Overview of AEC's Proposal
Our proposed flagship Innovation District for East Werribee represents Australia’s first city-sized economic initiative. The 412 hectare site is designed to:
Our masterplan reflects vibrant mixed use environments where massing, densities and architectural relationships enhance the mechanisms of a knowledge city.
Our design takes an end-user grassroots approach to planning based on the way in which people will interact with the city – a connectivity statement that encourages participation in a variety of education, sporting, cultural and community settings. Our proposed Innovation District for East Werribee has been carefully crafted to activate:
The design of our Innovation Districts has been informed by the global trends and the experience of our consortium members in creating a masterplan that transcends built form and establishes a vibrant 24 hour liveable community.
- Deliver 6,000,000m² of education, R&D, innovation, residential, community and commercial space
- Create space and facilities for 50,000 students
- Generate 90,000 jobs
- Accommodate 80,000 people
Our masterplan reflects vibrant mixed use environments where massing, densities and architectural relationships enhance the mechanisms of a knowledge city.
Our design takes an end-user grassroots approach to planning based on the way in which people will interact with the city – a connectivity statement that encourages participation in a variety of education, sporting, cultural and community settings. Our proposed Innovation District for East Werribee has been carefully crafted to activate:
- Collaboration between education and R&D
- Economic pathways between R&D and commercialisation within the civic precinct
- Diversity and social amenity with civic, arts and entertainment precincts
- Integration between residential areas and community assets
- a 20-minute walkable neighbourhood to provide connectivity and accessibility to a range of transport modalities
The design of our Innovation Districts has been informed by the global trends and the experience of our consortium members in creating a masterplan that transcends built form and establishes a vibrant 24 hour liveable community.
Australian Education City's Proposal for East Werribee
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Project Overview
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Masterplan
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Education
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Research & Development
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Innovation & Technology
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Residential
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Arts, Culture & Entertainment
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Our world-class Innovation District epitomises all the great things about Melbourne and synthesises them with leading technologies from around the world to create a unique embodiment of what a modern city can be
Melbourne is a dynamic and creative city. We pride ourselves on our reputation for architecture, a love of sports and parklands that spread throughout the city. The facilities, the environment, the way it makes you feel and the way you engage with the city are what make it such a special place and consistently ranked as the world’s most liveable city. Our Masterplan has drawn on these characteristics and merged them with 21st century best practice.
In creating the masterplan we focused on creating a solution that transcends built form and establishes a vibrant 24-hour liveable community. Our new sustainable smart city puts work, living and play all within 20 minutes of civic amenities, thereby increasing transport choice and reducing the role of vehicles.
Our masterplan advances the ‘20 minute neighbourhood’ vision promoted by Plan Melbourne that: “…is about the way we plan and develop areas at the local level so that people can access a range of local services and facilities, ideally within 20 minutes of home”.
Australian Education City has accounted for key success factors such as creating activity throughout the day to deliver a critical mass to drive strong retail, leisure and cultural demand while bringing the Innovation District to life beyond a traditional 9-5 working day.
The masterplan for our Innovation District reflects the government’s intent by linking the needs of the local community and civic settings to the wider Wyndham community. Recognising its role as a civic catalyst, our proposed Innovation District at East Werribee establishes a unifying framework for this new major urban destination and knowledge centre in the heart of Melbourne’s West.
Key Highlights
- Transport: Delivery of railway into the heart of the precinct and new train stations (all underground from the point it leaves the existing Werribee train line)
- R&D: Just under 800,000m² of Research and Development (R&D) floor space to be operated by international business park partners
- Jobs: 1,150,000m² NLA of other commercial office floor space
- Residential: 2,900,000m² of residential space which will be home to almost 80,000 residents in 30,000 dwellings including high and medium density apartments, single-family dwellings and student accommodation
- University & Education: A 290,000m² NLA university to cater to 40,000 students including 20,000 international students, with a further 135,000m² of other education facilities across the precinct
Our inspirational Education and Research & Development precincts are aimed at positioning Melbourne as the next global knowledge node. It celebrates a new era for learning through an iconic campus which houses top universities and faculties side by side
By 2025 Victoria will need:
By 2025 Victoria will need:
- 2.1 million more graduates than we have today;
- 1.7 million skilled trade labourers to replace those exiting the workforce; and
- 3.8 million skilled graduates to enter Victoria’s Knowledge Economy in the next 10 years.
