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This October, urban design student Tiaré Murphy is hosting 'Green Spaces in Unusual Places', a dynamic pop-up climate hub in Melbourne CBD, developed in partnership with Regen Melbourne.
Tiaré Murphy has been passionate about climate change for as long as she can remember. Now studying Urban Design at the University of Melbourne she hopes to challenge conventional approaches to place-based engagement.
Drawing on inspiration from the globalPark(ing) days, she envisioned 'Green Spaces in Unusual Places', developed in partnership with Regen Melbourne and supported by theCity of Melbourne's Youth Climate Action Grants.
Part mini-festival, part community engagement platform and part participatory art installation, the event promotes green spaces in urban environments. "I like the idea of occupying an unusual space in the city, which when you're walking by, you can just get swept in," Tiaré says.
What to expect
Over three days, a pop-up green space will take over Signal (on Flinders Walk, Northbank) and feature musical performances, facilitated climate discussions, interactive workshops (including bee hotel-making) and thermal cameras to illustrate temperature differences between green spaces and surrounding concrete.
Friday will focus on climate and health, while Saturday explores the urban heat island effect. "Every pocket of green can help mitigate this effect," she explains.
Inspiring community support and action
Tiaré believes engaging and connecting everyday people is a precondition for effective climate action. By transforming urban spaces into interactive climate environments, she hopes to create not just awareness but also hope and agency.
"I want people to feel supported and heard within the community," she says. "I hope it's a reflective process; that people leave feeling a sense of urgency on this topic, and feel inspired to take their own kind of action."
Green Spaces in Unusual Places is happening at Signal (Northbank, Flinders Walk, Melbourne) from October 3–5. Entry is free.
