Hannah Lindsay
THE TELLING
For Mum and Dad Thank you for feeding and watering me over the past five years
THE TELLING An Approach to Historic Landscapes from Multiple Perspectives
Hannah Lindsay
THE TELLING An Approach to Historic Landscapes from Multiple Perspectives
How can relationships between characters and their landscapes be used to form historical landscapes?
E
ngaging with history through design, and specifically within landscape, allows a material or conceptual understanding of the sites past to be preserved, while not restricting the potential for new programming. However, there is a tendency to understand history through a singular perspective within landscape, only allowing people to experience one interpretation of events. Fragments of the whole story. This research aims to generate a process, using narrative as a design tool, through which multiple perspectives of historical events can be experienced within the landscape. The path designed to commemorate the Outer Circle Railway is an example of how landscape architecture commonly understands history through a singular perspective. While the path allows people to experience the physical journey along the railway, it fails to recognise the complex relationships between characters’, which ultimately lead to the closure of the Outer Circle Railway. Three moments of the path have been designed according to key characters relationships to site. In experiencing each of these path moments, people are able to understand the overall relationship between characters and the circumstances which lead to the failure of the railway. The process established to generate this design outcome is comprised of four key parts, where each is a product of the understanding established in the previous. The first is the site story, where the historical events of site are understood sequentially. The second deconstructs the site story and identifies the key contributing elements, known as characters. These characters are then used as the voices through which the events of the site story are retold, forming the third part, the narrative. These narratives begin to suggest, and are used to produce, the path design within the final part of the process. In order to understand this process in more detail, and how it may be applied to other sites, a Guidebook has been provided, detailing the historic and narrative based approach to designing the Elwood Canal. This research argues that it is possible to use narrative as a means through which history is preserved, creating a landscape which allows people to engage with multiple understandings of historical events. Through developing this approach, it is hoped that history within landscape architecture will be understood in a new light, and that designers will begin to challenge the potential of history, and narrative as a design tool.
CONTENTS
02 ABSTRACT 06
INTRODUCTION
18 GLOSSARY TERMS
20 SITE INTRODUCTION + STORY 28 CHARACTER PROFILES 40
NARRATIVE - GEORGE MOORE - ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE - WILLIAM MOORE
64
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE GEORGE MOORE PATH - THE ANNA MOORE PATH - THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH
90 CONCLUSION 92 READING LIST 94
REFERENCES
05
06
Introduction
HISTORY + SITE
W
hether through means of material or conceptual understanding, preserving history within landscape creates a rich understanding of identity. However there is a tendency to view history through a singular perspective, only working with one interpretation of events. Examples of this include Sudgelande Nature Park and Ballast Point Park. The Australian Garden of Dreams is another example which begins to incorporate layers of history from different aspects of Australian culture, however, they are not specific to site. The Anniversary Trial, similarly only uses a singular interpretation of history. Having first walked along the trail with no prior understandings or preconceptions, the concept of the path was clear. It was a simple concrete path which took the same route as the demolished Outer Circle Railway. The experience I was undertaking, was a recreation of the journey that train passengers had experienced 100 years earlier. However, the path failed to tell me of the disconnection between expectation and realisation, which divided characters and lead to the closure of the railway all those years ago. The Outer Circle Railway opened to the public in 1891, with the intention of directing Melbourne’s 1880’s land boom into the eastern suburbs. However the turn of the decade bought one of Melbourne’s greatest depressions, and as population and employment figures dwindled, so did plans for land development across Melbourne. As a result the railway struggled to make revenue each year, and eventually closed in segments at a time. A relationship which accurately summeries the events of this story, is the relationship between residential development, people, trains and the railway infrastructure. The infrastructure was introduced as the platform which would support the trains, and those people travelling aboard the trains. However without residential areas close by, people had little or no use for the train service and over time the trains stopped running, leaving the infrastructure abandoned. Therefore there is a disconnect between these four elements, which the ‘Anniversary Trail’ design does not recognise.
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAINS
PEOPLE
RESIDENTIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAINS
PEOPLE
RESIDENTIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAINS
PEOPLE
RESIDENTIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAINS
PEOPLE
RESIDENTIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRAINS
PEOPLE
RESIDENTIAL
The aim of this research is to design the path of the Outer Circle Railway using a process which reveals and communicates multiple perspectives of historical events. The multiple perspectives will be told through the characters of residential development, people/trains and infrastructure.
07 Introduction
HISTORICAL LANDSCAPE PRECEDENTS
08
SÜDGELÄNDE NATURE PARK - Odious
BALLAST POINT PARK - McGregor and Coxall
THE GARDEN OF AUSTRALIAN DREAMS - Richard Weller
Located in Berlin, Germany, the Südgelände Nature Park was originally known as the Tempelhof switch yard. It operated as a railway until after the second world war when it began to be scaled down and eventually completely closed in 1952. Abandoned for 50 years, the site grew into a natural oasis, with beautiful grass and woodlands. It was made available to the general public in 2009 after Odious Studio designed a park which would allow people use the site without compromising the naturally formed ecology.
