Curating nature with Hassell’s Jon Hazelwood

Principal Jon Hazelwood talks Melbourne Arts Precinct and the power of nature and biodiversity in cities with horticulturalists James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett.

As one of Australia’s premier cultural precincts, Melbourne Arts Precinct is a once-in-a-generation project that will transform a site stretching between the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), the future NGV Contemporary and the redevelopment of the Arts Centre Melbourne (ACM) with around 18,000sqm of interconnecting gardens.

Hassell is leading the design of the public realm associated with this significant project. Sydney Principal Jon Hazelwood recently chaired the first in a series of panel discussions by Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co) at the Arts Centre Melbourne to celebrate the precinct’s renewal.

Introduced by Karen Quinlan AM, CEO of Arts Centre Melbourne, the discussion featured world-renowned horticulturalists James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett. Also speaking at the event were Dr Bree Trevena, Senior Manager Urban Realm and Precinct for the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation and Emma Cutting, founder of The Heart Gardening Project Inc. and the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor.

With keynote presentations from James and Nigel, the group spoke about how critical it is to ensure we create beautiful, rich and biodiverse urban spaces throughout our communities.

​“The debate and the implementation of complex, diverse and beautiful planting in the city has moved on immensely in the last few years,” said Jon.

​“Very early on in the project’s life, we were convinced that a public landscape of this scale has the opportunity to be more than a contemporary landscape of art and performance.

“It can also be a place that demonstrates the power of nature and the power of diversity and biodiversity and how it can connect into wider ecological and cultural stories – a place where the planting can sing, dance, a place that creates a reason to visit again and again. A new place for Melbourne.”

Listen to the full talk here: An evening with James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett - YouTube.

The Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, Arts Centre Melbourne and the National Gallery of Victoria produced this event.