Melbourne’s Federation Square will become part of the transformation of Melbourne’s arts precinct, which will be overseen by a new governing body, the state government announced.
The establishment of the new entity, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co), follows heated contestation over the future of the square spawned by a plan to knock down the Yarra Building to make way for a Foster and Partners designed Apple shop. That proposal was scotched after a successful community campaign when the Heritage Victoria rejected Federation Square management’s application.
The state government said the creation of MAP Co responded to the findings of a review into the management of the square in 2020, which called for a “community-driven vision” emphasising Federation Square’s cultural and civic impact along with the need to enliven the space with “captivating experiences.”
Creative industries minister Danny Pearson said the new governance arrangement would see Federation Square reinvigorated as part of the delivery of the $1.4 billion arts precinct redevelopment on St Kilda Road, which will include a new 18,000-square metre immersive public garden.
Tania Davidge, conveyor of the Our City, Our Square campaign, said that under the existing governance of Fed Square Pty Ltd the square’s cultural and civic objectives had been marginalized.
“Propelled by the narrative that the square is losing money, more and more ‘revenue-generating initiatives’ and promotions have been taking place at the site,” she wrote in Landscape Architecture Australia in 2020.
Davidge told ArchitctureAU that while she is not familiar with all the details, she is optimistic about the new arrangement and welcomed the connection between the square and the Melbourne Arts Precinct.
“This is a positive step forward, embedding Federation Square more deeply as part of the civic, cultural and public life of the city,” she said.
“We are optimistic this move will support Federation Square’s continued significance as Melbourne’s most important civic public space. We hope to see stronger connections develop between Federation Square, the city and the new public spaces that will be delivered as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct transformation.”
The creation of MAP Co will be overseen by an interim board chaired by James MacKenzie, who is chair of the Victorian Funds Management Corporation and a former president of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust.
“In addition to ensuring the smooth delivery of Australia’s largest ever cultural infrastructure project, MAP Co will work to draw more Victorians and visitors to the rich and diverse creative offerings across our extraordinary arts precinct – on both sides of the Yarra,” said MacKenzie.
