Station Artwork

The Metro Tunnel Creative Program curated artworks and events to enhance Melbourne city life alongside the construction of the Metro Tunnel.

These temporary creative works contributed to offsetting the disruption across our worksites, keeping Melbourne a vibrant and attractive destination during the construction works.

The focus of the program was to encourage community interaction with construction sites and support local businesses at the coalface between site boundaries and where city life begins. The program supported the objectives in the Metro Tunnel Creative Strategy.

The Creative Program was recognised in a number of awards categories:

• Finalist, Arts and Events category of the 2024 Melbourne Awards
• Gold, 2022 Melbourne Design Awards, for Albert Road Reserve Pop-up park in the Urban Design category
• Silver, 2022 Melbourne Design Awards, for the Huxleys’ ‘As camp as Christmas’ in the Pop-ups, display, exhibit and set design category
• Finalist, 2022 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for Metro Tunnel Creative Program
• Gold, 2021 Melbourne Design Awards, in the Urban Design category
• Silver, 2021 Gov Design Awards, in the Urban Design category
• Best in Class Accolade, 2020 Good Design Awards, in the Architectural Design: Urban Design and Public Spaces category, for outstanding design and innovation across our program
• Finalist, 2020 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for the program of works at our Parkville Precinct
• Silver, 2020 Melbourne Design Awards, in the Wayfinding category, for Weekdays Design Studio’s works at Town Hall Precinct
• Finalist, 2019 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for The Huxleys
• Finalist, 2019 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for Pretty Little Things
• Gold, A'Design Award, for Pretty Little Things

At the conclusion of the program, Gehl Studio an international urban strategy and design consultancy conducted an evaluation to assess its overall success and impact in the community, and share lessons learned with those interested in replicating the program.

The Final evaluation report can be found below.

For more information on the Creative Program please visit https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/metro-tunnel/community/art/creative-program‍

The Metro Tunnel legacy program showcases world-class public art, enriching the experiences of everyone who uses the Metro Tunnel and celebrating Melbourne as Australia’s cultural capital.

Each piece of station art draws upon and re-interprets Melbourne’s rich cultural values, from the architectural and cultural landmarks of St Kilda Road in Raafat Ishak’s artwork, Future Wall Painting, at Anzac Station, to Abdul Abdullah’s artwork at Arden Station, Come Together, which represents the coming together of people connected to the Arden area – from the First Peoples of the Kulin Nation prior to colonial settlement, subsequent waves of migration, and to the future when Arden will be transformed into a new precinct.

Modern day Melbourne sits on the traditional lands of the eastern Kulin Nation, with the Metro Tunnel passing through Country of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples. First Peoples art and design elements feature at each station and play an important role in building awareness of the area’s Traditional Owners and celebrating Traditional Owner knowledge and culture. Look out for the following examples when you next visit the Metro Tunnel stations:

• Bronze smoking ceremony dish and gathering area within City Square, Town Hall Station, co-designed with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin by Greenshoot Consulting.

• Woi-wurrung language and designs developed by Wurundjeri artist Lewis Wandin-Bursill that are etched on terraces and seating throughout City Square at Town Hall Station.

• Integration of First Nations cultural narratives within Anzac Station's Albert Road entrance with Indigenous vegetation, wetland features, and use of Boonwurrung words associated with water engraved into stone seating.

• Terrace etching at Arden Station, designed by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung artist Ky-ya Nicholson Ward.