DESIGNassessment #3

COMM2411Sahoko Mano (s3173460) --- Laura Newbold (s3284084) --- Lee Juen Yap (s3215151)

Artefact 1

THE CAMPBELL ARCADE

The Campbell arcade is home to local art pieces, whether one installation by a single

artist or even various artists, independent clothing and accessories stores such as Muff

Vintage Clothing and Corky Saint Claire as well as music and magazine stores - all with an

authentic “underground and exclusive” feeling, giving the place an identity and creating a

real experience for the shopper. The Arcade is based underground both Degraves St and

Flinders St and is directly accessible to Flinders St Railway station. Originally designed for

the 1956 Olympic Games, its retro pink tiling and all the art pieces displayed are managed

by the Platform Artists Group, the largest operating Australian-run artists group, which also

manages the Sticky Institute, which is based in the arcade.

The installation of art in this public space promotes Melbourne’s idea of diverse urban public

and cultures, this walkway is unlike any other in Melbourne, it is a free gallery that any

person can access and virtually any time. Its design is purely based upon accessible culture

and art in the city of Melbourne. This creative use of space is also useful in bolstering the

creative imagery of the city and it is an excellent use of space for independent establishments

such as Sticky Institute, a barber and a small café. The design of the arcade is also very useful

for the continutation of these businesses, because without the great amount of traffic they get

because of the bustling streets above as well as the adjoining train station, as well as being in

the very heart of the city – without this, their business might not survive.

Dr Malcom Mile’s (“Art, Space and the City”) credits the use of public art because it creates

a “marginal area within art practise” which creates “diversity of urban publics and cultures”,

and is thus highly relevant to “architecture, urban design and urban planning”.

Based on the ideas of Daniel Miller (“Shopping, Place and Identity”), it can be contended

that because the Degraves St Subway is not a large shopping mall, is why people choose to

consume in this strip. It’s because of the arcades design, underground with a sort of ‘shabby-

chic’ flare and the general atmosphere – that it is a quaint, stylish, underground dwelling that

keeps people coming back to the Campbell arcade.

Sheridan Rhodes and Bernadette Alibrando introduce the idea that art can “[marry] a space”.

Alibrando praises the work in the Degraves St Subway because its design promotes the idea of

“accessible culture… even people running for the train can see art without having to actually

go to a gallery.” Which is a useful way of describing the installation, it gives the white collars,

the artisans, the tradespeople of Melbourne who are all perhaps too busy to visit art galleries

the chance to visit one every day – even if they are just passing by.

Artefact 2

INFORMATION PILLAR

In the city of Melbourne, there are many information pillars with posters attached about news,

advertisements or information of different events happening around city. These include both national

news and local events such as live shows, musical performances, information about accommodation or

events for protest groups. There are lots of advantages the traditional information pillar has in terms

of design and its role as a communication tool with Melbournians.

Throughout the city of Melbourne, there are many traditional information pillars plastered with

many event posters. Even with the introduction of digital information kiosks, traditional pillars still

maintain their own advantages, such as being able to provide many opportunities to participate

in the events around Melbourne to Melbournians effectively. According to Brockmann, M (2004),

presentation of the posters on the pillars is usually quite simple and easy to see. However, the use of

image and text functions are more than just representation, poster design provides a visually effective

solution in order for viewers to notice, be fascinated by and remember the message unconsciously

through the use of imaginative illustrations, photography and typography. The juxtaposition of image

and text with engaging cultural, economic and political histories and interests allows for a powerful

impact on society and attracts the attention of viewers. Furthermore, information pillars are designed

to be placed closely to each other, consistently, in Melbourne. It helps people to notice or be more

attracted to the posters. Therefore, the communication pillars of Melbourne are tools which directly

impact that effectiveness the posters have towards Melbournians. Moreover, Grierson, E (2009)

discussed that posters also affect, represent or reflect a social structure; therefore, pillars are one of

the most effective ways to promote the events. From this aspect, pillars with lots of posters throughout

in Melbourne symbolises that Melbourne is an eventful city. Another role of the information pillars

in Melbourne is not only to attract people, but the design of pillars also displays one of the main

characteristics and cultures of Melbourne, a city full of events.

The placement of the information pillars also has a significant role for in Melbourne. Hayter, J, A

(2006) discusses that “street furniture” nowadays has changed to have more “active edges” with the

introduction of a city art strategy including information pillars. There are few different categories of

pillars: advertising, news and information kiosks. Even though they deliver different messages and

types of information for people, they all have similar design; cylindrical structures with canopies made

by stainless steel, which creates the touch of urban architecture design. The pillars are relatively large

and stationary, therefore easily noticeable and recognisable. As such, it acts as a symbolic design in

the streets of Melbourne. Compared to pillars, posters are disposal, which serve to be more convenient

for users. Therefore, pillars practically address the need of information, moreover, they inspire and

stimulate street activity level by placing the irremovable unique urban architecture designs throughout

the Swanston Street consistently; it therefore, creates the “signature” to its local character. Moreover,

some of the information pillars in city are designed to have a dual function, which also contributes to

create the unique “signature” of Melbourne. For instance, the old information pillar on the corner of

Swanston and Little Collins Streets has transformed into a small retail shop recently and promotes

all the eco-friendly and local made products. These characteristics stand out and excite the public,

thereby making the city of Melbourne that much more interesting for both locals and visitors.