Australian Education City focuses on creating a collaborative closed loop environment to address this need through integrating education, R&D and industry engagement.
The Education and R&D precinct will be where approximately 50,000 students, academics and researchers aspire to work, live and play. With a fully integrated smart city infrastructure, we believe the Education precinct will be a genesis for the newest global knowledge node.
As a collaborative university campus, the Education precinct unites a leading domestic university with institutions from the United Kingdom and Asia. Our collaboration model provides a platform for each university to offer best-of-breed courses and faculties side by side. Our campus will focus on STEM-related subjects to alignment with the Innovation District’s R&D priorities together with bespoke postgraduate management courses.
The campus is the heart of our Innovation District as a place for making new educational pathways within the emerging knowledge economy. It will generate a unique student experience and student life for both local and international students, within a precinct that focuses on engagement and collaboration.
Located around water and landscape, the campus buildings will incorporate state-of-the-art spaces allowing students, researchers, academic teams and industry to connect around new knowledge and research, with flexibility in built form to respond to future changes in learning delivery. The campus design supports a high level of connectivity between education activities, and within the Innovation District itself.
The Education and R&D precinct will be where approximately 50,000 students, academics and researchers aspire to work, live and play. With a fully integrated smart city infrastructure, we believe the Education precinct will be a genesis for the newest global knowledge node.
As a collaborative university campus, the Education precinct unites a leading domestic university with institutions from the United Kingdom and Asia. Our collaboration model provides a platform for each university to offer best-of-breed courses and faculties side by side. Our campus will focus on STEM-related subjects to alignment with the Innovation District’s R&D priorities together with bespoke postgraduate management courses.
The campus is the heart of our Innovation District as a place for making new educational pathways within the emerging knowledge economy. It will generate a unique student experience and student life for both local and international students, within a precinct that focuses on engagement and collaboration.
Located around water and landscape, the campus buildings will incorporate state-of-the-art spaces allowing students, researchers, academic teams and industry to connect around new knowledge and research, with flexibility in built form to respond to future changes in learning delivery. The campus design supports a high level of connectivity between education activities, and within the Innovation District itself.
Key Highlights
- 290,000 m² Net Lettable Area (NLA) university to cater for 40,000 students
- 135,000 m² of additional education facilities to cater for another 10,000 students across varying stages of Education Pathways (e.g. K-12, P-Tech, industry re-skilling etc)
- Support Victoria’s growing export demand for education at a scale which accommodates Victoria’s growing population, in particular, the 5-24 age demographic which will grow by 370,000 to 2031 and by 800,000 to 2051.
- Vocational training to deliver skills retraining and apprenticeships for employment opportunities within the Australian Education City construction programme
- Australian Education City together with Victoria’s leading TAFE providers and local community groups will focus on delivering training and job opportunities to support youth unemployment and disadvantage communities in Melbourne’s West
It is widely accepted by academics and economists (Porter, 1998) that a key success factor of prosperous cities is the involvement of research centres and that university facilities add to that success.
The simple inclusion of R&D facilities in East Werribee alone will not support Australian Education City’s vision. Consequently our Innovation District co-locates both key success factors – research and development, and education.
Evidence from overseas indicates that Victoria is ideally placed to make significant international advancements and contributions to research and innovation. Our Innovation District can support advancements through: Attracting and bringing together talented researchers, Enabling researchers with advanced technology and facilities, Fuelling research with funding and facilitating collaboration between researchers, education and industry thereby ensuring that talent and capital is retained for the future economic growth of Victoria and Australia.
