No3DESIGN

ASSESSMENT TASK 3

COLLABORATIVE GROUP PUBLICATION

COMM2411 - B. ROSENBERG

COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL RELATIONS

CAITLIN CALDWELL (3195851)

BETHANY MANNING (S3285392)

ISABELLA CARUSO (S3283041)

TERCES POK FONG PING (S3262037)

Where the walls of Melbourne’s infamously deplored

public train system were once littered with scrawled

vandalisms or, in more recent years, advertising

space warning commuters about the supposed

‘karma’ of fare evasion, decal stickers of poetry from

professional and novice poets are affixed on over

forty trains travelling daily throughout the City Loop

and extending lines. Initiated in 2005, the ‘Moving

Melbourne Through Art’ campaign publishes verses

from a distinctly humorous Australian perspective

of rooku poetry, personifying Melbourne’s cultural

identity and engaging a diverse audience in the

intimate narratives of its social relations.

As the 5pm shuffle of tired feet cram into the

overcrowded trains to return to the urban sprawl,

distractions of muffled music from iPods, the

shuffling of the pages of the MX or vacant stares

out windows of rushed scenery busy the weary

commuters dreaming of home. In this common

space of public domain, interaction is extraordinary,

with tight-lipped smiles and averting eyes creating

an environment apt for personal reflection and

private thoughts. In the ‘Moving Melbourne

Through Art’ campaign, like the cases evidenced

by Sharp, Pollock and Paddison (2005), physical

spheres and localities are blurred and attempt to

provide a sense of collective identity and ownership

for the city and its social relations, challenging the

idea of design and its aestheticisation purposes.

The campaign represents the quintessential culture

of Melbourne, but is expressed intimately and

independently, avoiding the cultural domination of

identities commonly falsified by tourism and popular

culture. These personal narratives are designed to

activate and stimulate commuters’ daily travel in,

out and throughout the city of Melbourne, much as

the eclectic architecture of Her Majesty’s Theatre

and the Museum of Chinese Australian History and

the graffiti of Union Lane does from an aesthetic

perspective. As Sharp (2007) points out, ‘success

in this context is getting a response, whether this is

active involvement or just rethinking where you live,

your neighbours and the community’.

(Sharp, 2007, p. 288)

The campaign performs as a representation of

the psychological dimension in which personal

and collective relationships engage, instead of

simply encompassing the purely geographical

and environmental dimensions of shared common

ground. The poems beckon strangers to share into

the private lives of the people of Melbourne, to

experience not only the city, but to feel its pulse

and understand it with all of their senses, collectively

defining an inclusive city. As in the example of

Phillips’ case (1989), it provides a viewpoint of

design operating on a complex interdependent

level as an exploration of local, social and cultural

concepts that create dialogue within individuals

and communities and blurs the boundaries

between private and public domains.

Within this shared realm, people move in, out and

around the city, exploring not only the physicality of

the urban environment, but the personal narratives

of those who inhabit it, telling the intimate stories

of individual lives and establishing an integrated

relationship between the individual and the city.

Design has filtered into the culture of Melbourne and

firmly embedded itself into its artefacts, forming part

of the landscape, culture and identity of the city.

Through the diversely influenced architecture such

as Her Majesty’s Theatre, the Museum of Chinese

Australian History and protected sites of artistic

expression such as Union Lane, we recognise the

cultural value and heritage of our city’s celebrated

multiculturalism. As expressed by Wilson, design is

about ‘creating an environment that people want to

be in, stimulating people creatively and intellectually,

providing new experiences and generally improving

the liveability of the city as a whole’.

(Wilson, 2009, p.2)

ARTEFACT 1 – ‘MOVING MELBOURNE THROUGH ART’ CAMPAIGNCaitlin Caldwell (3195851)

REFERENCESPhillips, P 1989, ‘Out of Order: The Public Art Machine’, the City Cultures Reader,

Ed. M.Miles, T.Hall & I.Borden, Second edn, Routledge, New York, pp. 190 – 196.

