Design and the City (Ana Loping Yeung, Bashar Koheji, Benjamin Koh, Manal Ali Sulaibeekh)

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

COMM2411

ASSESSMENT #3

DESIGN and the City

Tutor: Dr. Buck Rosenberg Group: Ana Loping Yeung, Bashar Koheji, Benjamin Koh,Manal Ali Sulaibeekh

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Artefact #1 FLINDERS STREET STATION

The story of design in Melbourne is torn between reviving the classical and breaking new ground. A city that once prided itself on echoing the architectural might of Old World Europe now strives to be on the cutting edge of modern design. A prime example of old Melbourne lies between the northern bank of the Yarra River and Flinders Street.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Melbourne was beginning to exude Europe at every corner. With the Parisian-style eastern end of Collins Street and the Il Duomo-inspired Royal Exhibition Building, the Australian wild was beginning to look like home. This of course was to make sure that Melbourne did not lose its European roots. The Argus newspaper went as far as to suggest that “the native-born would suffer cultural amnesia if Melbourne did not imagine itself in terms of the European arts,” (Fox, 2007).

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Completed in 1910, Flinders Street Station was built after the government held a competition to decide on the design of the station’s exterior. The winning design, in “Edwardian Baroque” fashion, belonged to two Victorian railway employees (Department of Transport, 2010). In an age when Melbourne chased after European culture and sensibilities, the design was a testament to the times. A glance at the red and beige brick facade, or the green domes, and the station could easily be imagined in nineteenth century Paris or Vienna.

A thoroughly modern transport hub on the inside today, while still harkening to old Melbourne on the outside, Flinders Street Station is considered a national landmark. Unlike a statue or palace, however, the station is under constant usage by the masses. Issues of conservation versus functionality arise. On one hand, as a major train station, it must be able to accommodate the Melbourne’s increasing population. As evidenced by Holden’s experience of congested trams, tardy trains, and deteriorating infrastructure, the building is past its prime (2010). Both Holden and Saunders (1997) agree however that historic buildings such as Flinder Street Station must be preserved. Saunders elaborates, saying that landmark status preservation cannot only be reserved for affluent buildings, because landmarks must reflect the full spectrum of classes and ethnicities in a city.

Flinders Street Station is listed in the Victorian Heritage Register, cementing its place in Australian design history. With many modifications already made, and many parts of the old structure closed off to the public however (Holden, 2010), a decision must be made about how to ensure the building retains its glory for future

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

generations. For the time being, Flinders Street Station remains awe-inspiring, especially with the flashy Southbank skyline behind emphasising modern Melbourne’s dual design identity.

References Department of Transport, 2010, History of Flinders Street Station, viewed 24 May 2010. http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/60FC28D7E8B7CB46CA2576A8 001AFA38?OpenDocument

Fox, Paul, "Stretching the Australian imagination: Melbourne as a conservative city", The La Trobe Journal 80 (2007): 124+, Expanded Academic ASAP. Accessed 17 April 2010.

Holden, K, 2010, “History alights upon a siding to somewhere”, The Age, 19 February.

Accessed 16 April 2010.

Saunders, Ralph H, "The Power of Place: Urban Landscapes as Public History", Economic Geography 73.1 (1997): 135+, Expanded Academic ASAP. Accessed 18 April 2010.

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Artefact #2 DEGRAVES STREET

European influenced architecture is not unique to Flinders Street Station, but is actually a reoccurring theme throughout Melbourne’s urban landscape. An example of this is deeply European inspired appearance and rich character of Melbourne’s laneways; Degraves Street to be exact. Here is where you can get a good coffee in Melbourne, whether it is a beautiful weekday’s afternoon or a lazy Saturday morning. Degraves Street is arguably the best residential location in the CBD. The location is central to all necessities and niceties, yet you feel sequestered away from the hustle and bustle. Degraves Street is a small place with big personality; it has a real European feel with cobblestones and combination of atmospheric coffee shop and fabulous boutiques. The street also exhibits the work of contemporary Australian artists. For any foreigners, here might be a fairly memorable

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

location in Melbourne which embodies the laid back lifestyle of the city.

Loft living style is another intriguing aspect of Degraves Street. The loft buildings are European styled and are hidden in small alleys across the CBD, such as Degraves. Originally, the loft style living became popular because of artists and the gentrification of the former manufacturing sectors of large cities, which are now a space designed to house residents and their businesses. It is the concept of redevelopment of major downtown cities inner dwellings which cut costs on space and travel of resident in the live/work loft.

