The National Gallery of Victoria's Exhibit Envisions Melbourne With More Parks in 2070

In 2070, Melbourne is projected to become an entirely different city, according to a new exhibition by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

With a title, "Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070," NGV shared that landscape architecture studios envision the future of different sites along the Birrarung (Yarra River) in Melbourne.

Ideas range from transforming golf courses into wetlands to replacing freeways with parks and even AI-powered drones that keep the river healthy.

The curators of the exhibition, in collaboration with the Birrarung Council and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung elders, believe these ideas are not only imaginative but achievable.

"The ideas presented through this project are propositional but highly possible and, ultimately, achievable. All that is needed to see them achieved is community and political will," Gemma Savio, co-curator of the exhibition, told The Guardian,

NGV Exhibit's Vision for Melbourne in 2070

According to World Landscape Architect, one of the more ambitious concepts comes from OFFICE, a landscape architecture studio that would transform four golf courses in Melbourne's Kew and Ivanhoe areas into public wetlands.

To explain their architectural design for Melbourne in 2070, the studio stresses a dire need for green spaces serving more people. "In a climate crisis, and in an increasingly dense city, the open spaces that we have left need to work a lot harder than golf courses," said Steve Mintern, OFFICE co-founder.

Another reimagined vision came from ASPECT Studios, which sees Melbourne that is less reliant on cars. They'd replace a section of the South Eastern Freeway with a public urban forest with an idea that with fewer vehicles, large trees and swimming/kayaking activities could live there-a much more ecological central city.

Realm Studios' 'Birrabots' also feature underwater robotic drones fitted out to monitor water quality and remove pollutants from the Birrarung, with AI-powered bots making sure the ecological balance of this river remains in balance for future generations.