AEC has focused initial research themes (precinct specialisation) on Australia’s research strengths. The first research institutes and university/industry matching will focus on five themes: Food Security & Environmental Sciences, Pharmacology and Translational Pharmacology for botanical-based TCM, Cognitive (Future) City platforms including Smart building and energy functions, FinTech and Financial Markets.
The design of our R&D precinct supports the movement of people and ideas between a lively mixed-use research district, adjacent research universities, and the commercial precinct.
The architectural form is layered and flexible providing a range of spaces for collaboration. In a given building one might find student labs occupying the ground floor, postgraduate researchers on the next floor and industry on the upper floors. Other spaces are open floor plans for shared workplaces and business incubators/accelerators. In all instances, the built form facilitate an environment where academia and industry can collaborate, live, and turn new ideas and research into realities.
Evidence from overseas indicates that Victoria is ideally placed to make significant international advancements and contributions to research and innovation. Our Innovation District can support advancements through: Attracting and bringing together talented researchers, Enabling researchers with advanced technology and facilities, Fuelling research with funding and facilitating collaboration between researchers, education and industry thereby ensuring that talent and capital is retained for the future economic growth of Victoria and Australia.
AEC has focused initial research themes (precinct specialisation) on Australia’s research strengths. The first research institutes and university/industry matching will focus on five themes: Food Security & Environmental Sciences, Pharmacology and Translational Pharmacology for botanical-based TCM, Cognitive (Future) City platforms including Smart building and energy functions, FinTech and Financial Markets.
The design of our R&D precinct supports the movement of people and ideas between a lively mixed-use research district, adjacent research universities, and the commercial precinct.
The architectural form is layered and flexible providing a range of spaces for collaboration. In a given building one might find student labs occupying the ground floor, postgraduate researchers on the next floor and industry on the upper floors. Other spaces are open floor plans for shared workplaces and business incubators/accelerators. In all instances, the built form facilitate an environment where academia and industry can collaborate, live, and turn new ideas and research into realities.
Key Highlights
- 800,000m² Net Lettable Area (NLA) Research and Development (R&D) floor space to accommodate anchor institutions, industry clusters, start-ups, business incubators, and accelerators.
- Key industry multinationals as ‘anchor’ tenants to drive industry-specific clusters and to bring existing networks
- Co-location of R&D elements to promote cross-sectoral and cross- functional collaboration, and provide interpretive spaces for knowledge exchange and discovery
- A platform to build innovative multi-party partnerships across countries, disciplines and sectors
- Build local innovation capacity in corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors, and fostering innovation across businesses
- Lift Australia’s success rate in commercialisation translating research into commercial opportunities
Our Cognitive City and Living Lab signifies the next quantum leap in the design and functionality of future cities, positioning Victoria as a world leader in innovation.
Australian Education City will establish a Living Lab within the Innovation District that aggregates and provides coherent datasets to drive advancements in R&D at the intersection of Global and National interests.
Overall, R&D focus has transitioned to focus on major implications of technological advancements across industries; especially in relation to analytics, AI and Cognitive developments. These trends are the basis upon which Australian Education City will deliver the world’s first Cognitive City within its proposed Innovation District at East Werribee.
With our innovation smart city partners IBM, Cisco and Honeywell, Australian Education City will be extending Smart City concepts to create a city that learns on a continual and ongoing basis.
Our innovation and technology precinct will be a test-bed for the advancement of world first ICT technologies, placing Australian Education City, its industry and university partners with an opportunity to be at the forefront of the digital revolution.
Our Living Lab will leverage data to drive advancements in R&D and innovation within the Australian Education City Innovation District. This will be facilitated by open data and cognitive enablement which focuses on collaboration between tertiary institutions and corporations intending to expand operations to Australia. Applied to our proposed Innovation District at East Werribee, open data will allow enterprises, tertiary institutes and local government agencies to share information, access data and establish an ecosystem of exchange that fosters collaboration and eventual commercialisation.