Sharp, J & Pollock, V & Paddison, R 2005, ‘Just art for just a city: Public art

and social inclusion in urban regeneration’, Urban Studies, Vol. 42, Nos 5/6,

pp. 1001 - 1023.

Sharp, J 2007, ‘The life and death of five spaces: public art and community

regeneration in Glasgow’, Cultural Geographies, Vol. 14, No 2, pp. 274 – 292.

Wilson, M 2009, Melbourne: Design City?, course notes from Communication and

Social Relations (COMM2411), RMIT University, Melbourne, viewed 22nd May 2010,

RMIT University Learning Hub.

Daniel Bowen January 7, 2010

Since its creation in 1886, Her Majesty’s Theatre

has stood tall and proud at its home on Exhibition

Street in Melbourne. With its central and accessible

inner-city location, the theatre has proven itself to

be the ideal host for numerous world renowned

shows such as ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Mary Poppins’,

(Her Majesty’s Theatre 2009, History section)

inviting tourists to come and watch whichever show

is currently in season. The building itself is listed on

the Victorian Heritage Register and is just one of

the numerous examples of renaissance architecture

that can be found in Melbourne (Historical Buildings

Council 1986, Statement of Significance section).

Architecturally, its design was inspired by English

and French renaissance buildings and has since

become quite a well-known landmark within the city.

Architectural design in Melbourne City is an eclectic

mix of both modern and period buildings that

enhance the city’s diverse and intriguing

nature; transforming Melbourne into a world-

renowned city (Ashihara, 1983).

The combination of buildings that have been

around for centuries with modern, state-of-the-

art skyscrapers create a landscape in Melbourne

that truly reflects the people found living within

it. Intelligent, independent, creative and unique

people find themselves intrinsically existing in a

space that provides inspiration from essentially

every standpoint. Her Majesty’s Theatre is just one

example of the eclectic architecture found within

the city along with structures such as the Museum

of Chinese Australian History, which combine to

create the diverse Melbourne we find ourselves a

part of. If a city were to consist entirely of designs

from the 19th and early 20th century it would look

old and dated and if a whole city was made up of

designs no more than ten years old it would seem

dull, boring and lacking in history and character.

Melbourne City has established a delicate balance

in its design between the old and the new, buildings

such as Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Museum of

Chinese Australian History are daily juxtaposed with

the contemporary graffiti that lines the walls of our

laneways along with modern campaigns such as the

‘Moving Melbourne through Art’ campaign.

Her Majesty’s Theatre has an interesting and unique

heritage; the designer, Nahum Barnet, was inspired

by European designs from England and France

at the time, so created this building which forms

a marriage between the classic English style and

contemporary French design. The Victorian House

discusses the ways that renaissance buildings

were typically designed and why decisions

regarding different elements of this style have been

incorporated into their buildings (Lewis, 1985). Her

Majesty’s Theatre is also listed on the Victorian

Heritage Register, which specifically outlines why

even the most intricate details were chosen when

building this architectural masterpiece of Melbourne

(Historical Buildings Council 1986, Statement of

Significance section).

Buildings such as Her Majesty’s Theatre are integral

parts of the city of Melbourne. Admittedly, it may

not be the biggest or most fancy building found

on our streets, but its story and history make it an

appealing venue for shows, functions, events or even

just visits. It is the landmarks within a city that make

it recognisable to the people who live within it and

to others from all around the world (Ashihara, 1983).

The compilation of both old and new structures

within Melbourne makes it the interesting and

fascinating space that is quickly becoming widely

recognised as a world-class city.

ARTEFACT 2 – HER MAJESTY’S THEATREBethany Manning (s3285392)

REFERENCESAshihara, Y 1983, ‘External Appearance in Architecture’, The Aesthetic

Townscape, First edn, Iwanami Shoten, Japan, pp. 38-66.

Her Majesty’s Theatre 2009, History, viewed 26 May 2010,

<http://www.hmt.com.au/explore/history/>.