Constructed in 2009, Ballast Point Park was the originally production site for Caltex lubricant before closing in 2002. The site has a rich industrial history much of which is based on the sites relationship to the Sydney Harbour on the sites largest edge. McGregor and Coxall’s concept for the design was to respond to the shift of waterfront spaces as industrial to valued public space. The design includes original feature of the site, many of which appear as sculptural pieces or frameworks for the parks layout.
The Garden of Australian Dreams is positioned within the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. The design is rich with symbolism and various aspects of Australian culture, which come together as an exploration of place and home. A map of different aboriginal territories spreads across the floor of site and the word home is spelt out in 100 different languages. Although this landscape has been criticised by the public, it’s technique of layering different historical aspects is valuable to my research.
This project is an example of material based historic landscapes.
This project is an example of both material and conceptual understandings of history within landscape.
This project is an example of conceptual based historic landscapes.
09
10
Introduction
NARRATIVE
N
arrative as a design tool is the means through which this design has been approached. While there are multiple ways in which narrative can be understood within the landscape, this research uses two very specific interpretations. The first is the site story, a series of site events based on history. This story is factual and provides the content for the narrative. The narrative is content plus expression and is told through the perspective of multiple characters. The narrative uses multiple voices in order to give the reader a more complete picture of the events taking place, rather than simply history from a single perspective.
“There is more than one side to every story” Examples of this approach can be seen within literature and film, but the potential of this concept within landscape is yet to be understood. John Dos Passos, author of ‘The USA trilogy,’ provides a well known example of narrative through the eyes of multiple characters. Although the connection between the individual character plots is not always clear, he successful creates a well rounded image of American industrialization. ‘Vantage Point’ is a film which also takes a similar approach replaying the same scenario but through the perspective of different characters, and their interpretation of events. Without this change in perspective, the resulting narrative would be very naïve to overall plot. The use of characters and relationships as a means of design is something which has intrigued and challenged my understanding of Landscape Architecture. One particular project, based on the female archetypes present in Shakespeare’s various narratives, inspired my interest in this research topic. Having been the creator of this landscape, I began to understand the incredible potential this process of design could offer, however there were also a number of issues highlighted, which this research aims to address. One of the most critical errors was this project’s failure to recognise and engage with the history of site. Therefore this research uses the site story as the foundation through which characters, narrative and narrative design are form, and as a result, continually engages with history throughout the process. While understanding this research as an extension of my own work, it also becomes a further exploration and critique of projects by Clarke Thenhaus, Douglas Darden, and Cynthia Leung. Each designer engages with the concept of characters and narrative as a design tool, however does so in a slightly different manner. While Thenhaus and Darden both generate fictional characters, Thenhaus positions himself outside the narrative framework, allowing his characters to become the designer and Darden writes himself into the narrative, becoming the landscape architect hired to design for his fictional client. On the other hand, Leung generates design from her personal interpretation of existing narrative ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and particularly the character of Dorothy. This research generates fictional characters and narratives which correspond to the history of site. The role of my character within this narrative is to guide the reader through understanding the process and the resultant path designs.
11 Introduction
NARRATIVE PRECEDENTS
THE U.S.A. TRILOGY - John Dos Passos
VANTAGE POINT - Pete Travis
Constructed of three novels, ‘The 42nd Parallel,’ ‘1919,’ and ‘The Big Money,’ Dos Passos reveals an industrializing USA through multiple views and perspectives. He works with a range of characters and narrators, which relate back to one another.
Vantage Point tells of the assassination of the US president during a public event in Spain, however does so through from the perspective of multiple characters. The film starts from the perspective of the President’s protective agents, who establishes the serious of events, which proceed to be retold through other witnesses, the assassinators and the president himself. As each new story is told, more detail is revealed, eventually unfolding a very different interpretation of the original events.
Although quite challenging to understand at first, the way in which Dos Passos works between different characters and their relative scales, has been very influential to the way in which I have understood the characters of the Anniversary Trail and their relationships to site.
It is this layering of multiple stories in order to add detail which this research aims to use within the landscape. From telling the same series of events through the personal narratives of different characters, connections are formed to gather a clearer understanding of the whole plot.
12
THE BOTANIC AND THE BURIED - Clark Thenhaus
OXYGEN HOUSE - Douglas Darden
POSTCARDS FROM DOROTHY - Cynthia Leung
This project unfolds though a series of letters between cartographer Eugene Willikers and preservationist Marmalade Plumb. Set during the 1950’s California gold rush, these letters reveal a developing debate over the effects of the mining trade and, in turn, the future of human kind.
Oxygen House tells the narrative of an Architect, Douglas Darden and a client, Burden Abraham, through a series of letters written between the two characters. These letters reveal a discussion regarding the design of a house for Abraham who had a number of medical concerns including his difficultly breathing after a train accident. The house was intended to be Abrahams home and place of burial, however he passed away before construction had began.
Based on the Wizard of Oz, or more specifically Dorothy’s red shoes, the outcome of this project is a building designed specifically for female travelers. This beautifully represented project also has strong feminist tones, as the building facilitates conversation, contemplation and encourages woman to travel.
