City of Melbourne: Heritage Strategy

THE CHALLENGE

The City of Melbourne required a new ten-year Heritage Strategy to guide the conservation of one of the world's most dynamic and liveable urban environments. The goal was to move beyond traditional, building-centric conservation and develop a forward-thinking policy that embraced the complex, living nature of built heritage places. They needed a partner to lay the intellectual and conceptual groundwork for a strategy that would be truly transformative.

OUR METHODOLOGY

Heritage Workshop was engaged at the project's inception to author the detailed Strategic Scoping Paper. Drawing on our "Next-Generation Conservation" philosophy, we developed a rigorous evidence base that shifted the focus from bricks and mortar to a people-centred approach.

We identified and shaped the core themes that would anchor the entire strategy:

* Sustainability: Integrating heritage with climate resilience and adaptation.

* Social and multicultural histories: telling new and overlooked stories of place.

* Design Excellence: ensuring high-quality architectural responses in heritage precincts.

* Social Inclusion: Elevating multicultural histories and Indigenous recognition.

* Participation: Moving from "consultation" to meaningful community engagement.

THE OUTCOME

The City of Melbourne officially adopted the strategy, Heritage Strategy 2024–34: Stories of People and Place. Our foundational scoping paper successfully translated complex academic concepts into actionable public policy. The result is a landmark document that positions Melbourne as a global leader in urban heritage, ensuring the city’s history is preserved not just as a museum piece, but as a vital part of its future.