Printmakers Lane

The Printmakers Lane project received $100,000 from the Urban Forest Fund to create a shady green area in Southbank. The project was completed in June 2021.

A woman walking down a laneway with a canopy of green plants

Drawing inspiration from the laneways of Europe, this project uses vines to shade a laneway on a busy campus a simple approach that could be replicated throughout Melbourne.

Project details

Running through the University of Melbourne's Southbank campus, the Printmakers Laneways connect Dodds Street to Sturt Street and serve only as pedestrian thoroughfares.

This greening project has transformed one of the laneways into shady green space that is enjoyed by students and members of the public.

The project includes:

Planting grapevine species in the laneway.
Installation of frames for the grapevines to grow over.
Redesign of the laneway surfaces to divert rainwater to passively irrigate the grapevines.
Temporary plants in pots to provide immediate greenery while the grapevines establish and become lush.
Installation of seating and lighting in the laneway to make it a more inviting space for users.

Benefits of the project

The Printmakers Lane project provide a range of benefits, including:

Environmental

The microclimate in the laneway is unpleasant in summer and retains heat. Grapevine planting will help mitigate the extreme heat in the laneway by providing a shade canopy.
The vines are expected to provide 100 per cent shade cover at maturity, which corresponds to approximately 300 m2 of new green cover.
The shade from the vines will help to passively cool buildings, reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint. Similarly, the deciduous species will allow light and warmth into buildings in winter which assists with reducing heating requirements during these cooler months.
The laneway drainage has been redesigned to capture rainwater and direct it to the new plants, thereby reducing stormwater flows, improving soil moisture and helping to keep the plants healthy. The vines will be planted in porous materials and will require minimal irrigation once established.

Community

The Printmakers Laneways are accessible by the public, so everyone can enjoy the shady green space.
With green open space and canopy cover currently limited in Southbank, this new shady green space will benefit many residents and encourage more people to use the area.
The new green laneway will connect with other public realm improvements taking place in Dodds Street, Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard.
The project is being delivered by the University of Melbourne on their campus, providing unique opportunities for research and sharing lessons.