Thenhaus’s approach is very unique, as he fabricates the characters and the plot through which his design takes place. Although the context, being the California gold rush, is factual, his plot and characters are fictional, hence Thenhaus blurs the lines between fact and fiction.
Darden’s narrative is complex, however by including himself in the framework, he contains a means of control and is able to shift the narrative according to his needs.
Taking a modern twist of interpretation from such a well known story, this project was originally positioned as an ideal inspiration to my own work. However through the course of my research, using a pre-constructed narrative distracted attention from the site history this research aims to preserve.
13
14 Introduction
GUIDEBOOK + THE TELLING
T
he Guidebook is a means of reference which has informed the structure and direction of this design approach. It has been provided as a means to further understand the information being revealed within The Telling. Both the Guidebook and The Telling consist of four parallel parts, site story, characters, narrative and narrative design, which together reveal the process undertaken to design the Elwood Canal and the Outer Circle Railway.
Part One, the site story, forms the foundation through which narrative is formed, by means of understanding the historical evidence which has lead the site to become what it is today. This information is then deconstructed to identify the key elements of the site story, and establish the narrative characters. Part Two gives a detailed insight into each of the characters and their role within the narrative, which is revealed within part three. The narrative is presented from the perspective of multiple characters in order to give the audience multiple points of access to the narrative. The final part, narrative design, uses the constructed narrative to generate a design. The Guidebook presents a design in which people interact with the canal water according to key moments within the narrative, while the Outer Circle Railway uses varying degrees of scale, interaction and perspective to create a path reflective of the relationship between the three main characters and site. The Telling begins to challenge the understandings established within the Guidebook, in order to test the potential of this process.
Introduction
REPRESENTATION
T
hrough both the Guidebook and The Telling, various forms of representation are explored and tested. In representing the site story, the use of the time line is a clear, effective way to reveal the events of history in a linear fashion. Characters are primarily communicated in the form of character profiles adapted from the format of character bibliographies used within film and literacy. The narrative is communicated as a visual storyboard. While the Guidebook presents the storyboard in a more traditional, linear format, The Telling presents a collage of letters and images, organised according to character. As each character operates at a different scale and therefore has a different understanding of site. This storyboard format helps to introduce the concept of the design. The final narrative designs are presented in more traditional means of communicating landscape architecture, in order to reground the project a present and functional design.
15 Introduction
REPRESENTATION PRECEDENTS
CHARACTER INTERACTIONS - Randall Munroe The following precedent, by Randall Munroe, was discovered while researching plot diagramming techniques. While it is possible, to a degree, to follow the plot through this diagram, it’s real value comes in communicating the changing relationships between key characters over the course of certain films. Having watched the film ‘Jurassic Park’ while simultaneously following Munroe’s diagram, a series of rules were generated. These rules were then used to create a new character interactions diagram within the Guidebook.
16
MELBHATTAN - Oslo Davis
ALEXANDER NEVSKY (1938) - Sergei Eisenstein
UNDERSTANDING SHAKESPEARE - Stephan Thiel
‘Melbhattan’ is a short film based on the introduction sequence to Woody Allen’s 1979 film ‘Manhattan.’ Completed by Melbourne artist, Oslo Davis, the frames parallel that of ‘Manhattan’ but are specific to the Melbourne landscape. While simultaneously laying out the frames in this way makes it easy to identify the common threads and differences between each.
Sergei Eisenstein’s ‘Alexander Nevsky’ storyboard, influenced the visual progress and understanding of my research. His work depicts the frames of film ‘Alexander Nevsky’, along with corresponding music, character sketches and plot annotations. In doing so, the reader begins to understand components beyond the 2D visual and therefore how the film begins to unfold as a whole.
‘Understanding Shakespeare’ is a masters project undertaken by Stephan Thiel and unpacks specific information about particular themes and characters within some of Shakespeare’s most well known plays. For example, the image above depicts the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ where the traces of yellow highlight the presence of two key characters. Therefore this technique allows the text to become a visual medium, which can be read in two different ways. The first is the traditional reading of the whole play, while the second reading is just of one character. This is a technique which can be used highlight particular character relationships and give visual value to text within the research.
17
18
GLOSSARY OF TERMS Preservation - to keep in existence aspects or elements from the past. Historical Landscape - a landscape design which is one way or another, preserves the historical past of that site. This may be done through material or conceptual understandings. Site Story – a series of site events based on history (content). Characters – physical elements which are revealed through the site story and whose perspective the narrative is told through. Narrative – a story which has been communicated in a specific way (content + expression). The agent through which design occurs.
THE TELLING
SITE INTRODUCTION + STORY
21 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
SITE INTRODUCTION
The Deepdene Dasher bound for Ashburton Station
Train at Deepdene Station, 1911
The Anniversary Trail is located east of Melbourne’s CBD, starting at Oakleigh Station and finishing at Fairfield Station. The trail connects a series of parks and is commonly used by recreational bike riders and walkers. It follows the path of the original Outer Circle Railway, which opened to the public in 1891. Having suffered great financial lose due to the 1890’s depression, only part of the railway still operates today.
