The Hume Global Learning Centre is located very close to the Sunbury Central Activity District and nearby retail stores, as well as a handy public transportation hub. It is easily accessible through the Tullamarine freeway from Melbourne Airport and the Melbourne CBD.
The Hume Global Learning Centre is designed to make a significant and memorable contribution to the Sunbury region. The facility is dynamic, progressive and considered, and this will act as a powerful signifier of community values and aspirations at the gateway to the Sunbury town centre.
Around 30,000 people currently use the centre each month to participate in several community and business learning programs and activities.
The three-level development is based on the plan for a lifelong learning centre that the City of Hume has successfully implemented on three other sites.
In addition to offering conventional library facilities, the building contributes to the delivery of both academic and vocational education programmes. The centre includes:
- A library.
- A teaching space.
- A business hub.
- Flexible multi-use meeting and activity rooms.
- Conference/events spaces.
- A gallery/museum/exhibition space.
- A customer service centre.
- A visiting/hot desk.
- Staff offices.
Public Spaces and Commercial Landscaping
Commercial landscaping of public spaces offers high-quality open green spaces that are easily accessible to the community. From walking down shady streets to commercial landscaping around libraries, museums, and community centres, landscaped spaces are local communities’ hearts.
Through these places, a large number of community members connect, play, stroll, and bicycle. In this manner, commercial landscaping contributes to the health and well-being of local inhabitants. The landscape design of Hume Global Learning Centre Sunbury, by ACLA Consultants, certainly meets all of these aims.
Quality commercial landscape design also provides essential habitats for native species. The landscape design of commercial buildings also greatly affects the success of these public spaces.
Public places such as the Hume Global Learning Centre-Sunbury contribute to a high level of public amenity, particularly when linked with effective landscape design. The result is an accessible public place for the people of Sunbury.
Contribution of Red Landscaping In Constructing The Hume Global Learning Centre – Sunbury
Red’s landscaping was proud to be part of this significant place making project for the community of Sunbury. Our tasks included the following;
- The construction and framework of a large staircase are finished in black.
- Black and white exposed concrete.
- Earthmoving and excavation.
- Large turf area in which a fully controlled Wi-Fi irrigation system installed for all new softscaping.
- Concrete sleepers retaining walls.
- Mass planting of native trees and shrubs on green lands.
- Soil pumping for rooftop planting.
The Red’s landscaping team was excited to work on this project with the Hume City Council and acknowledged the continued support and business with the council and contractors to make areas like this possible.
Landscaping Of Hume Global Learning Centre Sunbury
The staff of red’s landscaping and civil worked on softscaping (living component) and hardscaping (non-living component) of landscaping. They worked hard to complete this project.
SOFTSCAPING
Softscaping (the plant component of landscaping) is one of the many specialties of Red’s Landscaping and Design. Years of study, research, and experience in Australia’s diverse climates have resulted in expert horticultural methods.
The team has been working on sustainable softscapes that can resist the subtropical climate produced by the harsh weather of Melbourne. Our creative softscaping methods may build fertile gardens that are not only environmentally beneficial but also produce fruit, vegetables, and cut flowers.
During the landscape design of Hume Global Learning Centre, we focused on drought-resistant native trees, shrubs, grasses, and groundcovers, which are easy to maintain and attract birds, insects, and mammals. But the question is, why native plants? Because
The Australian climate is harsh, hot, and dry. Most foreign plants are not well adjusted to our conditions and may struggle. Australian natives have all the features that make them ideal low-maintenance garden plants. They are always resistant to drought, tolerant to harsh conditions, and not harmed by various native insects that might damage typical garden plants. Here are some of the native plants we include in our landscape designs.
EUCALYPTUS TREE
Eucalyptus is a dominant Australian tree genus with over 800 species inhabiting many diverse ecosystems throughout Australia. Eucalyptus is generally well adapted to drought. Eucalyptus from the drier environment is also often inherently more drought tolerant. Eucalyptus trees are appreciated for their landscaping uses. Many eucalyptus species have beautiful forms and textures. Some of the flowers are striking in shape and brilliant colours. For these reasons, eucalyptus trees are often used widely in commercial landscaping. This was also the case for the landscaping of Hume Global Learning Centre-Sunbury. Eucalyptus trees planted include “euky dwarf”, “leucoxylon rosea”, and “eucalyptus scentuous” (lemon scented gum).
The eucalyptus leaves are the main source of a koala’s diet. Koalas also rely on the moisture in eucalyptus leaves for most of their hydration needs. They also sleep in the eucalyptus tree. Therefore eucalyptus trees are very important for conserving koalas in the urban environment. Due to these qualities, eucalyptus is always on the favourite list of landscape designers.
The eucalyptus trees were planted in the planter pots and vases, which helped to soften the new brick walls of the Hume Global Learning centre.
