CASE STUDY

SOUTH MELBOURNE
PROJECT

BY- SHALLAKI AGRAWAL

RITIKA SHEORAN
 CLIENT'S BRIEF

+ dKO Architects handed H2O Designs a brief that asked for a complete design and manufacture of
the South Melbourne terrace. The architects terrace floor plan provided them with a general guide to
work to but other factors like modularity and weight of components, lightning, planting and lift only
access were all considered.
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

+ With rooftop garden design it’s important to visualize finished components in their surrounding
environment. Hand drawn 3D concept sketches are a quick and effective way to assess the
success of a design, especially when there is a range of components as seen in this project.
Different styles and layouts can all be trailed.
 MANUFACTURE
•The manufacturing process of modular/intersecting
components begins by building each segment in 3D
Cad software. Using site dimensions as restricting
points each piece and adjoining piece is built to
scale, highlighting any possible issues and resolving
them before components have reached a later stage
in manufacturing.​

MATERIALS
+ Water feature, planter boxes, table, seating/storage and feature wall were manufactured from LICOM76™, lightweight concrete
material, ideal for use in rooftops where weight is an issue.

ELEMENTS
+ Elongated planter boxes, feature wall with inbuilt planter boxes, cascading water feature, table with inbuilt planters, seating/storage,
weatherproof cushions, planting, irrigation, lighting.
     
 INSTALLATION

+ This rooftop is situated above a very busy Melbourne corner and for this reason crane access was not
an option for the delivery of the components. Each piece of this puzzle was designed to be hand
delivered through the buildings lift access and apartment doorways then positioned and installed on
site using simple tools.
 CONCLUSION

+ H2O Designs collaborated with dKO Architecture to transform this South Melbourne rooftop into a retreat nestled above the
fracas of its inner- urban environment through the careful selection and placement of materials and finishes. The client's desire for
entertaining and need for integrated storage and seating were also taken into consideration when planning the layout of this
project.
+ A series of interlocked planter boxes of various shapes and sizes run along the length of the rooftop capped by a cascading water
feature at one corner while a feature wall with built-in planter boxes sits against the short edge. Planter boxes were also built into
the outdoor furniture, including cushioned bench seats and day beds with weatherproof textiles and hidden storage, table with an
incorporated wine cooler and planter box centre. LED lightning was also used throughout to enhance the atmosphere of the space
in the evening.
THANKYOU