preliminary ideas ... Simone
Hi everyone, I've prepared some sketches and ideas....
They are very preliminary at this stage and I'm generating more...
but here's a few samples....I'd love to read some discussion regarding them ;-)
Simone
Lighting Intervention - Trees and Grills
Idea of up-lighting trees and artistic intervention in grills to protect lights and treat the tree as a sculptural object – as well as incorporate artwork that can be re-located in the future... a simple yet effective way of reinvigorating the space – for those journeying through it and those driving past…
Seating Elements - Integrated Surprise and Delight Sculpture
Seating throughout site …meeting places to pause and reflect… current drawing opposite the proposed ‘amphitheatre’ ….artwork integrated into these seating elements either sandblasted imagery/text
or relief carvings ...geometric concrete blocks could be rendered to become more organic and sculptural….
Underpass Intervention - Text / Sculptural Imagery / Backlit Work
Creating a work for motorists entering the site location …. To reveal that something exists nearby…work that is not able to be vandalized…laser cut text OR sculptural artwork…bolted to the wall….
negative space of steel cut outs illuminated by light (secured at the top point and beneath the artwork)….a way to illuminate the space beneath the underpass.
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Comments
Hey Guys,
I really love the idea Simone has put forth!
I believe the heavy emphasis on lighting is a great proposal, for a few reasons. It would make the place more safer and less daunting to walk through at night, and also make the trees/shrubs look so much more attractive and enjoyable. It is also a very practical solution that allows for the trees to be kept without them being an inconvenience.
I also think having the Sandstone blocks as seating is another essential part of the project. This is because anyone won't think to stop in the park to say . . . enjoy a coffee, unless there is adequate seating present. The idea of having simple cube/blocks is also great design prospect as it is simplistic and contrasts with the surrounding objects and elements. Also the concept of having actual Sandstone blocks is ideal. This because it suites Brisbane's unique heritage listed buildings E.G. The Conrad Treasury.
Perhaps we can add some off Sebastian Moody's thought - provoking text cut in to the grates that protect the lights.
Hope that helps ^_^
Matt
Hi Matt,
I was so glad to hear your comments. The trees as I have said are a valuable sculptural element to the park in themselves and lighting them would both enhance the space visually as well as provide safety at night for those journeying through and driving past the space. I am trying to treat the site as a whole and this is one way to achieve a dramatic and cost effective intervention (if existing power can be piggy backed on). That way more money can be directed into actual sculptural artworks which are complemented by the lit trees. I'm hoping this is possible but actualities will determine this. I would love for this site to become a focal point and ' glowing jewel' which reflects and puts the uniqueness of Fortitude Valley on the global map...
I am driven by the concept of the site being 'un-seen'. And that as a former and (almost) forgotten plot of land it has historical social and environmental histories that warrant being 're- seen', pondered and experienced by present users of the space. Some of the stories I have found in my research of this area are amazing. The Kemp Place Park area of Fortitude used to be called Rosella Swamp and was formally at the end slope of a hill (which was cut away to create the road between the park and All Hallows). There are many flora and fauna species that were once present - and now are not... Might artworks reference aspects of this as well as provoke people in thinking what might be possible in the future???
You're right about the seating and I love the idea of sandstone being reflective of Brisbane heritage buildings.
The ideal situation would be locating and utilising the actual Brisbane 'Tuff' - a local stone which was used to construct many buildings in Brisbane including the All Hallows wall. However if blocks of Tuff cannot be located sandstone does come in many colours that may allude to this... Sandstone is also soft enough to incorporate carved sculptural imagery or text...
So there is still lots more to explore and find out logistically in terms of achievablity of the concepts. Any other feedback or ideas will help drive the art work that might be achieved...
Simone
Hi Simone
I saw your comments in the 'Les in New York' blog, but thought I would respond here as it relates more directly to your preliminary concepts.
Lighting of the trees, particularly the large poiciana would make a great contribution to the park and create a different perception of it at night. It probably won't be possible to obtain power from the street lighting system though, as this is 'rated' in a different way regarding how electricity is charged by Energex. We would need a separate point of supply and what is termed a rate 3 lighting system/circuit. There doesn't seem to be this set-up in the park currently, even though the tunnel is lit and there is the very large pole lighting on the western side of the park. This must be all run under the transport infrastructure lighting system. It sounds like a mere technicality, and it is, but amenity lighting in the park will require quite a bit of work - and expense - before any light is even able to be installed in the park. When the park is developed inthe future as part of other major works in the area, it will become much easier and more efficient to install such elements.
Having said that, we will ask Gen if BCC have any an appropriately rated point of supply somewhere in the park that is not visible to us - it's usually a green box somewhere near a kerb. The only point of supply I can see is associated with the large pole light - which would be rated as street lighting.
Your other ideas regarding elements to surprise and delight and the potential of the underpass to the south-east that conceals the park from motorists are both very powerful approaches to the brief and, in my mind, have the greatest potential for artistic intervention - the former to start to change people's perception that the site is a park and not road reserve and engage the pedestrian users of the park - the latter to convey that the park exists or act as a bold marker to its entrance from the east.
That's designer thinking! As an artist you may have deeper resonances regarding your ideas to convey.
So what do others think? That means you students out there!
I really like the way Simone has used the trees in the park as a focus in her initial proposal. The great shapes and patterns of the original trees came through as a strong feature in the preliminary discussions, so this is a good way of enhancing an existing feature. The new plantings and the circular grates would help punctuate the space, and up-lighting would also help establish the park’s presence in the precinct at night. Looking forward to seeing more.
Les
(as copied and pasted by Peter from an email from Les)
Thanks Simone for kicking things off.
Additional images associated with the artist blogs will reside in the GALLERIES section of the site.
For more of Simone's preliminary concept images, refer to the GALLERY: simone preliminary ideas 21 april
Thanks
Peter