FAIRFIELD
OAKLEIGH The Outer Circle Railway Path
23 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
SITE INTRODUCTION cont.
The Anniversary Trail Plan Part A
24
The Anniversary Trail Plan Part B
The Anniversary Trail Plan Part C
25 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
SITE STORY
Fairfield Park Station
Fairfield Park Station
Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station
Spencer Street Station
Spencer Street Station
Outer Circle Railway
Oakleigh Station
1880 - 1887. Trains travelling from Gippsland could only access the city
through the private owned Oakleigh line and Flinders Street Station. Therefore, the Outer Circle Railway was proposed, as part of the governments ‘Octopus Act,’ to connect Oakleigh Station to publicly owned Spencer Street Station.
Oakleigh Station
1888. Before construction began, an act was passed which connected Flinders Street and Spencer Street Stations and allowed goverment trains to utilised the Oakliegh line, therefore deeming the proposed Outer Circle Railway unnessacary. However, due to the 1880’s land boom, governement continued with original plans for the railway and began construction in 1880.
Fairfield Park Station
Fairfield Park Station
Riversdale Station Hartwell Hill Station Hartwell Station Ashburton Station
Waverly Road Station Oakleigh Station
1895. The Great Depression continued to effect business and more stations closed. This included Waverly Road Station and Ashburton Station.
Oakleigh Station
1897. The Great Depression forces the entire Outer Circle Railway to close. The
last section to close included Hartwell Station, Hartwell Hill Station and Riversdale Station.
Fairfield Park Station
Fairfield Park Station Fulham Station
Roystead Station (renamed)
Shenley Station
Willison Station (renamed)
Oakleigh Station
1920 - 1924. In 1923, Balwyn Station was renamed Roystead Station and an
accident occurs at the Whitehorse Road intersection where a train and tram collide. No one was seriously injured. In 1924, electric trains were introduced between Ashburton Station and East Camberwell Station, which also connected passengers to the city via the Belgrave/Lilydale line.
1925 - 1939. In 1927, Shenly Station is closed. In 1930, the section of
railway north of the Yarra River, including Fulham Station was dismantled to build the Chandler Highway. In 1936, Golf Links Station is renamed Willison Station.
26
Fairfield Park Station Fulham Station
Fairfield Park Station
Fairfield Park Station Fulham Station
Willsmere Station
Willsmere Station
East Kew Station
East Kew Station
Deepdene Station
Deepdene Station
Shenley Station
Shenley Station
Riversdale Station Hartwell Hill Station Hartwell Station Norwood Station
Ashburton Station (renamed)
Waverly Road Station Oakleigh Station
1890. The first section of the Outer Circle Railway is completed and opened to
the public. This section connected from Oakleigh Station and included Waverly Rd Station, Norwood Station, Hartwell Station, Hartwell Hill Station and Riversdale Station.
Fairfield Park Station
Oakleigh Station
1891. The second section of the Outer Circle Railway is completed and for the
first time the entire railway is open to the public. This section connected to Fairfeild Park Station and included Shenley Station, Deepdene Station, East Kew Station, Willsmere Station and Fulham Station. Norwood Station is also renamed Ashburton Station.
Oakleigh Station
1893. Having suffered great finacial lose at the hands of Melbournes 1890’s Great Depression, a number of stations closed. This included Shenley Station, Deepdene Station, East Kew Station, Willsmere Station and Fulham Station.
Fairfield Park Station
Fairfield Park Station AMP Siding
Deepdene Station Stanley Station Shenley Station East Camberwell Station
Riversdale Station
Balwyn Station (renamed)
Golf Links Station (renamed)
Hartwell Station
Hartwell Hill Station
(renamed)
Hartwell Station
Burwood Station (renamed)
Ashburton Station
Oakleigh Station
1898. Part of the Outer Circle Railway reopened for business. This included Ashburton Station, Hartwell Station, Hartwell Hill Station and Riversdale Station.
Oakleigh Station
1900. As the Great Depression reaches an end, more stations reopened including
Shenley Station and Deepdene Station. Two new stations also opened being East Camberwell Station and Stanley Station. In 1900 an accident also occured where a train run through a Chinese funeral procession near Deepdene Station. No one was seriously injured.
Fairfield Station
Fairfield Park Station
Oakleigh Station
1901 - 1919.
In 1902, Stanley Station is renamed Balwyn Station. In 1908, the new Golf Links Station is opened. In 1909, Hartwell Station is renamed Burwood Station and Hartwell Hills Station is renamed Hartwell Station. In 1919, a new railway siding is constructed to connect Fairfeild Park Station to the Australian Paper Mill (APM)
Fairfield Station
(renamed)
APM Siding Willsmere Station East Kew Station Deepdene Station Stanley Station Shenley Station
Alamein Line
Alamein Station Waverly Road Station
1940 - 1944. In 1940, the section between Oakleigh Station and Ashburton Station, as well as the section north of East Kew Station, were dimantled. This included the demolition of Waverlay Road Station and Willsmere Station.