WESTRINGIA
Westringia is a perennial shrub with dense blue-grey foliage that resembles rosemary. It is an easy care plant with a tidy habit. It has masses of vivid bluish purple flowers. It flowers profusely in spring and regularly at other times of the year. It is a heat-, humidity-, and highly frost tolerant shrub and is well suited to the native flower garden.
Westringia blue gem has a naturally attractive bushy growth habit and responds well to pruning. It is fast growing and does well in a wide range of conditions. It is used for hedging and bordering. It is also suited for containers.
ANIGOZANTHOS BUSH DIAMOND
Anigozanthos bush diamond, commonly known as Kangaroo Paws, is a flower native to Australia. Bush diamond is a compact, off-white flowered kangaroo paw that acts as a great colour contrast in multiple plantings.
This native plant is naturally heat and drought tolerant and enjoys full sun in well-drained soil. However, extra irrigation during flower bud formation will benefit flowering performance.
Anigozanthos are extensively used in commercial landscapes and home gardens. It flourishes best in warm and sunny places, such as balconies, terraces, and courtyards. This plant will be conspicuous and enjoyable in decorative pots, jars, and freely planted in beds in the garden. It will attract the native birds and bees to feed on the nectar.
LOMANDRA
Lomandra, more popularly known as mat rushes, is an Australian perennial herbaceous plant genus. They spread in big, open, spherical tufts, resembling green fountains or fireworks. This spherical, symmetrical form makes them perfect for solitary plantings, such as in the centre of a bed or lawn as a display plant. The clean shape of Lomandra is also maintained without the need for trimming or clipping. They make an impressive impact when used in mass plantings for extremely low-maintenance gardening.
You can place Lomandra pretty much anywhere in your garden. They will grow in wet areas like the garden pond’s damp edge and dry ones like a dry herbaceous border. We plant the drought tolerant lomandra along the walls of the Global Learning Centre. This plant provides a fascinating green space between the exposed aggregate footpaths and the walls.
Banksia Birthday Candles
Banksia birthday candles are a dwarf cultivar of Banksia spinulosa and are the highest-selling native plant in Australia. It is a tough, evergreen, low-spreading small shrub with dense, dark green foliage and spectacular golden yellow flowers in autumn and winter that resemble upright candles.
Its mounded shape makes it a great border plant or a miniature hedge. It is also well suited for general landscaping, mass planting, and pots. This plant is also drought and frost tolerant once established. The flowers are outstanding and can attract native wildlife like bees and nectar-eating birds and butterflies into the garden. We used this plant as the ground cover plant in designing the Hume Global Learning Centre.
GREVILLEA BRONZE RAMBLER
Grevilleas are stunning floral Australian species that thrive freely as groundcovers in huge and dry areas. The Grevillea bronze rambler has a dense, spreading habit with thin, smooth, reddish-brown stems decorated with divided bronze-green leaves. It features deep purple-red nectar-rich toothbrush flowers that bloom all year.
It is generally fast-growing, which helps to prevent weed growth and makes for low-maintenance landscaping. It works as a ground cover in large gardens and is well-suited for slopes. It provides an excellent habitat for wildlife, such as small birds. It was also used as a ground cover in the Hume Global Learning Centre landscape design, giving a stunning and pleasing appearance.
HARDSCAPING
The design, planning, and implementation stages of any hardscape project require careful attention. At the same time, there are several important things to consider, and space utilisation is the most important. At Red’s Landscaping and Design, hardscaping optimises usable space while creating an attractive garden. Red’s Landscaping and Design Gardening uses only licensed and qualified tradespeople to design durable hardscapes that can be enjoyed for decades. Here are some hardscaping areas where we worked in the Hume Global Learning Centre.
CONCRETE STEPS
Concrete steps are usually the focal point of most entryways of homes and public buildings. Elevating concrete steps from bland to grand makes them the dramatic focal point of any front entrance. The concrete steps in exposed aggregate create a stunning feature in the landscape.
Concrete is a very stable construction material, which means it will not decompose or emit any toxic fumes, gases, or harmful components. This makes concrete steps ideal for hot and cold climates, as they will not quickly erode. The concrete steps are cost-efficient, use fewer labour resources, and give the construction worker several custom options. The Red’s Landscaping crew in Melbourne used concrete formwork to handle the challenges of constructing long flights of stairs.
EXPOSED AGGREGATE PATHS
Exposed aggregate concrete is a great design solution for public spaces. The attractive, durable, non-slip surface makes it an ideal choice for a landscape architect. High traffic areas around public buildings often use this type of concrete path. The aggregate concrete is available in various colours to suit the landscape design. The aggregate paths are just as durable as any plain concrete surface and handle heavy traffic better than natural stone.
The Red’s Landscaping crew installed the exposed aggregate paths at the entrance and all around the Hume Global Learning Centre, which look outstanding compared to old concrete footpaths. We use alternative colours of concrete in the exposed aggregate pathway. The mulched garden bed also softens the appearance with the planting of native grasses, which increases the aesthetic appeal of the building.