Project experience and career summary.
Following his honours degree at the University of Melbourne Ron attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, working as a Research Associate at the University’s Housing Research and Development Unit while completing a Masters of Architecture. He followed his interest in multi-unit housing by working for Mobil Land Development Corporation a San Francisco-based developer of planned communities, and Sandy & Babcock a firm of specialist housing architects. Ron brings 30 years of planning, briefing and project management experience to Billard Leece Partnership.
Recent experience includes:
Alfred Hospital ICU
The Alfred is one of Victoria’s major teaching and tertiary referral hospitals. The hospital focuses on medical, surgical and psychiatric services, including state-wide speciality services including major trauma, burns, HIV, heart and lung transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, radiation oncology, mental health and hyperbaric. Currently in the design phase, the $20m project is a full refurbishment of the patient care areas of the existing ICU with an extension to the west, partial refurbishment of support areas (administration, relatives areas), as well as decanting and services infrastructure contribution to suit.
Royal Children’s Hospital Redevelopment Masterplan
The RCH is Victoria’s only hospital dedicated solely to the care of children. It provides local, state and regional clinical, teaching, training and research services, and offers a full range of child and adolescent health services, including mental health services. External consultation on the project commenced in 2003, and continued through the Masterplan phase in 2004. A total of 21 development options were investigated, of which the recommended option amounted to a total gross area of new building in excess of 100,000sqm and approximately $800m in value.
Classic Residences retirement accommodation
At six outer suburban locations situated in Australia’s eastern states Becton Corporation has explored retirement accommodation amounting to over 690 dwellings. Ron has directed feasibility studies for premium-finish villas and apartments in garden settings, offering secure parking and the possibility of adaptation for the infirm.
Supreme Court Redevelopment Study
This study investigates the preferred option arising form the earlier Legal Precinct Masterplan Study for the Department of Justice. Extensive site analyses and user group studies were undertaken to arrive at a schematic proposal for the future development of the Supreme Court of Victoria amounting to $250m of capital expenditure. The masterplan recognised the need for consolidated and upgraded court facilities to improve security, public safety and compliance with current building regulations. The Supreme Court in particular was confirmed as a significant building architecturally and historically. Its continued viability as a functioning court is a primary objective of the redevelopment.
Essendon Airport Masterplan
In 1998 Essendon Airport Pty Ltd was granted a 50 year lease over Essendon Airport’s 305 hectares located 11 kilometres northwest of Melbourne’s Central Business District. With a reduction in aviation activity since 1971 and limited projected growth, the airport contains land and facilities that are surplus to projected aviation requirements. Consequently, this presents the opportunity to explore new development opportunities.
BLP’s comprehensive Urban Design Plan and Guidelines for the English Street Precinct will ensure all new buildings within this new campus style office park precinct will have a high level of design. The English Street Village Centre will serve the entire precinct with a wide range of food and service retail outlets including food courts, ATMs newsagent and dry cleaning.
Past masterplanning and urban design experience includes masterplans for Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Caulfield General Medical Centre, Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Women’s Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital; a Facility Masterplan for Box Hill Institute of TAFE completed June 1996, comprising five campuses serving 27,000 students, Melbourne Park, Jolimont and Federation Square preliminary feasibility study and urban design guidelines for the Office of Major Projects and the City of Melbourne, Monash University Berwick Campus, Melbourne University Private Hawthorn Campus, Essendon Airport and Botanicca Corporate Park, Burnley.
Health projects under Ron’s direction included the Royal Melbourne Hospital Redevelopment Stages 1–3 Royal Children’s Hospital/Royal Women’s Hospital Enabling Works ($39m), Murdoch Children’s Research Laboratories ($40m), RCH Oncology/Neurosciences Refurbishment ($20m) and Stage 1 Works ($22m) and Caritas Christi Hospice ($4m).
Under Ron’s direction residential developments for Becton include Copelen, a $16m, 80-unit development in South Yarra completed in 1997; The Port, Port Melbourne, a $30m development comprising 190 town houses and apartments, College Square, an $80m student housing development in Carlton, Portside, Port Melbourne, a 130-apartment development, The Park, Port Melbourne a 400 apartment development and Brighton Classic Residences retirement apartments and serviced apartments, a $90m development, comprising 400 apartments and villas, presently nearing completion.
In his capacity as Director of Daryl Jackson Pty Ltd Ron was responsible for briefing and planning of many significant and diverse projects including Bond University, Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale and Hawthorn Campuses, Northern Territory University, MCG Great Southern Stand, 120 Collins Street Office Tower, Eastern Suburbs Geriatric Centre [Peter James Centre, East Burwood], Southport Community Nursing Home Albert Park, University of Melbourne Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Building, the Melbourne Graduate School of Management, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital Redevelopment 1988–94, the Australian Film and Television School in Sydney Olympic Village Docklands, Sunshine District Centre Master Plan and proposed retail development, Knox Activity Centre Structure Plan and Civic Centre Redevelopment, Dandenong Civic Centre Master Plan, and Becton's East Melbourne residential project. Affiliations Associate, Royal Australian Institute of Architects Associate, Urban Land Institute Education Master of Architecture University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) University of Melbourne