WoMINJeKa
ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS DESIGN THESIS 961355 SEMESTER 2, 2019
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acknowledgement
“I acknowledge the Traditional custodians of the country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to the land, waters and culture. I pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across the nation.�
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Studio Outline Derham Groves writes about the inspiration behind the development of the studio brief. “Impressive bunch of losers� encapsulates the necessity and the importance of why the city of Melbourne needs a landmark.
The Landmark Competetion ‘78 Wheather it be poor planning, lack of interest by the organisers, or just sheer bad luck and timing, nothing comes out of the competetion held in 1978.
Selected Entry This site and the brief played an important role in the selection of the entry to be taken forward. The entry choosen was uniquely Melbourne and at the same time in reference to the past, present and future of the city.
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Site Studies Starting the thesis with the study of the site lead to the final concept development and program of the landmark
Design Manifesto The manifesto outlines the research ideology that leads to the development of the final outcome. It talks about different thoughts on what becomes a successful landmark.
Design Development Aboriginal arts, culture and history drives the parti development. The story of the injustice and the history of the first nationals are translated through the architecture.
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Precedents Looking at precedents of each of the typology of the programs proposed as a landmark. Memorials, Art galleries, Coworking spaces, Art training centres etc. were looked upon.
Design proposal The design process culminated by curating a narrative which takes the viewer on a cultural journey through the hardships faced by First Australians.
memorabilia What is a landmark without something to remeber it by. A curated collection of items which serves an architectural and a cultural purpose.
174 References A list of passionate people and references which helped in the research and the final output
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studio outline ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 9
When it comes to popular architecture and design, few events tick as many boxes as the 1978 Melbourne Landmark Competition. Sydney had the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932) and the Sydney Opera House (1973), while Melbourne had no comparable world-class landmark. So, better late than never, in December 1978, the state government of Victoria launched an ideas competition to design a new landmark for Melbourne which would replace the much despised light brown brick Princes Gate Towers (1967) above the railway tracks at Princes Gate, north of Princes Bridge. The competition was open to anyone with an idea and the $10 registration fee—not just to architects. The organising committee was totally overwhelmed by the more than 2,000 entries that it received from all around the world. In the end, it couldn’t decide on one winner, splitting the $100,000 prize money between 48 finalists. Unsurprisingly, nothing came of this shemozzle, and the Princes Gate Towers, which were judged by many to be ‘the ugliest buildings in Melbourne’, remained until 1996 when they were finally demolished, one floor at a time, to make way for Federation Square.
The Melbourne Landmark Competition entries were archived and quickly forgotten; however, they represent a late 1970s snapshot of where people imagined architecture was headed. What’s more, given the tremendous buzz generated by New York’s most recent landmark, ‘The Vessel’ (2019), designed by Thomas Heatherwick, many of the Melbourne Landmark Competition entries are still very relevant today. Indeed, the flawed competition’s impressive bunch of losers included Coop Himmelb(l)au’s; Archigram’s Warren Chalk; Cedric Price; Alison and Peter Smithson; Will Alsop; and Steven Holl. Participants in this design thesis studio will select one or more entries in the Melbourne Landmark Competition and adopt or adapt it/them as the brief for a new Melbourne landmark on the same Princes Gate site. In the process, we will also explore a range of allied theories and topics, including the idea of the Situationist city (a key theory evident in all of the entries by the eight ‘starchitects’ mentioned above) and the role played by landmarks like ‘The Vessel’ in establishing sense of place.
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melbourne landmark competition ’78
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A collection of about 2300 competition entries lie inside the forgotten records room at the public records office in Melbourne. Entries ranged from well thought-out and well resolved ones to bare hand sketches pencilling down the idea of the participant. Many of the entries are by world renowned architects which speaks to the importance such a competition had in their minds. The need for a landmark to identify the people of Melbourne with, was real. The competition came to an end with 48 of the entries being made finalists and dividing the prize money among them.
48 entries. 48 of the best? arguable.
The following pages contain images of entries looked at, from the public records office. ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 15 08
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selected entry
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FIG: Site and nearby precincts.
