A vision for social innovation
In 2023, RMIT put forward a proposal for the City North Social Innovation Precinct to the Victorian Government.
The proposal describes a skills and innovation-led urban renewal of a unique city block in City North, transforming it into a Social Innovation Precinct (CNSIP) that creates jobs, skills, enterprises and solutions for Victoria’s future, strongly connected to key centres in South East Asia. The precinct will be a common platform for critical and high demand industry clusters of social care and wellbeing, clean economy, and advanced engineering and computing, brought together with inclusive community engagement and design.
The renewal of the precinct will achieve significant benefits, strengthening Parkville NEIC, leveraging RMIT’s City Campus, the Metro Tunnel’s new State Library Station to create a dynamic platform for skills and innovation, that builds on the block’s existing strengthens and is positioned for sustainable growth.
The proposal demonstrates RMIT’s commitment to place-based partnership that benefits City North neighbourhoods and the wider Victorian community; building on years of engagement and collaboration with the City of Melbourne, Victorian Government and City North partners.
The vision for City North is to transform the area into a world leading Social Innovation Precinct. The precinct will meet demand for skills in priority sectors and contribute to Melbourne’s innovation landscape through its unique combination of vocational and higher education, innovation, community engagement and industry collaboration.
The site is on the land of the Woi Wurrung language group of the Eastern Kulin Nation and formed part of an important cultural landscape in which the Woi Wurrung gathered resources, cared for country, and interacted with other Aboriginal groups. Its renewal offers an opportunity to build further connections with truth-telling, community engagement and cultural heritage in this part of the city.
The precinct will deliver inclusive skills and innovation in critical sectors:
- Social care and wellbeing
Delivering critical training in nursing, aged care, disability, and other areas of workforce shortage. Driving innovation in human services and healthcare in response to diverse community needs and an aging population. Co-locating human services, NGO partners and ethical businesses. Prototyping and connecting health, housing and social services to digital and engineering capabilities. - Clean economy
Growing sustainability skills to support clean energy and transport, construction, and the circular economy. Providing access to small scale prototyping spaces, developing centres of excellence and innovation in electrification. Making the precinct a living lab for smart, sustainable urban planning and climate change adaptation. - Future engineering and technology
Growing digital and engineering skills and industry partnerships that contribute to innovation across sectors. Developing critical technology expertise in automation, cloud, AI and fabrication technologies. Supporting the pivot from traditional manufacturing to tech-enabled future manufacturing and re-skilling workers. Providing inclusive access to digital skills. - Regional impact
Leveraging RMIT’s well-established presence and networks across the Asia Pacific, especially ASEAN. Providing a front door to Asia for Victorian business and engagement. Expanding a landing pad for new regional talent and investment into Melbourne.
The potential of City North -Melbourne’s Innovation District
In the last two decades, the urban innovation district model has emerged internationally as a key response to major social and economic challenges. The strategic partnership of cities, industry, education, government and non-profit organisations co-located and purposefully working together as part of an ‘innovation ecosystem’ can create a powerful environment to deliver skills and solve complex challenges.
The Social Innovation Precinct site is a significant landholding jointly owned by RMIT and the State, in a pivotal location near the centre of Melbourne’s Innovation District and within the wider Parkville Precinct and National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC). It boasts a rich history of social innovation, skills delivery and civic impact through public institutions and non-profit organisations in the neighbourhood.
Today it hosts thousands of students enrolled in vocational education including trades, technology, nursing and social care. It also includes key advanced manufacturing and technology research facilities and community partners.
Already well served by public infrastructure, the site will soon become one of the most accessible parts of metropolitan Melbourne: at the northern edge of Melbourne’s CBD, a short walk from Melbourne’s Swanston Street tram corridor and with a new Metro Station about to open. It is close to major cultural sites including the Queen Victoria Market, Lygon St and the Royal Exhibition precinct, and to major hospitals, businesses and research centres.
Historical accidents in planning, tenure and activity mix mean that many of the buildings in the precinct are not fit for purpose, with some requiring urgent refurbishment or replacement. There is little open green space and wide expanses of on-street parking and asphalt.
Current heritage and planning controls, design and development overlays and mixed ownership of small plots interact to create unintended consequences – a situation where long-term precinct renewal and investment are prevented.
The Social Innovation Precinct will be a place where community, technology and industry come together to engage with the major social challenges of our time. Building workforce skills, inclusive innovation and industry capability with cross-community partnership.
The Social Innovation Precinct can unlock significant, social, cultural and economic benefit
- Increased industry innovation — an additional $52 million* in R&D expenditure p.a. due to an increase in research and collaboration space, which can help tackle pressing societal issues by applying knowledge and connecting economic, physical and networking assets.
- Increased student and staff activity — ability to house 15-20,000 EFTSL on the precinct by 2042 with additional associated teaching staff.
- Improved student skills and employment outcomes — a 27% to 34%* increase in lifetime earnings for the additional students taught.
- Increased commercial activity — due to a greater level of open space and additional space for retail businesses to operate.
Greater indigenous recognition through design. - Better community experience and improved sustainability.
- Agglomeration — connecting and collocating skilled workers has the potential to enhance productivity by strengthened sharing, matching and learning.
- Capital investment — the capital expenditure provides a boost to the economy (particularly in the construction sector) and maximises the use of the land, while also maintaining appropriate urban character, density and height.
The timing is right for renewal and with the support of the City and the State, RMIT is working towards future-focused land and planning arrangements that will facilitate achievable, sustainable, precinct redevelopment.
Artist’s impression by MGS Architects