ARTSOURCE
APPROACH:
Artsource was approached by the
architect and the university to coordinate this
project. The client intends to design and construct
two new linked buildings for the Division of Engineering,
Science and Computing and wanted to include a
building with a significant artwork component.
The new buildings will create an internationally
significant Resources Research and Education capability
in Western Australia. The vision is to create
a Minerals and Chemistry Precinct on Curtin University’s
Bentley Campus.
The project includes relocation
of the Department of Applied Chemistry and links
to the expanded CSIRO Minerals Laboratory. The
co-location of almost 200 professional research
and teaching staff (primarily applied chemists)
will focus the world’s attention on Western
Australia and Australia.
Fundamental to the intention of
the architectural design is the potential for
spaces within and adjacent to the three buildings
to promote opportunities for conversation and
collaboration. To that end, the preliminary design
presents a ‘street’ through which
people can pass, meet and eat, and which operates
throughout the levels. The buildings will also
have regular visitation by members of the public
and particularly secondary school students as
part of an ongoing program of encouragement for
students to undertake higher education in science.
Unlike many public art projects,
the client chose to shortlist four artist/teams
from Expressions of Interest, and interviewed
them with a view to establishing how the artist/s
could work in close collaboration with the architects
to achieve integrated interactivity. After the
interviews a team was appointed to work collaboratively
with the architects. The successful team intends
to utilise Arch-OS software, which combines the
physical and virtual into a new dynamic architecture.
It uses embedded technologies to capture audio-visual
and raw digital data through a variety of sources
which include: the 'Building Management System
(BMS); digital networks; social interactions;
ambient noise levels; environmental changes. This
vibrant data can then manipulated and replayed
through audio-visual projection systems but also
broadcast through streaming Internet media, etc.
The project presents a marvellous
opportunity for artists to engage in a detailed
way with the architects, and for the architects
to take advantage of the lateral thinking processes
and innovative technologies and visual outcomes
that the artists bring to it. |
