Bridge Mall

Bridge Mall has been transformed into a vibrant destination for first-time visitors and regulars, locals and tourists, shoppers and diners. The redevelopment weaves together ideas from the Ballarat community through a collaborative co-design process that placed people at the centre.

I worked closely with FreeState, Hassell and the City of Ballarat in planning and facilitating co-design workshops with participants from the Wadawurrung Corporation, Trader Association, academics, historians, youth services, food security, creative industries, technologists and urbanists. The process surfaced community priorities that we embedded in the streetscape design: First Nations stories and knowledge systems, extended gardens and landscaping, narrative-inspired artworks, playful street furniture, smart lighting, outdoor dining opportunities, resurfacing of the Yarrowee River and dynamic play spaces.

The project demonstrates how rigorous community engagement and skilled landscape architecture can catalyse regional renewal. By reconfiguring traffic movement to prioritise pedestrianisation while maintaining connectivity, the design created an accessible public realm that responds to local needs. The result is a high-quality sequence of civic spaces that honours Country, mitigates urban heat, increases biodiversity and supports social and economic vitality.

The project received the 2025 AILA Victorian Award of Excellence for Civic Landscape and the Regional Achievement Award for Ballarat.

Specific scope included
- Experience vision and principles
- Experience framework
- Co-design and co-creation
- Journey mapping before, during and after a visit
- Journey types
- Workshop facilitation
- Interviews with experts
- Stakeholder engagement
- Embed concepts with the design team