The presence of a water adjacent to the site and the history of the site in the minds of the Wurundjeri community, the traditional owners of the land resulted in the selection of the entry. The selected entry closely resembles what the ideology about Australia was, in the minds of the world at that particular time. Boomerang, as the participants thought, represented Australia and its people. While boomerangs were a part of the daily life of the First Australians, it was just a small element of it and the actual culture was much more developed. This was the inspiration to continue with the journey of the First Australians and design a meaningful piece of architecture for them.
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First – The railway tracks suggest the boomerang shape and this is echoed by the nearby bend in the Yarra. We propose that a suitable shaped area be decked over to form the base for the development. We suggest this boomerang shape be clearly identifiable by day and by night – particularly as seen from the air. A system of perimeter lighting would be used at night to do this. Second – On this deck would be three buildings which have depicted as being oval. The oval shape is intended to be in sympathy with the shape of the nearby cricket grounds, again particularly seen from the air. The functions contained in these three complexes – each of which can be endowed with internal character of its own – should depend upon the needs of Melbourne; perhaps a conference / congress centre, a sports, shopping, library, social services or leisure complex. Our own suggestion would be that each of the three complexes might take as its theme Melbourne’s past, its present and future. The first could take the form of a museum, depicting Melbourne’s evolution from its early beginnings. The second could feature the activities of the existing communities in Melbourne – their music, their drama, their arts, the activities of their children and young people. The third could be a dynamic exhibition centre for displaying the ideas and aspirations for Melbourne’s future economic, cultural and civic life and its scientific and technological developments Third – The climax of our idea is that the hub of each of the three complexes would be a vertical structure in boomerang shape. The functions of each complex would extend into the boomerangs which in addition would contain viewing levels restaurants and the like. Each boomerang would rotate slowly in a circular base either independently of each other or in synchronism. Likewise, the computer program would determine the direction and speed of rotation of each boomerang. The vast surface area would be used for collecting solar energy for both the rotation of the three structures and the power supply for the whole development. At times of darkness, lights would pick out the boomerang shapes to give a dramatic and inspiring night scene We feel this proposal with its evocative boomerang theme could bring Melbourne world renown. The boomerang is something with which Australia is closely identifies throughout the world. The concept is simple to grasp, can be functional as well as a tourist and business attraction in its own right and can incorporate the best of modern technology in an idea which seems to arise from the very site the project is founded. - Boomerang City, Melbourne ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 33
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site studies ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 35
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The site studies resulted in deciding the extent of the site. The site selected is bound by St. Kilda road, Flinders street, and batman Ave. on three sides, and by the river Yarra on the other. The train lines are determined to be at a level of +6M from the sea levele and the surrounding city block is determined to be at a level of +15M. This provides an opportunity to build over the train lines and making this new landscape a part of the extended city. The importance of the site on the history of the development of the city was looked into. The site was important in the history in that, it acted as a meeting point for the 5 clans that make up Kulin Nation. They would often meet in the banks of the river to discuss matters, or just celebrate the moment. The culture is still contnueing, through the Melbourne Arts Festival, which organizes events like Tanderrum, where people of other clans are welcomed into Melbourne by the Wurundjeri.
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FIG: Melbourne CBD
FIG: Road maps overlaid on Melbourne CBD map
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FIG: Site with adjacent natural features
FIG: Site and nearby arts and sports precinct
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MCG Marvel stadium Tennis arenas
Arts precinct
FIG: The site is located among other important precincts that drive the development of the city
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The proximity to the sports precinct and the arts precinct, as well as the approach from flinders street station drives the development of the master plan. The design should respond to the needs of each of these precincts. The site choosen has also important historic significance in the development of the city. Aboriginal heritage and present needs of the Aboriginal and Torres strait Islanders will direct the functionality of the landmark.
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A FIG: The site levels with reference to the yarra.
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Section AA
Section BB
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design manifesto ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 47
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Architecture now lives in an image driven culture. We, as architects are not above the obsession with images and icons that is the ubiquitous mentality of people now. Image driven culture in architecture does not just mean taking perfect pictures for social media. It labels a form of architecture where a structure is etched into the minds of the viewer. As an architect, the aim should be to make the architecture communicate. This raises important questions though. When does an architecture communicate enough with the community, that they become synonymous? How can architecture become an icon? Is the sheer size of a piece of architecture enough for it be considered as an icon? Is it scale, function, location, form or some amalgamation of them that make an icon? Is there something much simpler that etches an architecture in the minds of the viewers?
