This is the corresponding speech.... the video kinda makes no sense with out it :)
Through the eyes of a child, the world is a big place. At times, the
world is so big, it can be overwhelming. But at the same time, we are all a
part of this great big world, and everyone’s place in it is integral.
Our folie was to be a destination, converting the
footpath thoroughfare under the Story Bridge into an engaging place where one
could stop and appreciate our city. Both its form and function were determined
by its location; the sound of the city that emanates from the Bridge itself,
and again how this has changed over time. To a lesser extent, it was about
blurring the boundaries between transitional and destination spaces, but also
created a boundary and an obstacle along a transit route.
These concepts were highly inspiring and left a wide
range of possibilities for the form, function, program and tectonic of my
environmental education centre.
A building’s success is measured by its popularity
and usage by its target clientele. So what is my building like? Let us take a
look, through the eyes of child.
“As she stepped onto the jetty, her ears were
assaulted by various traffic sounds, of sirens and beeping horns, the laughter
of her classmates, and a crow carking in the distance.
She noticed that they were moving towards a building that appeared to
both blend in and stick out at the same time. It was both box-like and
wibbly-wobbly. Her teacher ushered them into the belly of the beast.
Once inside, her ears were again assaulted, but this
time by the low hum of insects, the chirping of birds and the occasional squeal
from one of her classmates. In front of her she observed double doors leading
to twinkling darkness, and to her right a high and narrow window through which
she thought she could see trees. Sweeping her eyes downward, she was
disappointed to see only blank wall, save for some posters.
Her teacher was ushering them towards some
elevators, accompanied by an unfamiliar woman, so she dragged herself along.
After exiting the elevators, she and her classmates
filed through more doors and into tiered seating where the unfamiliar woman
spoke and they viewed a movie about “Brisbane Town” – a funny little place. The woman talked about the
way the city grew and changed, how the people changed, and how the plants, birds,
animals and insects changed too. The woman said that they weren’t all found in
Brisbane anymore, because the humans got too big and the city replaced the
trees.
Once it ended, the screen rolled away to reveal
trees, birds and buildings. As the class took a collective breath in, there was
one question on everyone’s lips – how?!
She bounced with excitement as they descended back into the entrance,
taken around the high walls into the space filled with trees and plants. Up
they went, winding through the space, following the unfamiliar woman as she
spoke about the trees and birds until they were in the very tops of the trees
where they entered yet another room.
Her ears were assaulted for the third time; the
sound again that of beeping horns and the whoosh of traffic. Confused, she
strained to hear the sound of birds and insects. Above her she saw the world
outside through glass, and around her some displays about pollution, waste and
some of the other things they had been learning about in class. Windows faced
toward the tops of the trees. She placed her hand against the glass, wishing
she could hear the birds again.
After a time, they were led back down to the grassy area at the base of
the building, amongst the trees and plants to have some food.
When they finished, the class were taken back to the
entrance and through the doors she’d observed earlier, into the twinkling
darkness, where they were told they could use giant computers to create
Brisbane in 2090.
The girl knew her Brisbane would have lots of trees.
Heaps of Birds.
But definitely plenty of humans.”
We have essentially just been taken on a tour of the building from the
child’s perspective, and whilst it might be simplified it is crucial; the way a
child experiences the space is very different from that of an adult. The
program is fast paced in order to ensure those with shorter attention spans or
are younger still glean an educational experience.
The building’s program is laid out over three
floors, and the building sits in this location on the site. The Building is
accessed via four routes: (A) the proposed jetty, (B) an existing (but
redeveloped) boardwalk, (C) a “treetop” skywalk up the cliff and at the height
of the top floor of the building and (D) from New Farm via a redevelopment of the
Riverwalk.
The lower floor is surrounded by a rolling, grassed
landscape, coming up the walls almost to the height of the first floor. On the
ground floor is the entry foyer, interactive zone, base of the Biospace and
toilets. The first floor houses the presentation space, the second level of the
Biospace (and complimentary exhibition space) as well as staff offices and more
toilets. The second floor contains the final “level” of the Biospace, and the
second dedicated exhibition space, as well as toilets. All levels are accessed
via a central glass walled lift and a timber walkway that winds through the
space.
The Biospace and interactive zones are both crucial
to the education centre’s unique experience and success.
Running over three floors, the Biospace is central
to the building itself. It is essentially an enclosed environment; with local
species of trees, birds and insects. Considering the fact that it is a contained environment, the soil,
temperature and air quality must be monitored at all times. Similarly, the
geodesic glass roof of the building and location of the exterior glazing are
determined by the necessity for natural sunlight to penetrate the depths of the
building. The Biospace is a miniature city that represents co-habitation. It
represents the possible “future” of the city, an ideal.
On the first floor are exhibits dedicated to the different species of
birds, insects and plants in the space. One such of these exhibits takes the
form terrariums. A terrarium is a further enclosed environment, creating a
microclimate. These would be constructed by children in specialised workshops
(for instance, during specific visits or on weekends) and left out for display
and monitoring. There would also be the potential for professionally made
terrariums to accompany these. These could prove to be an interesting exhibit,
taking the Biospace concept down to an even smaller level. By building their
own self-sufficient, mini-scale Biospace, the children may be able to glean an
even greater understanding of the way the Space works.
The interactive zone allows children to create their
own version of Brisbane City’s future. Contained within are 18 large touch
screens that allow children to actively build their city with the aid of a
specifically developed computer program, which also shows what impact to the
environment that particular city layout would have. Parameters and levels of
the program could be set depending upon which age group is using the space at
the time. Some of the things the children might choose from would be land
usage, number/types of buildings, trees and waterways. The program would then
be run to see how that layout might fare over 100 years in terms of specifics
such as soil erosion, water pollution, air pollution and population growth.
The idea of this space being the last in the program
is to ensure that the children have received the message of some of the
possible dangers to the environment, and so attempt to create an ideal,
virtually, and further take away the message of care, consideration and
cohabitation.
So just what does a child take from the experience?
“As she left that crazy beast and wandered towards the boat back to
school, she couldn’t wait to tell her mother and father. She wanted to return
to make her own terrarium, and bring her little brother so he could learn all
about the way the city works. She smiled as her head filled with endless
ideas.”
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