The street art featured in Degraves street offers a feast of colors, ideas and energy. It enlivens the ordinary and changes the way the city is viewed. According to Sharon Zukin’s loft living (1989), the unique concept and artistic design of loft buildings is also one of the main characters that built up an artistic atmosphere for Degraves street, which is intriguing. Even people who do not have artistic or design backgrounds would like to become acquainted with the captivating loft buildings.

Degraves Street has its individual character that you do not normally see in Melbourne. As Fung mentioned (2006), by the time you walk through the maze of Melbourne laneways, you can discover different thoughts and feelings about what you then see from Degraves Street. It provides a unique and intimate space where people who entered the street can lose all sense of time and waste away the hours on quality coffee and bar food which is not readily available throughout the city. It is the romantic heart of Melbourne, a street with dramatic and imaginative personality.

The stylish loft buildings and European street view are the main components of the

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

street's visual setting. The mixture of the combined smells of coffee and food stimulates the senses, while the sound of laughter intermingling with exotic music fits perfectly with the romantic aura of Degraves Street.

Laneways in Melbourne were initially designed for functional purposes.

Gradually, the little details of the city developed according to pedestrians’ needs.

From there on out, designing the city laneways began to synchronize with the fashion of today’s society. Many concerns of the modern city designs differ from those of the earlier eras. Streets are no longer streets strictly for traveling. Streets like Degraves now serve a different function and introduce a new element to urban living. There, locals and tourists both enjoy a cup of hot espresso or fresh juice while sampling different cuisines, all the while enjoying the atmosphere of Degraves Street.

However, a little recycling art wouldn’t hurt the modernization of our city streets.

Urban designs change with the needs of society, so does the form of its art deco that transforms along as time goes by.

References ‘Arcades and lanes’, 2009, That’s Melbourne, Accessed 20 April. 2010. http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Gettingaroundthecity/walks/Pages/ArcadesandLanes.aspx

Fung, P 2006, ‘The seduction of the laneways: making Melbourne a “world city”’, Crossings 11(2): 1-12. Accessed 09 Feb. 2009 v http://www.inasa.org/crossings/11_2/index.php?apply=fung.

Sharon, Z 1989, ‘Living Lofts as Terrain and Market’, Loft living: culture and capital in urban change, page 2, John Hopkins University Press, USA.

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Artefact #3 GRAFFITI IN THE CBD

Distinctive cafes and stylized architecture are not the only appeal of laneways such as Degraves Street. Another significant characteristic of Melbourne’s laneways, contributing to its unique and diverse urban identity is graffiti. For example, veering off Bourke Street and into Union Lane, one is instantly taken aback by the visual feast covering the walls. The once blank walls are consumed by an array of vivid and colorful illustrations, breaking the monochromatic scheme of the city's skyscrapers and low rise buildings. However, this graffiti is not unique to Union Lane and is found throughout most of the city's laneways and alleyways. Although it was once an outlawed practice met with rejection and contempt, the government has become lax in its views of graffiti after realizing that it is indeed a modern and sophisticated art form and not just an act of juvenile vandalism (such as tagging) (Young, 2010).

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Graffiti fits right in with Melbourne's old-meets-new design aesthetic (as mentioned earlier regarding Flinders Street Station). Neighboring Melbourne's more traditional architectural sites would often be graffitied walls. This provides a unique and intriguing experience for tourists, and causes the city to be far more personalized and relatable for the locals. While traditional buildings carry historic and cultural value, graffiti presents more of a social and political narrative. Its value lies in it being a representation of the people of the city and the rules governing them . Graffiti artists from as early as the 1950s till today took to graffiti as a form of expression, illustrating images representing the political and social situation of Melbourne at the time (MacDowall, 2006).

However, graffiti has more to offer than just a performative and highly expressive art form. It strengthens the people's relationship with the city as artists feel as though they have a sort of ownership over their surroundings by imprinting their personality and perceptions on them (Young, 2010). The urban space becoming large canvas in which locals can communicate their feelings towards and relationship with the city, injecting a sense of humanism into an otherwise desensitized and generic urban background (Hansen, 2006). This results in graffiti being one of the more personal and intimate design elements of the city, as it is created by the people of the city rather than sanctioned by a government body.