1945 - 1949. In 1946, the section north of East Camberwell Station is
dismantled. This included the demolishion of Shenly Station, Roystead Station, Deepdene Station and East Kew Station. In 1948, electric train lines were extended to new Alamein Station.
1950 - 2000. In 1991, the Anniversary Trail opened to commemorate 100
years since the opening of the Outer Circle Railway. In 1996, the Australian Paper Mill siding was closed and deconstructed.
THE TELLING
CHARACTER PROFILES
29 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
CHARACTER PROFILES
MR. MOORE
SARAH (FARLAND) MOORE
WILLIAM MOORE 1865 - 1930 Place of Birth: Melbourne Place of Death: Melbourne Employment: Land Developer Spouse: Sarah (Farland) Moore Children: Annabeth and Bart Moore
A. MOORE
B. MOORE
30
ROGER ARDEN 1871 - 1946
MRS. MOORE
Place of Birth: Balwyn Place of Death: Balwyn Employment: Farmer
ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE
GEORGE MOORE 1867 - 1926
1869 - 1949
Place of Birth: Melbourne Place of Death: Balwyn
Place of Birth: Melbourne Place of Death: Balwyn
Employment: Deepdene Station Manager
Employment: Post Office Assistant
Spouse: Anna (Hughes) Moore Children: Charles Moore
Spouse: George Moore Children: Charles Moore
C. MOORE
E. MOORE
G. MOORE
F. MOORE
I. MOORE
H. MOORE
J. MOORE
D. MOORE
K. MOORE
LUKE MOORE 1984 Place of Birth: Balwyn
31 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
CHARACTER PROFILES GEORGE MOORE Role within narrative: Station Manager at Deepdene Station (to assist the function of Trains) Relationship to other characters: Anna Hughes (partner), William Moore (brother), Roger Arden (friend), Luke Moore (great, great, grandson) Background: Born and raised in Melbourne, George was 22 when he was employed by the Melbourne Rail Company. He and his wife, Anna, moved to Balwyn on the outskirts of Melbourne. Here they bought a property during the Melbourne land boom, prepared for the proposed residential development along the Outer Circle Railway. However when the depression hit, the railway closed and George was left unemployed. Unable to support his now pregnant wife, Anna left to work in Kew. George remained at the railway until his death.
1890
George dies at age 59 and the ‘Deepdene Dasher’ stops running.
23
26
Train accident at Whitehorse Rd George’s watch.
Deepdene Station reopens and George is reemployed as station signal man.
00
George receives news that the entire Outer Circle Railway has closed due to the great depression.
97
90 George is employed by Melbourne Rail. George and Anna move to Balwyn. George starts work as the Deepdene station signal man. 93 Station closes. George is unemployed. Anna leaves George and moves to Malvern. 91
BACKGROUND
1867 George Moore is born in Melbourne. 1887 George marries Anna Hughes.
Physical Appearance/Attributes: George was a fit man with brunette hair and dark brown eyes. He was confident in himself and his choices. Having met and married Anna at a young age, he felt it was his purpose was to support her. George was very focused on this task and loyal to his responsibility as both husband and station manager.
1900
1910
1920
1930
1
1940
46
Deepdene Station is demolished and tracks dismantled.
32
The Infrastructure
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
33 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
CHARACTER PROFILES ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE Role within narrative: Assistant at the Kew Post Office (to connect people to each other) Relationship to other characters: George Moore (partner) and Luke Moore (great, great grandson) Background: Born and raised in Melbourne, Anna married George and moved to Balwyn at the age of 22. While George worked as the station manager, Anna worked in Kew as an assistant in the Post Office. When the depression settled in Melbourne, the expected development of within Balwyn did not occur. The streets were empty and business at the Post Office was very slow. When Anna discovered she was pregnant she moved to Malvern, fearing for the wellbeing of her child. She lived here with her son, until 1946, when she moved her family back Balwyn and eventually passed away there.
George and Anna move to Balwyn. Anna starts work as the Kew Post Office as an assistant. leaves George and moves to Malvern. 93 Anna Later that year she gives birth to a son.
91
BACKGROUND
1869 Anna Hughes is born in Melbourne. 1887 Anna marries George Moore.
Physical Appearance/Attributes: Anna was a curvy woman, with thick, curly hair and deep green eyes. She liked to think of herself as independent but really relied on the support of her husband George. Anna was employed by the Post Office and loved bringing people closer together. Anna never sat still for too long and this unease caused Anna to leave Balwyn and her husband George.
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1
1940
46
49
Anna dies age 79.
Anna moves back to Balwyn with son and his young family.
34
The People
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
35 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
CHARACTER PROFILES WILLIAM MOORE Role within narrative: Land developer across Melbourne (to provide people with places to live) Relationship to other characters: George Moore (brother) Background: William was born and raised in Melbourne along with his younger brother, George. After finishing school William married Sarah Farland and they bought a house together in Melbourne. During the 1880’s land boom William started his own land development company and was very successful. However, the depression greatly affected business and William came close to shutting down several times, but at the turn of the century, business picked back up. After his death in 1930, William’s son took over the business and finally developed the Balwyn area during the 1940’s.