In-house innovation, ecosystem partnerships and R&D portfolio diversity stand out as three fundamental factors of success for the world’s top institutions. For example:
The activities within the innovation and technology precinct will be aligned to the diverse research agendas within the R&D precinct and formed from clearly identified market demands and opportunities, to result in future success of development and commercialisation efforts.
Overall, R&D focus has transitioned to focus on major implications of technological advancements across industries; especially in relation to analytics, AI and Cognitive developments. These trends are the basis upon which Australian Education City will deliver the world’s first Cognitive City within its proposed Innovation District at East Werribee.
With our innovation smart city partners IBM, Cisco and Honeywell, Australian Education City will be extending Smart City concepts to create a city that learns on a continual and ongoing basis.
Our innovation and technology precinct will be a test-bed for the advancement of world first ICT technologies, placing Australian Education City, its industry and university partners with an opportunity to be at the forefront of the digital revolution.
Our Living Lab will leverage data to drive advancements in R&D and innovation within the Australian Education City Innovation District. This will be facilitated by open data and cognitive enablement which focuses on collaboration between tertiary institutions and corporations intending to expand operations to Australia. Applied to our proposed Innovation District at East Werribee, open data will allow enterprises, tertiary institutes and local government agencies to share information, access data and establish an ecosystem of exchange that fosters collaboration and eventual commercialisation.
In-house innovation, ecosystem partnerships and R&D portfolio diversity stand out as three fundamental factors of success for the world’s top institutions. For example:
- Top tier R&D institutes with specific disciplinary focus collaborate extensively with industry partners to ensure relevance and sustain their funding through commercial applications of their IP
- Large cross-disciplinary institutes tend to leverage all three fundamental factors, reflecting the need for a broader portfolio of research themes to hedge returns while blending the best of in-house and partner capabilities to drive up the odds of commercial success
- Emergence of startup accelerators such as Y-Combinator is accelerating the path between idea to market commercialisation.
The activities within the innovation and technology precinct will be aligned to the diverse research agendas within the R&D precinct and formed from clearly identified market demands and opportunities, to result in future success of development and commercialisation efforts.
Key Highlights
- A ‘Living Lab’ that supports technological, economical, commercial & social impact
- Collaboration and sharing of information internally and externally with top tier ecosystem partners
- A closed-loop education and R&D ecosystem to enhance revenue creation from new products through commercialisation, start-up spin-offs and consulting services
- A self-sustainable funding model based on strategic diversification of research agendas, and the targeting of local research themes that have global implications
Great neighbourhoods make great cities. They are comfortable, attractive, accessible, and active, promote social interaction and inspired by the people who live there. They provide a mix of housing choices and access to everyday amenities.
The design of our residential precincts focuses on creating neighbourhoods that offer a mix of local uses and diverse transportation choices delivering safe, rapid access throughout the city.
Our design harnesses the principles of the 20-minute neighbourhood to provide the necessary elements of inspired living—open spaces, community retail, workplaces, cultural assets, events, and schools—within a concentrated, walkable area.
Our solution embraces global liveable city benchmarks. The residential precincts within our Innovation District stretch across low, medium and high density settings to provide choice and flexibility for communities.
To ensure the character and liveability is achieved across the Innovation District, density profiles have been developed to reinforce the uniqueness of each residential area. Strong consideration has been undertaken to ensure that potential impact on the neighbouring established areas is minimised by tapering the densities close to the edges
Our design harnesses the principles of the 20-minute neighbourhood to provide the necessary elements of inspired living—open spaces, community retail, workplaces, cultural assets, events, and schools—within a concentrated, walkable area.
Our solution embraces global liveable city benchmarks. The residential precincts within our Innovation District stretch across low, medium and high density settings to provide choice and flexibility for communities.
