Project Description:

The project was to undertake urban design studies and produce an Urban Design Plan for the towns of Rainbow and Jeparit commissioned by the Hindmarsh Shire Council. These rural towns in the far north of the State of Victoria face serious demographic challenges with ageing and falling populations, surplus building stock and infrastructure, consolidation of regional services, and shifts from an entirely agricultural economy to other activities such as tourism.

Groups of Architecture Upperpool Design, Final year Premajor Design Thesis, UAL Masters of Architecture (by project) research studio and Landscape Architecture students collaborated in a parallel studio framework organised by the RMIT Urban Architecture Laboratory (UAL).

Partner: Hindmarsh Shire Council

Postgraduate Research Supervision:

Han Li – UAL Master of Architecture (research by project) – Urban Architecture
Rainbow farm-town hybrid scenario: Bakery House, Kindergarten House, Book Store House, Art Club House, Pub House and Cinema House, with  community farms interspersed between.

Research Co-Supervisors: Shane Murray, Nigel Bertram and Carey Lyon

Design Thesis Major Project:

Modification of a single-family house into two independent parts, Jeparit
Laura Harper, RMIT Architecture Design Thesis Major Project
Supervisor: Nigel Bertram

“Town”

Upperpool Design Studio:
Semester 1, 2004
Studio leader: Nigel Bertram, RMIT Architecture – Urban Architecture Laboratory; Practice: NMBW

Clare Hoy, RMIT Architecture Upperpool Design Studio Project
Rainbow seed bank project: propagation on town verandahs
Studio leader: Nigel Bertram

“Town”

Landscape Architecture Design Studio
Semester 1, 2004
Studio Leader: Fiona Harrison – RMIT Landscape Architecture

Emily Dodds, RMIT Architecture Upperpool Design Studio Project
Wimmera River landscape threading through Jeparit. Existing river walking  trails are extended through town using a network of vacant blocks and  other open spaces
Studio leader: Nigel Bertram

Consultancy and Built Commissions:

Wimmera Mallee Pioneer Museum, Jeparit
Built Commission, 2007
Practice: NMBW Architecture Studio

URBAN DESIGN CONSULTANCY
Rainbow and Jeparit urban design plan, 2004

Consultancy team:
NMBW Architecture Studio – Nigel Bertram, Marika Neustupny & Lucinda McLean
with Shane Murray, Carey Lyon (Lyons Architects), Fiona Harrison

The consultancy team led by NMBW were commissioned to produce an urban design plan for the towns of Rainbow and Jeparit, in rural Victoria. This project formed a vehicle for urban investigations and proposals by UAL masters research candidates and undergraduate architecture and landscape design students.