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FIG: Sketches by Ar. Tom Wright (recreated)
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Architect Tom Wright of WKK architects (formerly a director at Atkins) speaks about the need for a landmark to be simple . His ideology at the time of designing the Burj Al-Arab in Dubai was that an iconic piece of architecture should be one, which can be recreated in a few simple lines on paper. He provides various examples of his statement, sketching some of the iconic landmarks around the world with a few strokes. While a thoughtful statement, it raises the question of whether form is the only relevant factor in transforming an architecture into an icon. The idea of architecture as an icon and an identity for a community has been a prevailing mindset for long now. Major cities around the world are not just identified by the people or the community there, they are identified by the architectural icons present there. A Paris without the Eiffel tower cannot be imagined, nor a London without the Big Ben. Even in Australia, the Sydney opera house has become the identity of the city.
It was this lack of an icon that manifested into a competition for a landmark for Melbourne. Whether it was poor planning, lack of interest by the organisers, or just sheer bad luck, nothing came out of the competition which was held in 1979. 2300 competition entries are archived and forgotten in the vaults of the public records office in Melbourne. The competition was a world-wide event with entries coming from all over the world. The entries ranged from well thought-out and resolved entries to bare hand sketches jotting down the ideas of the participant. Many current architects and practices such as DKO, Coop Himmelb(l)au, John Wardle, Steven Hall, Bates Smart etc. had entries of their own. This again voices the need to identify the city of Melbourne with an icon that speaks to the people. Of the entries, what attracted me most, were the ones that was specifically thought-out for the city of Melbourne.
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FIG: Jean Marie Tjibaou centre, sketch by Renzo Piano 52 | NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS
The idea of a landmark being an identity of the people was apparent to me as I peeked through the entries. While the participant lacked the training and thought process an architect might have, the entry that I chose was something uniquely Melbourne. The entry spoke to the development of Melbourne as a city and the need to embrace the past, be excited by the present and anticipate and plan for the future. The entry also stated the need to address the indigenous community by deriving the form of the landmark from their culture, a boomerang in this case. A particular theme of water related entries, obviously speaking to the importance of water among the Wurundjeri community, the traditional owners of the land that the city is located on, also piqued my interest. The site selected for the landmark is imperative in the history of the city and is in close proximity to the various precincts that drives the present and future development of the city. The site also provides a unique opportunity to provide an amalgamated functional space for the users which can result in the landmark being accepted as an identity of the city.
The research resulted in development of a brief which provides an opportunity to educate, inspire and develop the mentality of Melbournians with an architecture that communicates with them and the past, present and future of the city. Importance must be given to the traditional owners and the history and knowledge they can impart. Vernacular architecture techniques of the Wurundjeri will need to be studied and incorporated into the design so that we as a community does not let go of our past as we step into the future. Architect Renzo Piano, in his project, the Jean Marie Tjibaou cultural centre, uses the traditional construction techniques and the forms found in the local history to develop his architecture. The project is an amalgamation of the culture, the history and the people of NoumĂŠa. The architecture truly resonates with the people and their vernacular architecture techniques. He managed to recreate the identity of the Kanak community in a very evocative manner with assimilating the conditions of the island with the culture of the people in their own vernacular ways .
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It is important that the history and culture of the people is presented in a respectful way like Piano and many other architects have done. The Yagan square project, in Perth by IPH and Lyons architects is one such project which comes to mind. The concepts of the project are indicative and developed from the existing ideas of geology, tracks, narratives, indigenous and non-indigenous people and their culture and history of convergence on the site. The research for the project has to be inclusive of what this ideology means in the context of Melbourne.
FIG on left: Yagan Square by IPH+ LYONS architects
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Thinking of the landmark in a city, on a much larger scale more suited for urban design, Jan Gehl’s ideology about how a city should be comes to mind. He talks extensively about appealing to the body and senses of human beings to take advantages of our capabilities so that everyone can enjoy it to their fullest . The concept has been applied to urban projects and architecture work around the world. On a larger scale, the project, Water Square, by JML water feature design, Barcelona, in France can be an exemplar. The square transforms from a water feature to a pool, to a mystical water show with the change in seasons and activities. The same can be applied to an architectural icon. The Blur building by Diller Scofidio + Renfro which plays on the senses of the users transcends at this by literally blurring the boundary between the architecture and atmosphere.