To ensure the character and liveability is achieved across the Innovation District, density profiles have been developed to reinforce the uniqueness of each residential area. Strong consideration has been undertaken to ensure that potential impact on the neighbouring established areas is minimised by tapering the densities close to the edges
Key Highlights
- 2,900,000m² of residential use
- 80,000 residents in 30,000 dwellings
- 21,000 high or medium density apartments
- 1,450 single family dwellings (townhouses and houses)
- 6,900 student dwellings
- Unique and identifiable residential areas with easy access to civic and community amenities
- Melbourne’s first metropolitan area to develop 20-minute walkable neighbourhood principles
- A locational choice for employment with close proximity to residential areas
Our Arts and Culture Precinct is designed to create the same level of personal interaction and cultural vibrancy that Melbourne is so famous for.
The arts and culture precinct proposed for East Werribee uses purpose built facilities across the precinct to establish meaningful capacity and exchange in language, fine arts, creative and performing arts. The community, arts and culture program blurs the boundaries between art and architecture to ensure residents, workers and visitors are continuously surrounded by art, and its influence, as they go about their daily lives.
Australian Education City has integrated Asian art and culture with our own heritage to match Victoria’s diversity profile. The precinct capitalises on the opportunity to decentralise Melbourne’s cultural experience for Melbourne’s West and tourism for broader Victoria. With established relationships and interest from Chinese Cultural associations, Asia TOPA, and famous Chinese artists (such as Ren Dao Lu and John Young Zerunge, who wish to create a permanent exhibition presence in East Werribee) the precinct will underpin cultural bridges to create inbound tourism demand.
The iconic spaces will showcase all forms of culture, arts and entertainment. Combined with restaurants, shopping, and waterfront entertainment spaces, the arts and culture precinct will offer something different for all ages and background.This ensures the Innovation District embodies a culturally welcoming environment and a sense of community ownership through the arts and culture precinct. With each of the residential precincts having equality of access to high quality community sporting facilities and assets, combined with a vibrant arts and entertainment precinct to complete the social threads which make Victoria’s communities diverse, inclusive and environmentally enriched.
Australian Education City has integrated Asian art and culture with our own heritage to match Victoria’s diversity profile. The precinct capitalises on the opportunity to decentralise Melbourne’s cultural experience for Melbourne’s West and tourism for broader Victoria. With established relationships and interest from Chinese Cultural associations, Asia TOPA, and famous Chinese artists (such as Ren Dao Lu and John Young Zerunge, who wish to create a permanent exhibition presence in East Werribee) the precinct will underpin cultural bridges to create inbound tourism demand.
The iconic spaces will showcase all forms of culture, arts and entertainment. Combined with restaurants, shopping, and waterfront entertainment spaces, the arts and culture precinct will offer something different for all ages and background.This ensures the Innovation District embodies a culturally welcoming environment and a sense of community ownership through the arts and culture precinct. With each of the residential precincts having equality of access to high quality community sporting facilities and assets, combined with a vibrant arts and entertainment precinct to complete the social threads which make Victoria’s communities diverse, inclusive and environmentally enriched.
Key Highlights
- 346,000m² of mixed-use space
- 76,000m² of civic amenity space.
- 34,000m² of other community, parking and utility uses
- Vibrant town centre and lakeside entertainment precinct
What Local Residents Have to Say
I am one of your biggest supporters. I am also an innovator who wants to bring big visions and excitement levels to the Western Melbourne area too - the truly final frontier for Melbourne now
Troy E.
I'm a resident of Williams Landing. Let me know how I may be of assistance for this project to be successful. Thanks
Ajmal A.
I am just a resident living in the West and I am very keen to provide support to this project. This project is very vital to the future of the West.
Alan C.
Our ThinkingThought-leadership is at the heart of our vision. We feel it is important to share emerging trends and our views on what future cities will look like.
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