Geelong Ring Road

The philosophy behind the Geelong Ring Road project is to draw from the many contextual references that reside in the landscape and character of the region. The integration of landscape and urban design reinforces and enriches this character, creating an indelible experience for the motorists and the community.

The horizontal datum of the planar fields, and the oxidized basaltic boulders, provide the fundamental vocabulary for our proposal. The roadway adopts a taut, metal fence for the sound barrier walls, clad predominantly in corten steel. This oxidised finish gives reference to both basalt and the rich soil of the region.

Typically, the walls run in straight lines with subtle changes in direction to give a crisp finish to the sound barrier in contrast to the geometry of the road. Further highlights are added through the use of brightly coloured acrylic. These elements form the natural punctuation marks that we see existing contextually throughout the region.

The design for the Pedestrian Bridge is a large sculpture that has an elegant and organic presence. Its location on a long, sweeping bend of the road means that it will be seen from a distance with a constantly changing perspective. The primary structure of the bridge is a series of repeated and twisted frames. These frames are clad in timber battens that will provide a slatted light during the day and a similarly dramatic effect when backlit at night. This delicate form becomes an iconographic signature for this part of the journey.

Wood Marsh was engaged by VicRoads to design the aesthetic elements of Sections 1 to 4 of this major road project after winning the design competition. The scope of design included the generation of concepts for the bridge abutments and piers, parapet railings, noise walls, retaining walls, safety fences and some shared pathways.