FIG on left: Water Square, by JML water feature design
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As a foreign national, the need for such a project is evident to me. Before arriving in Melbourne, the only idea I had about the ‘land down under’ was about Sydney, and that too was because of the identity that the opera house provided. As a city, Melbourne is in search of a landmark that can be an image to the people here and all over the world. The need for this unifying architectural icon, which is uniquely Melbourne and reflects the past, the present and the future of the city is driving this research forward. Renzo Piano speaks about how architecture is a metaphor to an iceberg . Not the kind that sunk the titanic but the metaphorical kind where only a small part of it is seen above the water. As architects, we rarely get a chance to talk about the thought process behind a building, or how it was developed by the needs of the people and the characteristics of the city. We never get a chance to show how the building was envisioned to function. All of this is communicated only through the architecture and through how people perceive it. So, what makes an architecture iconic? The people of course.
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conceptual + program development ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 61
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Songlines: Songlines are a representative term for traditional paths that the indigenous people followed. They sang songs referencing to the landmarks on the way so that they dont lose their direction. The landmarks acted as identification points so that they know how and when to change the songs and direction. The landmark is designed to symbolize a stone formation, similar to the landmark of older times. This landmark would welcome the people to Melbourne.
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The architecture always tried to take inputs from the initial design submission for the competition. That, combined with stories and important elements of the culture of the First Australians were imperative for the final form.
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The form of the landmark is designed to closely emulate the landscape of Australia and the ideas of songlines, where First Australians used natural landscape to find their way around the country. The three towers and their finishes match the local materiality and colours found in the land.
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The stories of the burial and the treatment of the dead in the culture is directly responded to, with the desgin of each individual structure. The split in the building masses articulates the story of how the body integrates with the land and the soul travels to dreamland.
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The importance of Sun in the culture of the first Australians are widely known. The aboriginal flag even symbolizes this importance with the bright yello circle in the centre. This cultural aspect is related back to architecture with the top slice facing the sun.
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Like sun, water played an important role too, especially for the people of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional owners of the land on which Melbourne is situated on. This importance is translated into the landmark by alligning the structures along the Yarra.
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The selected entry from the competition pointed to the number of strcutures to be designed. The entry pointed to 3 separate structrues and the same cues are used in designing the landmark also. The entry also marked down an idea of a rotating building. This idea has been translated into architecture with the addition of revolving facades, which keep the slice always facing the sun.
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Design development through the stages. The cultural stories and the knowledge shared by people about these stories have played important roles in arriving at the final form for the landmark.
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Stories about death and burials, the creation of the world, the respectful outlook on the Sun, etc. have been conveyed through the final form of the building.
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First – The railway tracks suggest the boomerang shape and this is echoed by the nearby bend in the Yarra. We propose that a suitable shaped area be decked over to form the base for the development. We suggest this boomerang shape be clearly identifiable by day and by night – particularly as seen from the air. A system of perimeter lighting would be used at night to do this. Second – On this deck would be three buildings which have depicted as being oval. The oval shape is intended to be in sympathy with the shape of the nearby cricket grounds, again particularly seen from the air. The functions contained in these three complexes – each of which can be endowed with internal character of its own – should depend upon the needs of Melbourne; perhaps a conference / congress centre, a sports, shopping, library, social services or leisure complex. Our own suggestion would be that each of the three complexes might take as its theme Melbourne’s past, its present and future. The first could take the form of a museum, depicting Melbourne’s evolution from its early beginnings. The second could feature the activities of the existing communities in Melbourne – their music, their drama, their arts, the activities of their children and young people. The third could be a dynamic exhibition centre for displaying the ideas and aspirations for Melbourne’s future economic, cultural and civic life and its scientific and technological developments Third – The climax of our idea is that the hub of each of the three complexes would be a vertical structure in boomerang shape. The functions of each complex would extend into the boomerangs which in addition would contain viewing levels restaurants and the like. Each boomerang would rotate slowly in a circular base either independently of each other or in synchronism. Likewise, the computer program would determine the direction and speed of rotation of each boomerang. The vast surface area would be used for collecting solar energy for both the rotation of the three structures and the power supply for the whole development. At times of darkness, lights would pick out the boomerang shapes to give a dramatic and inspiring night scene We feel this proposal with its evocative boomerang theme could bring Melbourne world renown. The boomerang is something with which Australia is closely identifies throughout the world. The concept is simple to grasp, can be functional as well as a tourist and business attraction in its own right and can incorporate the best of modern technology in an idea which seems to arise from the very site the project is founded. - Boomerang City, Melbourne ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 77
MELBOURNE PRESENT MELBOURNE FUTURE MELBOURNE PAST
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MELBOURNE FUTURE
MELBOURNE PRESENT
MELBOURNE PAST
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WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following page contains images of deceased persons.