Realizing the distinction between tagging and graffiti, lawmakers have embraced graffiti and its contribution to the city's modern urban aesthetic. Evidence of this acceptance is the designation of legal graffiti zones and even by graffiti artists being commissioned to create artwork for commercial purposes, as seen in QV

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

terrace and some train stations. National Trust of Australia (Victoria) even proposed that graffiti be regarded as cultural heritage, which the Melbourne City Council considered realizing in 2006 (MacDowall, 2006). This further cements the importance graffiti has in Melbourne as a valuable design element in the city.

Resources:

Hansen, N. (2006) Rash: Street Art and Social Dialogue [online]. Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine, No. 151, 2006: 80-83. Availability at: http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=3591126 62272454;res=IELHSS. Accessed 15 April 2010.

MacDowall, L. (2006) In praise of 70K: cultural heritage and graffiti style. Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies. Vol. 20, No. 4, December 2006, pp. 471-484.

Availability:http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/fullText;dn=200701 764;res=APAFT. Accessed 9 April 2010.

Young, A (2010) 'Negotiated consent or zero tolerance? Responding to graffiti and street art in Melbourne', City, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp.99 — 114

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

Artefact #4 FEDERATION SQUARE

Graffiti is one of the examples of Melbourne’s transition from traditional Victorian influences found in its urban landscape (as seen in buildings like Flinders Street Station and Parliament) to a more modern city image. A better example of this move towards contemporary design is the cutting edge and controversial Federation Square. Federation square began development in 1998 and unveiled itself to Melbournians in 2002. It has since attained mixed reviews and controversy due to its seemingly cluttered and disorganized, pompous façade. The complexity in the design of Federations Square goes beyond a decorated pamphlet, to understand the true genius in the design of Federation Square; one must first take apart the elements that make up the mind-boggling mecca that is Federation Square. (Dowling 2009)

Located in between the steely complex of the city and the dynamism of the

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

art district, Federation Square mirrors the city and country through dissonance and harmony. The location itself serves as a clue to where the inspiration of Federation Square is derived. Southbank’s modernist skyscrapers, the revivalist cathedrals, and the English landscape park that is the Yarra River stretch, these elements bring recall to the overlapping web-like mullions that monitor the strands of light that fall upon the stony church-like interior within Federation Square, while the same tinted clay mar the exterior walls. Drawing from a walk in the park, the polygonal beams assimilate the shady branches and leaves that pattern the ground with its shadows.

Charles Jencks points out the resemblance of Federation Square to the Piazzo San Marco in Venice in terms of proportions, the L-shaped main routes, shops, gallerias and al fresco cafes. Yet in the Piazzo San Marco, there is no LED screen or congregation space that had hosted so many demonstrations and events.

It might be of attention that the functionality of Federation Square also reflects the citizens of Melbourne, being a multicultural, sport-loving city. Like Melbourne, it may be untidy, it may be odd, but it works. (Jencks 2003)

As if it is too much to take in, there is an underlying beauty in the sense of adventure a visitor might get from exploring the various “worlds” within the establishment. It almost seems like architects Donald Bates and Peter Davidson drew inspiration from the laneways of Melbourne. Charles Rice describes in his article about being perplexed by the curious aspects of Federation Square, some of them not always making sense – a possible key component in postmodernist architecture. And yet, Federation Square was design to fully accommodate the unpredictable Melbournian weather. The fractal framework forms the basis of an

COMM2411 – ASSESSMENT 3

Dr. Buck Rosenberg

Ana, Bashar, Benjamin, Manal

intricate, variegated structure that consists of hollow sections and then linked together with a series of diagonal interconnecting members. The structure is divided into two main atria; the inner and outer skin transforms to support particular areas.

Between the two skins is a solar chimney to effective insulate the atrium. (Rice 2004)

Based on the transition from classic Victorian architecture to cultural expressionism, there is a distinct pattern in how Melbournian design has evolved to what it is today. Like graffiti on a wall, some may argue that Federation Square does not look like it fits in with the other establishments, but then of course there are those who appreciate unconventional art pieces and can see past the missing canvas.

References:

Dowling, J, 2009, “Fed Square, if you dare”,The Age, 14 November. Accessed 16 April 2010.

Jenck, Charles 2003, “the undulating Federation Square designed by Lab Architecture, mirrors the city and country through dissonance and harmony”, Architectural Record; June 2003, Vol. 191 Issue 6, pp 108 – 120. Accessed 25 May 2010.

Rice, Charles 2004, “At Federation Square”, Journal of Architecture; Vol. 9 Issue 1, pp 105 – 120. Accessed 25 May 2010.