Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation: Laak Boorndap Urban Garden

Laak Boorndap, an immersive landscape planted entirely on an elevated deck will help to reshape Australia’s Melbourne Arts Precinct with one of the most richly layered planting designs of any public garden in the world.

Designed by Hassell in partnership with New York’s SO-IL, world-renowned horticulturalists Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough, and plant expert Jac Semmler from Melbourne company Super Bloom, Laak Boorndap (pronounced Lark — Born — Darp) forms part of the Victorian Government’s Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project.

An 18,000-square-metre, biodiverse garden, the new public space will link the venues across the precinct and support community well-being and connection. It will wrap around the new The Fox: NGV Contemporary, NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and Theatres Building (under the Spire), along with adjacent The Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre.

Laak Boorndap — a Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung name bestowed on the garden by Traditional Owner, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder, Aunty Gail Smith — is unique in the world in its scale, planting density and climate resiliency.

Laak Boorndap will be a new type of public space for Melbourne – a place for people to be immersed in nature and to connect with each other, art and performance.

Designed to foster biodiversity, the highly dynamic, multi-layered garden will add vital natural space to the heart of one of Australia’s most densely populated urban areas.

An ever-changing landscape, Laak Boorndap will be made up of a diverse mix of local Victorian, Australian and international plant species, marking a bold and unique approach to naturalistic planting that focuses on climate resilience.

ENHANCING COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Built over Sturt Street between City Road and the back-of-house facilities for the NGV and Arts Centre Melbourne, the garden will feature a vibrant array of sculptures, installations and creative activities. Visitors can expect a dynamic space offering a blend of culture and nature in the city’s heart.

Laak Boorndap and its new amenities promise to revitalise the area, benefiting visitors, residents, businesses, and the numerous arts organisations that call the broader Melbourne Arts Precinct home.

Works on the new urban garden are scheduled to start in 2026, and the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project is expected to be completed in 2028.