DANIEL RIDDELLS3053091

REMAKE / REMODEL: THE PM’S READING ROOM

INTROVERSIONWEEK 7:

CITIES OF HOPEPETER CORRIGAN

VISIT:

REVIEW:Upon visiting the cities og hope exhinition one is left with a sense that the

work of Edmond & Corrigan is unashamedly about embracing our own urban culture, about ideas, and about art.

The exhibition charts four decades of Corrigan’s architecture work, theatre and costume design, models, artwork and key reference works.

The phrase “cities of hope” was coined by Corrigan to express his feeling that

“architecture should enhance that sense of a de-fining difference which is central to what makes a culture rich and its citizens proud.

Having grown up in the ‘suburbs’ I consider myself to have a particular per-sonal connection with the Ringwood Library. Love it or hate it I have a lot of

respect for the idealism in embracing the suburbs and draw-ing from it to inform its design. The architecture shows an emphasis on ‘place’. This is a key theme seen throughout the body of archi-tectural work, about working with what youve got, not simply importing an international model.

Corrigan’s architecture shows not only a deep level of engagement with the surrounds, but also an engagement with the community. This in itself is an explicit political stance, that architecture is not just for the city, that interesting architecture can be created out of the fabric of the suburbs, that

questions our attitudes towards the status quo.

It’s a political stance in another fashion, it gives the impression of reclaiming

our cultural identity, a fierce patriotism, a patriotism in Australia, but more specifically a patriotism in Victoria.

As Ian McDougall stated in his introduction to Corrigan’s book of the same

name; there is a political in the everday.

Corrigan represents an architect not just constrained to designing buildings. His work crosses ito theatre set and costume design art and of course teach-ings.

His drawings of buildings, costumes, tiling details and the like show a rich imagination executed through beautiful drawings. Corrigans love for the detail of the everyday things such as toilets, balustrades and the like show that

even the banal can be beautiful.

Corrigan has unquestionably left, particularly Victoria, an architectural legacy.

He has paved the way for many practicing architects today who reference Corrigan in their work. His imagination, use of colour, love of local things continues to inspire me as an ‘architect to be’.

“Combined with his rich imagination and critical engagement in architecture,

ideas and education, Peter’s work offers an expression of renewal and hope for the future.” - Exhibition Curator, Vanessa Gerrans

CURATIONHAROLT HOLT MEMORABILIA

BRIEF:

MEMORABILIA:

THE MANY FACES OF HAROLD HOLT

HUSBAND SKIN DIVER

DAY TRIPPER PRIME MINISTER

MEMORABILIA:

DISSAPEARANCE THEORIES

SPY...

MURDERED...

MEMORABILIA:

TRAVEL DIARIES

During his middle years, and time as PM Holt loved to travel. He kept diaries of his travels, not so much about the ploitics, but more to do with social fucntions, restau-rants and parties. He circulated these diaries amoungst his collegues in parliament as country tour guides.

MEMORABILIA:

OCCUPATIONS

HARPOON GUNNER VEHICLES

INTROVERSIONIDEALISED INTERNAL LIBRARY SPACES

DRAW:

SPACE 1:

AN AQUATIC ODYSSEY

PROGRAM:

Reading Room Amphitheatre Bar PM Display - Shark Tank

Dark waters allow hidden creates in lurking in the shadows to view their human captives. Sitting in the reading room one might catch the occational glimpse of a dark shadow passing. A mezzanine bar allows patrons to have a quiet drink whilst reading a treasured tome. Sensual curves are contrasted with the danger lurking on the other side of the glass.

John Lautners Chemosphere

SPACE 2:

TOGETHER | SEPARATE

PROGRAM:

Book Stacks Museum / Gallery Space Cafe

Together, yet separate. In life it has been spoken that Harold and Zara’s marrage worked due to the fact that behind the public facade they had separate lives. A sunken cafe site below the weight of the suspended gallery / museum pod. The Gallery / Museum pod contain the PM’s memorabilia exhibition

SPACE 3:

MELBOURNE: INVERTED

PROGRAM:

Entry Reading Area Book Stacks

Visitors enter under a low mass suspended above the ground by spheres at each end, an ante chamber of sorts. The book stacks and reading room is located above the entry. This then opens onto a larger central entry from which multiple rooms can be accessed and library views. An inverted Arts Centre Spire funnels the glass roof into the a pool of water, seemingly infinite. The Vesca Piscis or, an upside down NGV arch allows entry beyond the entry court.

I.M. Pei’s East Wing Building, 1968-1978

REFERENCE:ARTS CENTRE SPIRE

REFERENCE:ROY GROUNDS: NGV