1890
William dies age 65.
26
30
William receives word of George’s death.
The great depression comes to an end and William’s business returns.
00
97
William asks George to move back to Melbourne, when he learns the Outer Circle Railway has shut.
William’s business begins to struggle due to the great depression.
91
1865 William Moore is born in Melbourne. 1867 William’s younger brother George is born. BACKGROUND 1883 William marries Sarah Farland 1882 William starts land development company.
Physical Appearance/Attributes: Like his brother, William had brunette hair and dark brown eyes. During his younger years, he was a fit man but with the success of his business his weight increased, eventually leading to heart problems. He was a caring, family man who expressed great concern for his brother, George, during the depression. William was also very smart, starting his own land development business during the Melbourne land boom.
1900
1910
1920
1930
40
William’s son, who inherited his fathers land developing business, develops the suburb of Balwyn.
36
1940
The Residential
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1890
1890
00
91
1900
1900
NARRATIVE TIME LINE - LUKE MOORE
26
Roger finds George dead.
Trains start running again and Roger no longer needs to employ George.
88
Roger sells part of his land to Melbourne Rail and construction begins on the Outer Circle Railway. Trains start running through Roger’s land and Roger meets George. stop running through Roger’s land 93 Trains and Roger employs George.
1871 Roger Arden is born in Balwyn. BACKGROUND 1886 Rogers father passes away and he inherits his fathers land.
37 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
CHARACTER PROFILES
NARRATIVE TIME LINE - ROGER ARDEN
1910
1920
1930
1910
1920
1930
1
1940
38
ROGER ARDEN
LUKE MOORE
Role within narrative: Farmer in Balwyn (to work with the land)
Role within narrative: Great, great grandson of Anna and George Moore (to provide insight into the past)
Relationship to other characters: George Moore (friend)
Relationship to other characters: George Moore (great, great, grandfather) and Anna Hughes (great, great, grandmother)
Background: Roger was born and lived in Balwyn his whole life, working the land inherited from his parents. In 1888 he was approached by Melbourne Rail who ask to purchase some of his land for the development of the Outer Circle Railway. Once the land was sold and the railway constructed, Roger met George, the station manager at Deepdene station. The two became good friends and Roger generously helped George through the depression by employing him for a period.
Background: Luke is a young boy, who was born and raised in Balwyn. Physical Appearance/Attributes: Luke is a skinny, young boy with scruffy brown hair and dark eyes. He lives with his parents with a carefree attitude to life. He is interested in his family history but struggles to understand the difficulties undertaken, therefore his knowledge of events is very na誰ve.
Physical Appearance/Attributes: A scrawny, blonde haired man, Roger was a kind spirited person, who often felt very lonely, living by himself on his large property in Balwyn. He found great comfort in his friendship with George and the prospect of the railway bringing more people to Balwyn.
The Anniversary Trail
The Anniversary Trail opens to the public and Luke learns about his families connection to the Outer Circle Railway.
91
84
Luke Moore is born in Balwyn.
The Parkland
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
THE TELLING
NARRATIVE
41 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE
The narrative of the Telling operates as a series of letters written between George, the station manager of Deepdene Railway Station, his wife Anna and his brother William. Accompanying these letters are a series of images completed by each character, and found in various locations across Melbourne. Beginning in 1890, with the opening of the Outer Circle Railway, the letters and images reveal each of the characters perspective on events across the next 50 years. George and Anna were a young couple when George was employed by Melbourne Rail to be the Station Manager. The Melbourne raised couple moved to the quiet town of Balwyn, with the hope that Melbourne’s boom in land development would follow in their footsteps. This concept was encouraged by George’s brother William, a land developer based in Melbourne. However, the depression of the 1890’s forced the closure of the Outer Circle Railway and brought land development plans to a stop across Melbourne. It was this event which redefined characters’ relationships.
42
43 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - GEORGE MOORE
44
The Desk of George Moore
45
Various Extracts from the Journal of George Moore
46
47 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - GEORGE MOORE cont.
Track Change Detail from the Journal of George Moore
48
49 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE
50
The Desk of Anna Moore
51 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE cont.
Deepdene Station, Anna Hughes, 1893
52
53 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - ANNA (HUGHES) MOORE cont.
Balwyn, Anna Hughes, 1946
54
55 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - WILLIAM MOORE
56
The Desk of William Moore
57 MOORE LAND DEVELOPMENT 1890 EASTERN SUBURBS LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN STAGE ONE - 1890 - 93 (PLOTS 04 - 24) STAGE TWO - 1893 - 96 (PLOTS 25 - 35) STAGE THREE - 1896 - 99 (PLOTS 36 - 50)
NORT DEVELOPED LAND
POTENTIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT
RIVER + TRAIN NETWORK
FAIRFIELD
TOORA
PL
MELBOURNE
58
HEIDELBERG WEST PLOT 40B
THCOTE
AK
PLOT 40A
HEIDELBERG IVANHOE
BULLEEN PLOT 40C
IVANHOE EAST
PLOT 06A
PLOT 16B
PLOT 16A
BALWYN NORTH
EAST KEW PLOT 24B
BALWYN KEW PLOT 24C PLOT 24A
DEEPDENE
PLOT 33D
SURREY HILLS HAWTHORN
PLOT 16C
CAMBERWELL PLOT 33A
LOT 12B
THE OUTER CIRCLE RAILWAY
Land Development Plan for the Eastern Suburbs, 1890
59 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE - WILLIAM MOORE cont.
