Overview
Fancy a casual surf before work? Maybe a quick dip before your serious retail escapades?
It's a luxury oft taken for granted by many a Sydneysider. However, a proposal to insert a giant floating wave pool in the heart of Melbourne's CBD could change the game for a city better known for its thriving arts and culinary scene, than any semblance of a beach culture.
One of the most insanely ambitious proposals the city's seen for many a day, the project is the brainchild of Melbourne architect and surfing enthusiast Damian Rogers, in collaboration with global design and engineering firm Arup. Projected to cost more than $8 million, the Melbourne wave pool development is heralded to be the first of its kind due to the fact that it will be churning out 1.5 metre waves in a central harbour location. While many cities have dappled with the concept of manmade beaches — London, Paris and Brisbane to name a few — this is the first time it's looked like an actual possibility for Melbourne.
The prospective beach will literally float in the middle of the city, providing a reprise from the skyscraper expanse that is Docklands. Placed at the end of Docklands' Central Pier, the layout is projected to include a sandy shoreline, a deck, a retail strip, a lawn area and everyone's favourite — a wave pool.
And by wave pool, they're talking legit waves. Adjustable legit waves at that. Wave size can be modified to suit the varying requirements of pool-goers — from 30 metre wide breakers for surfing pros, to a slight swell for the more uncoordinated among us. The water used will be filtered seawater taken from Victoria Harbour, which hopefully will be filtered to an inch of its life.
"Just to be able to hear the waves breaking and go for a surf — even if you're not a surfer, to be able to sit there and watch it," said Damien Rogers, the architect behind the proposal told the ABC. "It would just be a great place to be. Yet another great place for people in Melbourne to go."
Swimming is probably the last thing that Melbourners think of when winter rears its ugly head, but with the pool being heated all year round, it may just be one of your better options of keeping warm.