Melbourne skyrail: Designer’s mirror design to hide concrete eyesore

GIANT mirrors could be the key to disguising Melbourne’s controversial sky rail eyesore under an innovative design proposal.

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MELBOURNE’S controversial sky rail project would be “disguised” under an innovative design proposal.

The concept involves fitting a lightweight membrane that would be independent of the rail infrastructure.

TABLE TENNIS LINED UP FOR RAIL SPACE

It would be clad with a highly reflective mirror-like material which would reflect the surrounding landscape at ground level, thereby hiding skyrail’s concrete structure.

Senior development manager Sean Hogan said he had based the idea on global viaduct projects and believed it would vastly improve the look of skyrail and even discourage graffiti.

The suggested mirrored panel design that will conceal the sky rail.

“I wanted to explore how we could create spaces under and around the viaducts where people feel comfortable and want to linger,” he said.

“There is the potential to create some real amenity by leveraging off the landscape and making the concrete structures almost invisible to local residents and passers-by.”

Mr Hogan said it wasn’t proposed to cover the entire length of skyrail, only in more sensitive areas.

“This could be applied in precincts where landscaping is in place or proposed to be provided,” he said.

“The reflective nature of the cladding could then increase the effect of this greenery.”

The anti-skyrail group welcomes beautification works around the controversial rail.

Mr Hogan, who works for development firm ISPT, said his personal idea was a bid to start a public conversation on the need to minimise the impact of unsightly structures.

“I’m not saying we do this on every street and every rail line, but there should be an analysis of options in certain areas,” he said.

Michelle Bennett, from anti-skyrail group Lower Our Tracks, believed residents would welcome ideas “to beautify and prevent graffiti and anti-social behaviour around the towering ugly concrete monstrosity”.

“Given the design is still in progress we hope the Level Crossing Rail Authority can include more aesthetic measures,” she said.

@JMasanauskas