Various Extracts from the Journal of William Moore
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61
MOORE LAND DEVELOPMENT 1900 EASTERN SUBURBS LAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS PLAN
N
STAGE ONE - 1890 - 93 (PLOTS 04 - 24) - 20% Under Development STAGE TWO - 1893 - 96 (PLOTS 25 - 35) - 5% Under Development STAGE THREE - 1896 - 99 (PLOTS 36 - 50) - 2% Under Development
LAND UNDER DEVELOPMENT
LAND DEVELOPMENT CANCELLED/ POSTPONED
RIVER + TRAIN NETWORK
FAIRFIELD
5 MILES
DEVELOPED LAND
TOORA
P
MELBOURNE
62
HEIDELBERG WEST PLOT 40B
NORTHCOTE
AK
PLOT 40A
HEIDELBERG
BULLEEN
IVANHOE PLOT 40C
IVANHOE EAST
PLOT 06A
PLOT 16B
PLOT 16A
BALWYN NORTH
EAST KEW
PLOT 24B
BALWYN KEW PLOT 24C PLOT 24A
DEEPDENE
PLOT 33D
SURREY HILLS HAWTHORN
PLOT 16C
CAMBERWELL PLOT 33A
PLOT 12B
THE OUTER CIRCLE RAILWAY
Land Development Progress Plan for the Eastern Suburbs, 1900
THE TELLING
NARRATIVE DESIGN ‘THE GEORGE MOORE PATH’ ‘THE ANNA HUGHES PATH’ ‘THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH’
65 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
DESIGN CONCEPT
FAIRFIELD
FAIRFIELD FA F AIR RFI FIE EL LD
DEEPDENE STATION
No Infrastructure Non-functioning Infrastructure Functioning Infrastructure
OAKLEIGH
Hidden from Residential Residential seen from a Distance / Divide Within Residential
L 02
Letter 01 + 04 Zone
Letter 06
Letter 03 + 05 Zone
66
1897 Letter William to George
The William Moore Path
1926 Letter William to Anna
1946 Letter Anna to George
1891 Letter George to William
The George Moore Path
1900 Letter George to William
1893 Letter Anna to George
The Anna Hughes Path
Based on the infrastructure and residential circumstances during the time each letter was written, moments along the path have been found which most appropriately suit the requirements of each characters design. For example, in George’s 1891 letter to William, trains along the Outer Circle Railway had just began running (functioning infrastructure) and land development within Balwyn was approaching (residential seen from a distance). Therefore, the George Moore Path has been positioned according to these details.
67 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
DESIGN CONCEPT cont.
THE GEORGE MOORE PATH Original Site Overview Between Meaden Street and High Street, Ashburton
THE ANNA MOORE PATH Original Site Overview Between Alamein Station and St George Cres, Alamein
68
THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH Original Site Overview Between Rubens Grove and Barnsbury Road, Balwyn
69 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE GEORGE MOORE PATH
The George Moore Path, Wall Detail 1:10 @ A2
70
George Moore was a man obsessed with the detail and texture of the railway infrastructure. His path design enlarges the train tracks and places them vertically to form a wall. The lower steel gauge is raised to an appropriate hand rail height, encouraging people to run their hand along the steel, just as George describes doing. Behind the vertical wall, the Alamein train line seen, however to obtain a clearer vision of the tracks , people must look through the gaps in the wooden planks, again encouraging people to engage with George’s perspective of site. The George Moore Path, Material Detail 1:5 @ A2
71 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE GEORGE MOORE PATH cont.
72
The George Moore Path, Section Detail 1:20 @ A2
73 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE GEORGE MOORE PATH cont.
74
The George Moore Path from George Moore’s Perspective
GEORGE / infrastructure (Detail view) ‘I walked along the track later yesterday afternoon, checking every last detail. Checking that each plank of wood had not been cracked and that each has the correct amount of nails and bolts. I close my eyes and run my hand along the smooth, steal tracks, feeling for any imperfections, but there are none. Only the warmth of the steal from the afternoon sunlight.’ 1891 Letter George to William
75 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE GEORGE MOORE PATH cont.