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Australia’s frontier war killings still conveniently escape official memory Paul Daley ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 83
MEMORIAL From past times, a large number of atrocities have been done against the First Australians. They were massacred, killed off to obtain land, traded as slaves and forced to leave Australia and be a slave in other nations. Even dead, their remains were sold to the highest bidder. A large number of remains of the Aboriginal men and women lie around the world, in Museums, private collections, and storage warehouses. Of these remains, a large number of them remain unidentified. There has been a massive push to bring these remains home to Australia so that they can be properly reburied. Most Aboriginal cultures believe that once dead, the body has to be integrated into the same land that the person was born in. But what happens to the unidentified remains. That is where the scope of the project comes on. On a research talk with Prof. Marcia Langton, she mentioned that the priority is to find a safe and respectful space to store these remains until they can be traced back to their origin. Memorial aims to do just that. 84 | NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS
MELBOURNE FUTURE
MELBOURNE PRESENT
MELBOURNE PAST MEMORIAL
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REPRESENTATION Representation aims at starting a talk on how the lives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is represented and enriched in the future. It aims at providing a space for the numerous organizations working for the betterment of the lives of the community. Organizations like the Torch Project, AIATSIS, etc. deserve a safe and healthy working environment to help the members of the Aboriginal community. Studies into the art, the culture, and the practices are also a big part of understanding the people and thereby planning for the future. Spaces for research and further transfer of this knowledge has to be integrated into this building.
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REPRESENTATION MELBOURNE FUTURE
MELBOURNE PRESENT
MEMORIAL
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REEMBRANCE The importance of the site in the history of the development of the city is well evident through written journals. The site used to be a gathering and meeting space for the members of the Kulin Nation. The site symbolized unity and the sharing of resources throughout the ages. Presently the site is home to the federation square. While heavily in use the land that the square is situated in, should be given back to the Aboriginal communities and therefore this design proposal proposes the demolition of the buildings in the square. The square will be turned into a controlled ruin, with landscaped areas occupying the present building footprint. The existing paving is retained as the original designers visualized the paving to be a representation of the red landscape of the Australian outback. Remembrance plays home to the iconic NGV-A which would need a new house ow that the buildings in the square are demolished. Remembrance would be a symbol of how we, as a present generation identify and connect with Australian Art, especially the ones focussing on the history and the development of the country. 88 | NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS
REPRESENTATION
MELBOURNE PRESENT REMEMBRANCE
MEMORIAL
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precedents ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON | 93
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Military Museum Daniel Libeskind The military museum by Libeskind shows a perfect balance of open yet emotionally involving spaces. More than the exhibition spaces, it is the emotional connection with the world war that the architect is playing with. Patterns created by the structural elements of the facade creates a calm yet thoughtful space for reconciliation. He also considers motion. The motion of bombs falling from the sky, motion of a distressed helicopter swaying without control and so on. Perfect still exhibitions of these elements in a specific way create the illusion of motion and the architect has tapped into that.
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Museum of the 2nd World War Studio Architektoniczne The museum of the second world war is a memorial for the people of Poland. The museum tries to give a face to all the dead, thereby creating a more humane connection with the victims of the war. Photographs are displayed all through the museum of the dead, in a dark dramatic setting. The architects use scale and light as an element to convey the importance of the act in history. The ideology of making space bigger so that the people inside it feel smaller is employed in the museum, thereby translating the effect of the war on everyone visiting.
