Urban Realities

We are Haulin Sand: T-Minus 17 Hours

After fourteen cubic meters of sand and what seemed like endless deliberation later, Team 1 is en route to project completion. What began as a economical solution turned into an design inspiration. The idea of pixel beach emerged. With bricks of sand, we are introducing a different type of beach to the Melbourne docklands. A beach that can be built, rebuilt, and modified to one's hearts intent.

A key element to bringing an re-imagined beach to the docklands is a surreal projection at night designed by our resident light designer. When the sun goes down, the beach turns into a mesmerizing blue sandscape.

Meanwhile, the team is busy bagging bricks of sand to create the supports for the sandscape. Comes see us tonight or tomorrow to see our beach in action!

Team 9 Ups and Downs

Last night provided many challenges, to say the least!

The biggest challenge (of course) was the wind. The sirens were sounding, and we were all cheering, but then we realised what was happening…the sensored opening and closing of our site’s magical wind door proved to affect our moods as much as the natural elements.

Door goes up wind comes in, face gets wind burnt, temperature drops to -20, wind rips through our souls.

Would the joys of working in Docklands biggest wind tunnel prove too much for us?

It was a long night punctuated by frustration. Our diminishing budget and lack of materials destroyed spirits…yet somehow we managed to pull through and this morning we are all feeling more inspired.

Our lengthy processes and ideas have all started coming together…

After a very early start we have had a good day of experimentation and construction both on site and within shed 4.

All will be revealed tomorrow!

DAY THREE!!

DAY Three… Constant connection.

Today has been a big day. But we have something to show for it!

The day started out with the boys heading off bright and early to pick up our steel armature! This was going to be our main structure so it was important that we got it under way as soon as possible! After arriving on site and making a firm plan of the day ahead we were waved at from our lovely looking cement mixer!

We sprung into action, shoveling and filling the garbage bags that would form our foundation for our steel columns… It was excitement all around as we began to see our creation take form!

As the steel was secured we knew that we had a 12 hour wait until the cement would be rock hard, so we began to further discuss how our structure would take form and what it would say when complete.

The issues we are working with are:

Urban ecological systems invading the polished, pristine Docklands environment. A revolt against the sterility…!

Docklands lacks a lot of the character that ports of a similar age and history possess. Essentially due to decisions in urban development where developers were given a blank slate, a tabula rasa. The current state neglects the finer grain….the grittiness that should reflect the past uses and contribute to the story of the place.

Engagement with the site is restricted to the visual. There is little recognition of the natural systems and complex adaptive ecologies at work, still reflecting historical environmental attitudes that favour the passive, scenic background captured in quotes such as this from Martin Prominski.

Virtual link transplanting existing Docklands wharf piles on to land. Thus dissolving the amphibious grid from water to land.

We’ve observed that even the sloping piece of manicured turf that our site rests upon is a cultural construct, the dock waters penetrating far below us, leaving us deprived of an authentic terra firma. Repetition of what lies below. Our site is artificially suspended, which we have repeated with our own artificial suspension.

As a group we have constantly been aware of the connection to the site and also each other. We have fully constructed our design on site, eaten on site, slept on site (but not really) allowing the site to dictate our moves throughout the day and also our progress. We have spent nearly every waking hour of every day together and our project could not have come to fruition without the encouragement and enthusiasm of everyone.

Hopefully the next 16 hours go to plan…

A Story of Vic Cabal

What will it be?

The combination of found, recycled and bought materials are weaving together. Our team is split into work groups and our design is taking shape. Now we need to bring them together to solve all the parts of the mystery...

Internal Air corridors, by Team 9

Good afternoon MAD fans... a late night was had by all, followed by an early start. Our design is finalised and construction began late last night...

This collage demonstrates our final design intent: to define our public space with new forms, to augment the space or 'become bigger', to encourage pedestrian movement down the historical wharf and interconnect with the existing vistas within our site.

These images demonstrate the 3d formation of our concept and reinforce the design intent. The perspectives illustrate the glimpse of a view through the site, which encourages the pedestrian to move through this transitional site, from new development, to the historical wharf.

Construction began in Shed 4 last night, by re-drawing the site and measuring the timber...

This image is one of our favourites - its raw and full of possibility... you can see Ben sat on the computer with the model, and other members of the team as a white blur, marking up a replication of the site for construction of the pods.

Now the discussion over anchoring our design, its materiality, and lighting takes centre stage...

More construction images to follow soon...

MAD out.

Public Consultations at Site 7

You are invited to a public one-on-one consultation with specialists from the Vic Cabal Urban Disorders Clinic. We are interested in your experiences at the Docklands. We prescribe a variety of treatments for the Docklands Development Disorder (DDD). Drop by the site today from 6pm and you will be well looked after by our team of highly experienced professionals.

Team 4 Friday

We split into two teams: one back on site continuing to build the table and ramp structures. The other discussing performance strategies for how to bring the entire system to life.

Photos from site mid-morning:

And later in the day ...

Tom in the midst of a consultation, informing a tour group about the work done by Dr Vic Cabal at the Urban Disorders Clinic (the new name for our intervention).

The final touches to the structure. Tomorrow morning we will install the pieces of apparatus that form the "treatment zones" in the Urban Disorders Clinic.