Deakin Architecture students presented their creative concepts for the Government House Peace and Prosperity Garden to a panel headed by the Governor of Victoria, the Hon. Linda Dessau AC.

Eight design teams – two each from Deakin University, RMIT, Monash University and the University of Melbourne – were selected by their lecturers for the opportunity to present to the panel at Government House.

Their brief was to design a garden entrance, gates, shade and garden furniture as part of their course work that creatively interprets the ‘Peace and Prosperity’ theme; makes a respectful contribution to the Government House landscape; can be readily constructed; and is functional and durable.

Deakin Architecture students Angus Wishart & Matthew Gulli presented their proposal which was to physically manifest the conceptual themes of the garden and the Victorian Coat of Arms ‘Peace & Prosperity’. Geometry and materiality were the conceptual mediums which best created a dialogue to express these thematic notions. The form used to represent peace was a circle, because it geometrically depicts one continuous shape creating a single entity. Timber was the ideal material to execute this idea because of the link between urbanism and the idea of gardening. Prosperity in contrast was represented by rectilinear forms due to the geometric shape of the garden beds, which provided food. Steel was the ideal material because of its importance to the prosperity of Australia as a nation. By juxtaposing peace and prosperity we aimed to allow the women to form communities and grow like the plants they nurture.

Deakin Architecture student Nicholas Malcher presented his work entitled ‘Reflections on Peace and Prosperity’ a scheme that is achieved with reflections, which allow the users to contemplate and confirm their own existence in this space. This has been done through the materiality of polished stainless steel as the reflective surface, and a dark textured concrete, which emerges out of the ground, provides function and then submerges back into the earth. The main components of the proposal are a mirrored array, a mirrored entrance arc, a circular reflective mirror providing redirected views towards Government House and a canopy providing shade, cooking and dining facilities. 

The Governor and Mr Howard developed the design project for students as part of their support for the design and creative industries in Victoria.

The Governor congratulated the design students on being selected to present their ideas.

“I was impressed with the innovative ways the brief was interpreted; the creativity and level of detail in the concepts; and the different ways the ‘peace and prosperity’ theme was incorporated into the designs,” the Governor said.

“This project has reinforced for me the depth of design talent we have coming through our tertiary institutions, and the strength of the design and creative industries in Victoria.”

The Governor and Mr Howard sponsor the Peace and Prosperity Kitchen Garden Program as part of their aim to open up Government House to a diverse range of Victorian community members and uses.

The garden’s name reflects the State’s motto: “Peace and Prosperity”.