22 new trees | Art and playSocial swings |
| Seating9 different seating typologies | Planting25 new plant species | Art and playSculptural planter |
| Seating4 new seating areas | Planting450 sqm of new shrubs and ground covers | Art and playVinyl wrap to utilities box |
| Seating | PlantingHabitat logs and insect hotels | Art and play |
Concept plan
