The Chandler Highway Upgrade, funded by the Victorian Government, included the widening of Chandler Highway and building a new six lane bridge next to the existing heritage bridge. Urbis was engaged to design and deliver all landscape and urban design components of the project.

A key element was the design and construction of a major retaining wall, 300m in length and running south/east of Chandler Highway and Yarra Boulevard. The total construction cost of the six metre high concrete retaining wall was $1.2 million.

Urbis coordinated all design phases from concept through to 3D documentation of the wall, working closely with the client, civil and structural engineers.

The panel pattern design was cleverly configured with the repetition of 4 interlocking panels, repeated for a length of 300m.

Urbis provided an intricately patterned 3D model for the fabrication of the concrete form work. Test panels were inspected and approved prior to fabrication and installation on site.

The form, patterning and colour of the wall was inspired by the stratified sedimentary rock that naturally exists to the southern bank of the Yarra River.