Drysdale Library
Credit: Antarctica/Architecture Associates
Drsydale Library
Credit: Antarctica/Architecture Associates
Drysdale Library
Credit: Antarctica/Architecture Associates
This community space is located on a brownfield site in Drysdale’s busy town centre between a supermarket, roundabout, car park and local shops. The area serves the residents of Drysdale, Clifton Springs, Curlewis and northern Bellarine suburbs.
The long-term strategic vision for the site aimed to improve pedestrian experiences for the town centre and create a space where visitors can meet and stay. Key to the project’s success for the City of Greater Geelong was the protection of the area’s significant heritage buildings and distinctive 50-year-old lemon-scented gum trees.
Statutory planning expertise
While the city had a team of project managers and architects to bring the strategic vision to life, they required expert planners who could manage and interpret the approval requirements of the site.
Ratio’s town planning consultants were engaged to assist with the statutory planning processes for building the library and surrounding hub in the pre-submission stage of the project.
Part of the team
Our planners collaborated with the council’s project advocates, including councillors, property officers and architects. Our team balanced the needs of the town planning process with project regulators such as statutory planners, urban designers, traffic engineers and arborists.
Ratio translated the considerable ambitions of the project, and the relevant permit triggers into a detailed plan of staged project approvals, including creating application documents and detailed planning reports for each requirement.
Our Work
Building on Ratio’s extensive experience in planning and regional Victoria, we delivered an efficient approval process that managed the complex requirements for this significant Drysdale community site.
After a fast and efficient approval process, the proposed library, designed by Antarctica Architects and Architecture Associates, has commenced construction. The Drysdale and wider Bellarine Peninsula community is expected to use the library in mid-2023.
Ratio is proud to have been involved in this state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral and significant community development.
Strategic Vision
In line with the strategic vision by the City of Greater Geelong, the new community site connects the town centre with the surrounding parkland. The library incorporates an iconic circular form, amphitheatre and terrace design, and is entirely carbon neutral.
While the library includes meeting pods, study areas and a reading courtyard, the most striking element of the development is the rooftop garden, with a natural habitat of indigenous flora and fauna.
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— Josh Salter, Project Manager, City of Greater Geelong
