A drone launch facility and a glow worm conservation centre are among the wackier proposals for a wee wedge of CBD land.
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The scientific body the Royal Society of Victoria had a quandary when its 107-year tenant the Bureau of Meteorology left in January.
What to do with the 173-square-metre triangle at the corner of Victoria Parade and La Trobe Street?
Its call for ideas in The Age in June has reaped a rich response.
A submission for the Royal Society of Victoria's triangle site.
The society has published them on its website, where there are voting options and links to social media.
Some concepts have spectacular glass or sail-shaped designs. Many suggest science-related lecture theatres, museums, and galleries. Cafes and bars are popular.
The Three Elements - a centre for maths physics and chemistry submitted by studio505 for the Royal Society of Victoria's triangle site.
Former politician Clem Newton-Brown suggested to The Age a fully refurbished W class tram could sit on the site, converted to a cafe.
"The more green we can get in the city, the better," Cr Doyle said.
But this week Cr Doyle told The Age the site had "enormous potential" and green space was one idea.
Among other submissions to the society, a design studio, Room 11, proposed a "passive telescope", designed to block out city light.
One other logical proposal is a monument to Pythagoras – ancient Greek scholar of the mathematics of triangles.
The proposed glow worm conservation centre would be combined with a childcare facility. Another idea was a museum of Melbourne's Hoddle Grid layout.
The drone idea. called The Hive, comes from architecture firm studio505, whose director, Dylan Brady, gave employees a day to brainstorm.
Its submissions include an Indigenous cafe growing its own food, a centre exploring climate change, and a magnetic museum.
Studio505 architect Chris Mugeli and colleague James Bickford came up with the drone concept. They said Google and Amazon were already developing drone delivery in the US so it wasn't science fiction.
It could deliver everything from handbags to iPads to lunches and medicines.
"We believe it's maybe a few years away yet," Mr Mugeli said. "But in terms of the delivery method, it would be hugely more efficient than a courier, quicker than any kind of postal service, and it would be safer, as well."
There would be beehive-style multiple portals for landing and take-off, a control room, and include 3D mapping.
Royal Society of Victoria executive director Mike Flattley said he loved the playfulness and future focus of the drone concept.
Over the next few months, the society will discuss ideas and funding with the City of Melbourne, state government, Heritage Council and industry.