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National World War ii Museum Voorsanger Mathes Architects Museums and memorials are all about creating an emotional connection with the people visiting. Light and patterns can be used to create something seemingly pure. The sunlight streaming through the facade of the building, creating an ever-changing, pattern on the floor thereby creating scenes that otherwise would not have existed.
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Verdun Memorial Museum Brochet-Lajus-Pueyo + Le-Conte Noirot Journals, photographs, reports, etc. are an educational ay to record and report on history. The Verun memorial museum has an extensive collection of reports and written records on the first world war. Photographs of the times, along with these reports create an emotive and sometimes strong reaction on the people visiting.
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National Memorial for Peace and Justice MASS design group The National Memorial for peace and Justice conveys the repression and social injustice faced by African Americans in the United States with strong sculptures showing people in their pain. The material selection too had a great impact as the natural rustiness of corten elevated the pain of the people depicted. The memorial also gives attention to the names of countless people who were victims of lynching in the state and has respectfully named them so that they are never forgotten.
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Cloud Coworking MESURA The Cloud wo’working project by Mesura in Barcelona,Spain provides and example of how small patches of greenery and indoor plants can elevated the space. The architects were adament that the work spaces needed to have an “outdoorsy” feeling and this design was the result of the thought. A selection of carefully curated space awaits the user and with the addition of different types and styles of work spaces, no two day at work will be the same.
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NGV INTERNATIONAL The Atrium and the great hall of the National Gallery of Victoria, International is a versatile space with large exhibits displayed sometimes. It also functions as an extended entry foyer which connects the patrons to other spaces. The skylights and the sun light coming in creates a surreal experiance and the scale of the space is enhanced with this.
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NGV AUSTRALIA NGV Australia, is an extension of the National Gallery of Victoria, focussing on Australia art works throughout the centuries. Presently housed at Federation square, this project will look at re-housing it with the proposal so that a more prominent position is given for Australian artworks and artists.
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design proposal ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |111
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The site has had immense importance in how Melbourne as a city got shaped. Even before that though, the site was prominent among the First Australians. The meetings of the 5 clans of the Kulin Nation were held regularly on the site. The site presently houses Federation square, which is going to be demolished in this proposal. While the buildings are demolished, the pavings on the square, imported from Western Australia to depict the red landscape of Australia will remain. A hard landscaped space has been added into the city end of the site, so that people can enjoy light walks, lunches etc.
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- ENTRY / EXIT - HARD LANDSCAPE - CONTROLLED RUIN - FEDERATION SQUARE - PARK - MEMORIAL - REPRESENTATION - REMEMBRANCE - RAIL CONNECTION - SOUND MEDITATION - SCULPTURE SPACE - TANDERRUM GROUNDS - RIVER EDGE ACTIVATION
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TANDERRUM GROUNDS
Dance and movement was a big part of the culture. tanderrum is an event when members of all clans come together and celebrate.
CONNECTION WITH RAIL BENEATH
The cultural stories of didgeridoo and how the land is vibrated to yield better crops is translated in concept into a connection with rail lines which provide constant vibrations and sounds.
MAIN ENTRY
The entry to NGV-A is retained and re-purposed to be the main entry to the site.
RIVER EDGE ACTIVATION
MEMORIAL. REPRESENTATION. REMEMBRANCE. The buildings are placed parallel to the river away so as to convey the importance of the river in the lives of the First Australians.
CONTROLLED RUIN OF FEDERATION SQUARE
Paving from Western Australia kept and buildings demolished
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Federation square blocks the access to the river. Activating the edge with improved connection with water and seating spaces provides better atmosphere for the people.
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EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC VIEW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
APPROACH SACRED GARDEN SPACE HALL OF REMEMBRANCE COLUMBARIUM FRONTIER WAR / MASSACRE EXHIBITIONS AMPHITHEATRE 1 ABORIGINAL ART TRAINING AND CONSERVATION CENTRE THEATRE AIATSIS / NGOs ETC. WORK SPACES AMPHITHEATRE 2 TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACES PERMANENT EXHIBITION SPACES TANDERRUM PARK RIVER EDGE ACTIVATION PUBLIC PARKS CONNECTION WITH RAIL LINES
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TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACE
PERMANENT EXHIBITION SPACE
AMPHITHEATRE
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AMPHITHEATRE
ABORIGINAL ART TRAINING AND CONSERVATION CENTRE
THEATRE
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COLUMBARIUM AND HALL OF REMEMBRANCE UNDER GROUND
SACRED GARDEN SPACE
EXHIBITION SPACE FOR EXHIBITS ON FRONTIER WARS, JOURNALS ON MASSACRES ETC.