Historic Buildings Council 1986, Statement of Significance, viewed 12 April 2010,

<http://www.hmt.com.au/about-the-theatre/citations/historic-buildings-council-

statement-of-significance/>.

Lewis, M 1985, ‘The Victorian House’, Irving, R The History and Design of the

Australian House, First edn, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp. 64-86.

Rex Libris, July 8, 2008

The Museum of Chinese Australian History

celebrates the ethnic mix of Eastern Oriental with

Western European. In an attempt to treasure and

preserve this unique blend, the museum aims to

educate both young and old of the history of the

Chinese in Melbourne. In turn, the museum also

emphasises the distinctive recipe of oriental and

European architecture that exists on Little Bourke

Street, otherwise known as Chinatown.

Multiculturalism, especially the Eastern influence

that comes from China, is a massive element

of Melbourne city life. Design is considered an

expression of a situation, and the emigration of

Chinese people to Melbourne really furthered the

eclectic design of our city, just as the European

origins influenced the cosmopolitan architecture of

buildings such as Her Majesty’s Theatre. Situated on

Little Bourke Street, just off Swanston and Russell

are imperial archways, which alludes to the Chinese

influence within the city of Melbourne. There are also

two authentic, marble five-clawed Chinese dragons

outside the main entrance of the museum. As

Pegler (1995) discusses, the inclusion of the Chinese

museum in the city, may possibly be one of the

major benchmarks for what the Chinese Australian

blend represents. The evidence of Chinese aesthetic

influence on Melbourne is said to have come about

through the diaspora of Chinese Australians within

Melbourne city. In relation to this, the museum of

Chinese Australian history attempts to educate

both the Chinese and Australian people about their

combined history. In doing so, they highlight the

oriental intricacies that appear on the streets of

Melbourne which are juxtaposed against sites of

subcultures such as Union Lane, and preserve the

present multiculturalism of the two nationalities.

There are various different sections of the city

that reflect both traditional and contemporary

Chinese impressions, especially around the area

of the Chinese museum; there are strong flavours

of oriental architecture and design. Chinatown,

located on Little Bourke Street is one of the most

authentic Chinese places in Melbourne. There is

such authenticity within that street that can be e

xplained by the isolation of the Chinese families

when they first arrived in Victoria. These families

who arrived in the 1800 segregated themselves

from the white Australians and in turn, preserved

their own national traditions. Perhaps because of

this, there is today such a strong sense of Asian

aesthetics embedded within our city walls, some

which date back to the 19th century.

This museum celebrates Australians of Chinese

descent and the mesh of multiculturalism that thrives

within Melbourne. As Bon-Wai (1993) considers, it

is this level of togetherness and unity of two very

different races, which helps to gives life and energy

to the city environment of Melbourne, just as the

‘Moving Melbourne through Art’ campaign generates

social inclusion. Evidently, this combination of the

East and West coming together can be symbolised

through the traditional Chinese architecture of

the museum which is then juxtaposed with the

European buildings of Melbourne Central Business

district., including Her Majesty’s Theatre Traces of

our Chinese Australian history are seen through

the four Imperial archways that lead to the Chinese

Museum. The gold roofing of the grand archway that

leads off of Little Bourke Street is one of the reasons

for the architecture to be classed as Imperial.

This is because gold is the official regal colour. As

previously stated one of the many functions of the

Museum of Chinese Australian history is to illustrate

and conserve the long line of history of the Chinese

community within Australia.

ARTEFACT 3 -THE MUSEUM OF CHINESE AUSTRALIAN HISTORYIsabella Caruso (s3283041)

REFERENCESBon-Wai, C 1993, ‘The Chinese in Victoria: a Longterm Survey’, PhD,

University of Melbourne, vi-xii, p. 165-176.

Christine, I 1972, ‘Chinese in Australia’, International Migration Review, Vol. 6,

No 3, pp. 266-281.

