Research portfolio
Learn about past research projects, and follow the progress of current research exploring the philosophy and concept of designed ecology.
Research projects coordinated by the Centre for Designed Ecology extend the knowledge base and influence of our multidisciplinary network of collaborators, and research outcomes inform best practice. Contact us for more details of opportunities for research collaboration.
Improving Well-being through Urban Nature
IWUN: integrating green/blue infrastructure and health service valuation and delivery.
The Woody Meadow
The Woody Meadow, commissioned by the City of Melbourne and lead by Prof James Hitchmough and Dr Audrey Gerber, is a novel planting style which creates resilient urban and peri-urban landscapes for Mediterranean and near-Mediterranean climates.
RHS Greening the Grey – Vegetating front gardens for improved well-being
The Department of Landscape won a research contract from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to investigate the influence of front gardens on human health and well-being. The project is part of the RHS Greening Grey Britain Initiative.
Shrubs and their role in modifying green roof microclimate
The main hypothesis of this study is that different canopy types will have distinct effects on rooftop temperatures at substrate level, with plant spatial arrangement strongly influencing microclimate underneath the canopies.
Magnolias for tough urban biotopes
The aim of this research is to identify the extent to which Magnolia species are capable of tolerating conditions in urban environments under climate change in the 21st Century.
Urban Bess Meadows
A radical new approach to managing urban greenspace: The Urban BESS Meadows experiment.
Rainfall interception by ground cover plants
Ground cover plants to aid rainfall interception and improve soil moisture storage capacity.
Landscape structure in Indonesia
Landscape structure & ecosystem services sustainability: Landscape Model Analysis of the Design and Planning of Protected Areas in Bandung Basin.