The George Moore Path from William Moore’s Perspective
76
The George Moore Path from Anna Moore’s Perspective
77 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE ANNA MOORE PATH
The Anna Moore Path, Sections with Path Connection 1:100 @ A2
78
The Anna Moore Path, Sections with Residential View Lines 1:250 @ A2
Anna Moore, unlike her husband George, is able to see the world beyond the railway, and she understands that no one is coming to develop Balwyn. Anna’s path design is based in an over grown landscape, with distorted views through the vegetation of the developed residential area beyond site. Although she can see this development, and tries to move towards it, the winding path keeps drawing her back into site. From a distance, people seen walking along this winding path appear to be moving in no particular direction, like Anna, they become trapped within the site. Eventually the path straightens and leads into the residential, just as Anna moves from Balwyn to Malvern.
79 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE ANNA MOORE PATH cont.
80
The Anna Moore Path from Anna Moore’s Perspective
ANNA / people + trains (Perspective view) ‘There is no future in Balwyn, George. You need to look up past the railway and see that no houses are being built and no one is moving in, not even visiting. Yesterday I found myself standing in the middle of the road, staring at the emptiness which surrounded me. I stayed that way for an hour, but nothing changed. Nothing happened.’ 1893 Letter Anna to George
81 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE ANNA MOORE PATH cont.
The Anna Moore Path from William Moore’s Perspective
82
The Anna Moore Path from George Moore’s Perspective
83 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH
The William Moore Path, Plan Overview 1:1000 @ A2
84
The William Moore Path, Plan Detail 1:100 @ A2
William Moore is based in Melbourne, and therefore his perspective of site is much less intimate compared to George and Anna. The William Moore Path is a raised platform which runs along the edge of site and looks down upon one of William’s land development plans. William does not care for materiality the way George does, but rather uses it as a tool to determined developed and undeveloped portions of land. Concrete blocks symbolise housing, while grass suggests potential land development. The wooden path through site shows a portion of the Outer Circle Railway.
85 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH cont.
86
The William Moore Path from William Moore’s Perspective
WILLIAM / context (Plan view) ‘Today the Herald Sun reported that the depression has caused the entire Outer Circle Railway to close and it will not be reopening as long as the depression continues to effect sales. Land development has also been effected by the depression, and it doesn’t look like the Balwyn area will be developed anytime soon.’ 1897 Letter William to George
87 The Telling: The Anniversary Trail
NARRATIVE DESIGN - THE WILLIAM MOORE PATH cont.
The William Moore Path from Anna Moore’s Perspective
88
The William Moore Path from George Moore’s Perspective
89
90
CONCLUSION
T
he Telling explores a unique process through which narrative is used to communicate multiple perspectives of the Outer Circle Railway history.
Three key moments along the path have been designed using varying scales based on each character’s relationship. As William’s narrative is based in Melbourne, his understanding of site is very black and white. Unlike the other characters, he operates at a large scale and fails to understand the materiality of site, therefore his design is blocked into areas of solid material and the path is raised, so people can experience the site from above, just as William did scrolling over this land development plans. At the other end of the spectrum, George’s narrative reveals an obsession with the detail of the railway infrastructure, hence his design enlarges these details for people to engage with. It brings the people experiencing his site to eye level with the infrastructure, just as William describes as he walked along the track checking every last detail. People using this path are able to experience the different relationships between characters and site, as well as the disconnection between characters, which reflects the failed relationship between residential development, people/trains and infrastructure. The process established within this research has opened the door to the potential of multiple narratives in preserving history. However it appears as just that, a doorway through which future designers may begin to further explore this understanding of historical landscapes. Ideally, it would have been beneficial to re-assess the process within the Elwood Canal Guidebook and edit the narrative according to the understandings established within the Telling. Through undertaking this process of multiple iterations, the strengths and weaknesses of the process would become clearer and the process itself becomes further refined. In saying this, it would have also been ideal to test a third site where the relationships between characters are more positive compared to those of the Outer Circle Railway and the Elwood Canal. Does this mean that the narrative design layers would overlap with each other on a single moment of site? If so, how would each of the characters be distinguished? Or would they simply fall in and out of each other? Overall this research has challenged the way in which landscapes engage with history and narrative as a design tool simultaneously. This research not only designs the path of the Outer Circle Railway, but more importantly creates a model process for myself and other designers, to continue to challenge the telling of history.
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READING LIST Landscape Narratives: Design Practises for Telling Stories Matthew Potteiger and Jamie Purinton John Wiley & Sons, 1998
KERB 20. Speculative Stories: Narratives in Landscape Architecture Melbourne Books, 2012
Short Stories: London in Two-and-a-half Dimensions CJ Lim and Ed Liu Routledge, 2011
‘Must Landscapes Mean?’ Marc Treib Theory in Landscape Architecture University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002
‘Narration’ Jonathan Hill and Jane Rendell Barlett Designs: Speculating with Architecture John Wiley & Sons, 2009
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PAGE 21 - 22 1. Beardsell, D, 1979, The Outer Circle: A History of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway, The Speculators, Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division), Melbourne, pg 27 2. Beardsell, D, 1979, The Outer Circle: A History of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway, Working Life, Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division), Melbourne, pg 51
PAGE 45 - 46 1. Beardsell, D, 1979, The Outer Circle: A History of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway, Appendix, Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division), Melbourne, pg 117, 120 + 121
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