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SPACE FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
CONNECTION WITH SOUND - RAIL LINES BELOW
PUBLIC ACTIVITY SPACES
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CORTEN FINISH Keeping with the finish of the buildings.
TRAIN LINES RUNNING BELOW New tunnel created with sound shaft connecting the ground and the train lines
MS MESH WORK Sound light and air exchange between the tunnel and outside.
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ENTRY SACRED GARDEN SPACE AMPHITHEATRE 1 AMPHITHEATRE 2
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HALL OF REMEMBRANCE, MEMORIAL Walking down from the podium comes the hall of remembrance. The hall of remembrance is a space with anthropometric recreation of all the unidentified human remains. A face makes their stories more relatable and the injustice, more evident. By the beliefs of many of the First Australians culture, viewing or talking about a dead person by the clan is not advised. hence both the Columbarium and the Hall of remembrance are kept underground and away from regular circulation.
COLUMBARIUM, MEMORIAL Thousands of unidentified human remains belonging to the First Australians lie uncared for, in a warehouse in Canberra. This project will also act as a space for the respectful storage of these remains. The beliefs of the First Australian’s suggest that the remains should be buried on their home land.
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FIRST LEVEL PLAN
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ATRIUM EXHIBITS ON FRONTIER WARS AND MASSACRES ART PRESERVATION SETUPS WORK BENCHES PERMANENT WORK SPACES INDOOR RECREATIONAL SPACE ATRIUM TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACES
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PLAN - MEMORIAL, REPRESENTATION, REMEMBRANCE
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ATRIUM EXHIBITS ON FRONTIER WARS AND MASSACRES PERMANENT WORK SPACES AIATSIS WAITING SPACE WORK SPACES CASUAL OPEN WORK SPACES INDOOR RECREATIONAL SPACE PERMANENT EXHIBITION SPACES
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PERSPECTIVE SECTION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
COLUMBARIUM HALL OF REMEMBRANCE SACRED GARDEN SPACE FRONTIER WARS EHIBITIONS AMPHITHEATRE 1 ABORIGINAL ART TRAINING AND CONSERVATION CENTRE THEATRE LIBRARY / RESEARCH CENTRE AIATSIS / NGOs ETC. WORK SPACES AMPHITHEATRE 2 TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACES - NGV A PERMANENT EXHIBITION SPACES - NGV A CAFE / RECREATION SPACES CONNECTION WITH RAIL LINES
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COLUMBARIUM, HALL OF REMEMBRANCE AND SACRED GARDEN SPACE
EXHIBITION SPACES
SOLAR PANELS FACING SUN AT ALL TIMES
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AMPHITHEATRE 1
INDOOR THEATRE
LIBRARY, RESEARCH SPACES AND AIATSIS WORK SPACES
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AMPHITHEATRE 2
EXHIBITION SPACES
CAFE SPACES, SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF
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FACADE CONSTRUCTION DETAILS 1 2 3 4
FACADE PANELS MADE OF CORTEN STEEL MS SPACE FRAMES ATTACHED TO STEEL I SECTIONS TOUGHENED GLASS CURTAIN WALLS WITH MULLIONS LOAD BEARING STEEL STRUCTURAL ELEMENT OF BUILDING
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walkthrough - https://youtu.be/YY1kuPkULEc 146| NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS
visualizations ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |147
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The approach
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Memorial interiors
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Aerial View
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View from Yarra
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memorabilia ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |157
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Melbourne is situated on the lands of the Kulin Nation. As a landmark dedicated to the First Australians, the landmark needed to be easily identifyable, even by its silhoutte. “Wominjeka” in the Wurundjeri language means “Welcome”. According to the culture, anyone is welcome to come on to the land and use its resources so long as they do not harm the land, the vegetation, the animals and the people.
