Ecoville, Self-Sustaining Community Park Design

Pushing the boundaries to create a self-sustaining park.

What started out with a modest brief became an imaginative community hub and beacon of success for future property developments in Australia.

Ecoville, white louvred canopy arching over curved stepped seating beside a glass pavilion

Ecoville, close view of the white louvred canopy and steel supports against a blue sky

Architecture

Ecoville is located on subdivided farmland in the outer north-western suburbs of Melbourne, where innovation and big picture thinking are not typically in high demand. Within budget, Hachem went well beyond expectations to implement viable, eco-sustainable infrastructure.

Ecoville, glass pavilion beneath an angled white canopy and tall steel columns

Structures feature a combination of angular and ﬂowing shapes that soar upwards and provide relief to the ﬂat surrounding topography. Comprising landscaped gardens, sport and recreation areas, clean energy resources and a community amphitheatre, Ecoville sets a new standard for ambition in cost-sensitive, high density housing developments.

Ecoville, glass entry door beside a cactus and white tables under a louvred canopy

Interiors

With the building surrounded by landscaped gardens and outdoor activity areas, our concept for the interior deliberately broke away from the notion of separate spaces. Instead, the interior was designed to provide a seamless connection with the park in which it’s located.

Openable glass panels showcase external views and provide multiple access points, while a huge skylight that runs through the interior spine bathes the pavilion in light with virtually no reliance whatsoever on artiﬁcial lighting. The concept is further underlined by the liberal use of raw and hardwearing materials including concrete and exposed aggregate ﬂooring, as well as the inclusion of indoor plantings.

Ecoville, interior of the glass-walled lounge at dusk with white chairs and a canopy above

“The interior was designed to provide a seamless connection with the park in which it’s located.”

Ecoville, vertical view up through the louvred canopy to a glass room below

Ecoville brochure, cover and inside pages fanned out on a white surface

Marketing

The Ecoville park development was accompanied by a set of marketing materials created by Hachem. Through the liberal use of organic illustrations and natural colours, the work was designed to complement the untethered promise offered by the development of this brand new community.

Reﬂecting the aspiration of its residents and speaking to the progressive nature of the community, the Ecoville rosette-style logo illustrates a multitude of ideals that are fundamental to the development including unity, growth, perpetuity, vitality and environmental awareness.

Ecoville, iMac mockup showing a brochure spread with architectural photographs

Ecoville, iMac mockup showing a lit photograph of the canopy and curved steps