The business of architecture
What is it? An article published in the New York Times a few months ago, viewable here, asked the question: can a playground be too safe? Is it really necessary to prevent potential injuries on and around play equipment with rubber matting, lower monkey bars and slower slides? Or is the importance of learning our... Continue Reading →
This post is part 6 of an adaptation of How to Steal Like an Artist (and 9 Other Things Nobody Told Me), this engaging and instructive essay by Austin Kleon, a Texan artist and writer. Kleon states that "when people give you advice, they’re really just talking to themselves in the past." What follows here is me talking to a... Continue Reading →
What is it? Each year, the Economist Intelligence Unit releases a report assessing 140 cities around the world according to a comprehensive liveability index. Back in April, we discussed the EIU's index placing Vancouver in first position, followed by Melbourne then Vienna (post viewable here). For the first time since 2002, Vancouver has dropped below first... Continue Reading →
What is it? A smart, energetic and utterly convincing play by Lachlan Philpott on behalf of the Griffin Theatre Company. Exploring the attitudes, priorities and difficulties of growing up in contemporary Australia, Silent Disco focusses on school life and the relationships between two students and their teacher. Buffeted by difficulties at home and in the... Continue Reading →
What is it? This weekend, 69 buildings around Melbourne and inner city areas participated in Melbourne Open House 2011 by opening their doors (for free) to the general public. Included on the list were office buildings, theatres, electrical substations, churches, a synagogue, hospital tunnels, museums, houses, university colleges and sports stadia. What did we think?... Continue Reading →
What is it? The second of two free lectures organised by Melbourne Open House held on Tuesday night that explored recent Melbourne architecture across seven different typologies - residential, multi-residential, commercial, retail, education, landscape and heritage restoration. Presenters included Andrew Simpson, Robert Blackhouse of HASSELL, Roger Nelson of NH Architecture, John Wardle, Perry Lethlean and Jeff Turnbull. As with the first Speaker Series, discussed... Continue Reading →
What is it? A free lecture organised by Melbourne Open House on Tuesday night that explored the works of seven established Melbourne architects. Run in collaboration with the Department of Planning and Community Development, the architects presented residential projects that have been selected by the DPCD as Good Design Case Studies. In addition, each nominated... Continue Reading →
(Natural Order by Janine Mackintosh) What is it? An annual fair held at the Royal Exhibition Buildings populated mostly by small art galleries and self-represented artists, both armed with affordable art pieces for sale (from our informal survey, prices generally range from AU$500 up to AU$7500, though a few small-scale pieces and prints go for... Continue Reading →
What is it? Each year the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) compiles an index of 140 cities around the world, ranking their relative liveability according to 30 indicators distributed across 5 broad categories: stability; healthcare; culture and environment; education; and infrastructure. This year, Vancouver remains in the top spot, with a score of 98 out of... Continue Reading →
What is it? The Victorian State Government has recently confirmed it will make good on its pre-election promise of introducing 940 security guards to metropolitan railway stations around Melbourne over the next three years. The guards will be trained in a similar (through controversially less intensive) way to police, given the power to search and... Continue Reading →