A New Normal

A New Normal is a blueprint to transform Greater Melbourne from a consumer to a producer by 2030.

Led by Finding Infinity, A New Normal brings 14 of Melbourne’s most exciting designers and artists together to demonstrate how we can transform our city for an infinite future.

Public Realm Lab’s contribution ‘Connecting New Melbourne,’ proposes a vision for Melbourne’s growth areas. The project explores a network of electrified transport to reduce emissions associated with private vehicle use, but is focused on the improvements to quality of life, connection and wellbeing for residents.

15% of Melbourne’s CO2 emissions come from private car travel. Significantly reducing car journeys by converting those trips to public or human-powered transport could halve emissions associated with transport.

But where you live has a big impact on your capacity to make that switch: in inner-city Melbourne it is (comparatively) easy, appealing and convenient to switch to public or human-powered forms of transport; in growth areas however, the absence of public transport, lack of mixed-use areas and impoverished public realm can make reducing private car travel near-impossible. This means stubborn emissions that will only continue to grow as Melbourne marches outwards. But it also means social and physical isolation for many Melbournians, who are more likely to be young, culturally diverse and likely to have larger families.

Connecting New Melbourne explores what outer and growth area multi-modal transport might mean for communities: how it might strengthen connection, belonging and wellbeing, how it could co-locate services, co-working and childcare. By drawing together a network of electric scooters, bikes, developer-led buses and nodes for social infrastructure we can drive down emissions and make the newest parts of Melbourne more equitable, connected and reflective of what we collectively cherish.

Our project, developed in partnership with artist Beth Arnold, is on display as part of Melbourne Design Week.

You can read more (and buy tickets) here.