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The architecture for the landmark was developed by cultural cues and stories. Elements seen widely in the artworks of the First Australians are used to develop the architecture and to drive each decision. The form, for example, is derived from the circles and the organic shapes that are commonly seen. According to culture, these circles represent watering holes, natural landmarks, etc.
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The facade of the building uses common elements from artworks like footprints of men, Kangaroos, Emus, etc. A brief look at the elements can help explain the story of the artwork, that the artist is trying to tell. Unlike usual stories, these are more of documentation of the landscape, which can help in navigating it when needed.
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Tanderrum is a ceremony bringing together the Wurundjeri/Woiwurrung, Boon Wurrung, Taungurung, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation—a ceremony of celebration that reaches across Aboriginal time. This sacred ceremony had been hidden since the European invasion, until six years ago the Eastern Kulin brought Tanderrum back to central Melbourne to open the Festival.
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The belief of the people of Kulin Nation, the smoke from burning gum leaves, purifies the people walking through it. The design uses this story and modernizes it with the use of fog machines to create artificial fog.
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snow globes ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |169
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table lamp ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |171
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fridge magnet ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |173
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physical models ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |175
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resources ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |179
PEOPLE: • Prof. Marcia Langton, University of Melbourne. • Ar. Jane Riddell, Jane Riddell Architects, Melbourne. • Donald Williams, Global art projects, Melbourne. BOOKS: • • • • • • • • • • •
Agnoletto, Matteo. 2009. Renzo Piano. 1st ed. Motta Publication, Italy Pascoe, Bruce, 2014, Dark Emu, 3rd ed. Magabala Books,VIC Chatwin, Bruce, 1987, The Songlines, Vintage Publications, London Elizabeth, Diller. 2002. Blur: The making of nothing.1st ed. Harry.N.Adams, New York Contemporary Urban Design. 1st ed. Daab publication, Spain. Groves, Derham. 2018. Channeling Cedric Price. 1st ed. Melbourne School of Design, Melbourne. Frederick, Matthew. 2010. 101 Things I Learned in Architectural School, 3rd ed. MIT press ltd. USA Williams, Donald. 2002. In our own image: The story of Australian Art. 4th ed. Mc Graw Hill, NSW Cooper, Carol. 1981. Aboriginal Australia. Australian Gallery Directors Council ltd. NSW Smith, Ure. 1979. Oenpelli Bark Painting. 1st ed. Aboriginal Arts Board Australia, NSW Lewis, Tsurumaki, Lewis. 2016. Manual of Section. 1st ed. Chronicle Books, Princeton
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ARTICES: • Clouds of architecture, Mark Dorrian, The University of Edinburgh • www.archdaily.com/801431/jan-gehl-5-rules-for-designing-great-cities • iredalepedersenhook.com/?portfolio=yagan-square • https://www.arts.gov.au/what-we-do/cultural-heritage/indigenous-repatriation/national-resting-place • https://aiatsis.gov.au/news-and-events/news/aiatsis-statement-recommendation-establishmentnational-resting-place • https://www.archdaily.com/tag/national-memorial-for-peace-and-justice • https://www.archdaily.com/870495/cloud-coworking-mesura • https://www.archdaily.com/786774/verdun-memorial-museum-brochet-lajus-pueyo-plus-le-contenoirot • https://www.archdaily.com/209361/the-national-world-war-ii-museum-voorsanger-architects • https://www.archdaily.com/872450/museum-of-the-second-world-war-studio-architektonicznekwadrat • https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/video/467939395713/Canberra-recommended-as-a-National-RestingPlace-f • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/aboriginal-ancestral-remains-handed-over-by-londonmuseum/10943254 • https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/the-quest-to-remove-aboriginal-remains-frommuseums/10497952 • https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Behind+the+Scenes/Repatriation#.XcHuYogzYuU • https://www.arts.gov.au/what-we-do/cultural-heritage/indigenous-repatriation/national-resting-place MEDIA: • www.youtube.com/watch?v= m0hIP_88k-g&t=341s • http://www.rr.memorial ARCHITECTURE AS AN ICON |181
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961355 MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE THESIS GUIDED BY. DERHAM GROVES 182| NAVEEN JOHN THOMAS