Artefact 3

A BRASS DISC OF MELBOURNE’S GOLDEN MILE

Australia’s most historical trail - Melbourne’s Golden Mile Heritage Trail - is marked with brass

disc embedded in the pavement, indicating to people and tourists the history and golden age of

Melbourne. (Davison, 2007) - the formation of Melbourne during the gold rush of the 1850s that

attracted fortune-hunters from Europe. The entire trail allows people to explore the splendid

architectural buildings, ornate theaters, elegant churches and glamorous arcades that symbolize

the formation of Melbourne.

Bruno Latour (2008) mentioned that design is an attentiveness to details and implies humility.

This can be seen in the design of the disc. From its material, typeface, illustration to pattern, all

these elements have successfully worked together to bring out the essence of Melbourne’s golden

period. Also, he said that design lends itself to interpretation. The disc is made not merely to

show where the trail heads to but there is meaning for every single detail that can be interpreted.

Moreover, to design is always to redesign according to the Bruno (2008). The disc is not a new

creation that begins from scratch. It consists of elements that already exist - the Royal Exhibition

Building, the history of Melbourne’s golden age and Melbourne itself.

Brass, a material that is commonly used for decoration due to its bright gold-like appearance, is

used to make every disc along the trail that symbolizes the golden age of Melbourne. Apart from

this, its texture, form and shape also represent the form of a gold coin which serves the same

purpose as mentioned earlier. The illustration represents a part of the Italian Renaissance style

Royal Exhibition Building - a building that has a vast, superb space, naturally lit and as big as

a cathedral (The Age, reprinted from 1979). The typeface of “Melbourne’s Golden Mile” on the

disc is a Roman serif typeface called La Gioconda SC which its design is directly influenced by

a Renaissance lettering master. It is classical and timeless, which perfectly implies the splendid

history of Melbourne that lasts long until now. Moreover, the pattern around the disc has added a

slight hint of the ornamented buildings that represent the trail of Golden Mile.

The expert commentary of Professor Graeme Davison (2007) in his Melbourne’s Golden Mile

provides history of each significant mark that explain the development of Melbourne in its golden

era and why it is called “Marvellous Melbourne”. This is the foundation of the design of the disc

- to show glamour and elegance of Melbourne. In relation to Professor Bruno’s idea mentioned

earlier, design always lends itself to interpretation. The glamour of Melbourne is obviously seen

in the way that each disc was embedded in the pavement. It is hard to be removed and this further

implies authority and importance of the Golden Mile as an identity to Melbourne. The Golden Mile

becomes part of the city.

On the other hand, in the chapter of Melbourne Street Life by Brown-May Andrew (1998), he

explained that the arrangement of buildings in Melbourne were all influenced by the straight jacket

of the city grid designed by Robert Hoodle. In relation to this, the position of each brass disc was

well thought according to the location of the architectural building, arcades and churches that were

built not only due to the gold rushes but also the shape of the gridded streets of Melbourne.

References

1. Miles. M, 1997 “Art Space and the City” Public Art and Urban Futures, Ed. Routledge, UK, USA and Canada. Pp 1-4.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=- Sw0Tkl_RbcC&oi=fnd&pg= PR9&dq= interpreting+space+art&ots=9bbWc5yYnI&sig=-hyv-cUP _4cPKAJwyfy4qbegRHI# v= o n e page&q&f=false

2. Miller. D, 1998 “Shopping, Place and Identity”, Peter Jackson, Nigel Thrift, Beverly Holbrook and Michael Rowlands. Ed. Routledge, UK, USA and Canada. Preface: Pp viii-1.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=a0LHbaWX7g4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR8&dq=exclusive+shopping+underground&ots=qT8QzSZBVi&sig=BK8HKXzuQQM-9hIrPuRiLgSRS_4#v=onepage&q&f=false

3. Rhodes, S. 2009 “Going to the wall: touring Melbourne’s street art” The Age, 1st August. Entertainment. Viewed 17th April.

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/going-to-the-wall-touring-melbournes-street-art-20090730-e34v.html

4. Brockmann, M. (2004). “History of the poster”, Phaidon Press

5. Grierson, E. (2009). “Inscribing the Social Body; Economies of image/text in the public domain”, RMIT University

http://schoolofartgalleries.dsc.rmit.edu.au/PSSR/exhibitions/2009/body/inscribing-the-social.pdf

6. Hayter, J, A. (2006). “Places for People 2004 – Melbourne, Australia by Gehl Architects and the City of Melbourne”, Places, College of Environmental Design,UC Berkeley

http:// escholarship.org/uc/item/7w39f29r

7. Davison, G 2007, Melbourne’s Golden Mile, updated 2007 (first edition 1999), Museum Victoria, Victoria, pp. 1-24

8. Brown-May, A 1998, The Colonial Grid in Melbourne Street Life: The Itinerary of Our Days, Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, pp. 8-22

9. B. Latour, 2008, “A Cautious Prometheus? A Few Steps Toward a Philosophy of Design (with special attention to Peter Sloterdijk) in keynote lecture for Networks of Design”, 3rd September.

10. Marvellous Melbourne in The Age: Reprint Booklet No.40 (from Nov. 1979 to July 1984), The Age Education Unit, pp. 1-34