Offsetting construction impact and connecting communities through creative interventions

The Metro Tunnel is a major city-shaping rail investment designed to transform Melbourne’s public transport network through a new underground rail tunnel and five new stations across the city. While the project will deliver long-term benefits, its eight-year construction phase created significant disruption around worksites. In response, the Metro Tunnel Creative Program was established to offset these impacts through temporary, place-based creative interventions that supported local communities, celebrated Melbourne’s creative culture, and transformed sites of disruption into spaces for art and public life.

In 2018, as station construction began, the Metro Tunnel Project Office (MTPO) established a Creative Strategy to guide the Program’s approach. Developed in collaboration with state and local government stakeholders, the Strategy recognised the Metro Tunnel Project’s role in supporting Melbourne’s cultural identity and ensuring a lasting civic legacy. It set out six key objectives: dynamic sites of creativity, managing construction impacts, A line-wide identity, welcoming and people-focused places, creative opportunities and engagement showcasing Melbourne. 

Gehl was engaged as an evaluation and advisory partner to assess the Creative Program’s impact on public life, community sentiment and local vitality, supporting its continuous evolution. Through a tailored evaluation framework, stakeholder engagement, and multiple rounds of qualitative and quantitative data collection, Gehl generated insights and recommendations that informed ongoing improvements over the course of the 8 year program.

As construction approached completion in 2025, Gehl was commissioned to reflect on the Creative Program’s impact and legacy. Drawing on insights from key stakeholders overlaid with program insights, the study explored how the program was delivered, how it engaged artists and communities, and how partnerships and evaluation practices supported its success. The findings show how a strong operating model, creative ambition and a commitment to learning helped turn construction disruption into opportunities for public engagement, civic pride and cultural expression – offering practical lessons for future infrastructure projects.