Pegler, T 1995, ‘What has 160 legs and brings rain?’, The Age, 6 February, viewed

11 April 2010, <http://global.factiva.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/ha/default.aspx>

Shatzman Steinhardt, N 2004, ‘The Tang Architectural Icon and the Politics of

Chinese Architectural History,’ The Art Bulletin, Vol. 86, No 2, pp. 228–254.

Prince Roy, October 27, 2005

Union Lane, located between Elizabeth and

Swanston Streets and extending from Bourke Street

to Little Collins Street, is set amongst the hussle

and bussle of Melbourne’s Central Business District.

Frequently visited by tourists or acting as a shortcut

amongst the maze of laneways for city workers

trying to avoid the swarm of pedestrians and trams

along Melbourne’s shopping district, Union Lane

has become the canvas for the City of Melbourne’s

Street Art Project. The development has transformed

what was once a ‘high profile location in the heart

of Melbourne’s retail hub (which) was increasingly

uninviting and heavily tagged’ (City of Melbourne

2010, Union Lane Street Art Project section). It now

serves as a street art mural spanning 550 square

meters on both sides of the lane and a constant

reminder of the commercially celebrated

subculture of Melbourne’s graffiti artists.

The Union Lane street art murals were first produced

in combination with professional street artists

mentoring young volunteers over several weeks in

late 2007 and early 2008 (City of Melbourne 2010,

Union Lane Street Art Project section). Like the

‘Moving Melbourne through Art’ campaign, the

local government and city council has provided

ongoing support for encouragement of the creative

industry and are seeking the inclusion of new works

created by contemporary, well known street artists

(City of Melbourne 2010, Union Lane Street Art

Project section).

Ranging from the vandalism of scrawled tags to the

talent of independent artists, street art is as diverse

in its aesthetics as it is in its opinions, dividing the

conservative and progressive; from pedestrians

to politicians, with Union Lane now serving as

a backdrop for many contemporary wedding

photographs, as well as tourist snaps. The heated

public discussions about the value of local examples

of graffiti echoed similar debates about the place

of live music in inner-city venues in Melbourne and

Sydney (Homan, 2003).

Recently, Melbourne’s local government has formally

recognised the cultural significance of local graffiti,

with Union lane considered a graffiti ‘tolerance zone’

by the Melbourne City council. It is a public space

that has been aesthetically redesigned to project

the quintessential culture of the new Melbourne.

The introduction of such zones have questioned

the concept of artist originality and the lack of

projected messages other than the identity formed

by rivalry, pubic relation and advertising schemes.

As Heathecoate (2000) notes, graffiti is artistically

underdeveloped, obstructing true creativity, with real

innovation criticised,

Just as the eclectic mix of architecture such as

Her Majesty’s Theatre and The Museum of Chinese

Australian History have proved of cultural heritage

and significance to the city of Melbourne, sites

such as Union Lane are forming part of the new

urban landscape. Design is a powerful tool that is

challenging and transforming the notion of public

space and the local character of neighbourhoods

for the interest of an inclusive social relations for

Melbourne. As Rice (2005) notes, the association

between graffiti and ‘the remnants of the industrial

age’, including building walls and hidden alleys were

once associated with crime. The presence of design

has become popular for tourists and visitors, and

beautifies the obscure laneways that form the urban

environment of Melbourne.

ARTEFACT 4 - UNION LANETerces Pok Fong Ping (s3262037)

REFERENCESCity of Melbourne 2010, Union Lane Street Project, viewed 12 April 2010,

<http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/ArtsandEvents/Pages/

UnionLaneStreetArtProject.aspx>.

Homan, S 2003 ‘The Mayor’s a Square: Live Music and Law and Order in Sydney’,

Context: Journal of Music Research, No. 26, Spring 2003, pp. 69-72.

Heathcote, C 2000, ‘Discovering graffiti’, Art Monthly Australia (Canberra),

September 2000, no. 133, pp. 4–8.

Rice, J 2005, ‘21st century graffiti: Detroit tagging’, 1000 Days of Theory, td005,

viewed 27 May 2010, < http://www.ctheory.net/articles.aspx?id=484>.

f2g2, February 25, 2009