National Museum of Australia

Geometry and Meaning at the national museum of Australia.
After reading the text and looking again at the museum I found the meanings and concepts portrayed to be really amazing in the way that it has been worked through the entire building. The quote ‘we like to think that the story of Australia is not one, but many tangled together’ rings very true throughout.

Looking at the overview of the site. the complex is composed of obvious contrast and clash of colour. The snakes stand out which I took as a reference to the beliefs of the aboriginal people (one of the more obvious messages). It is how these contrasts come together to create something exciting and monumental a true reflection on the nation it represents.

What I found surprising what just how much knowledge the architect has managed to file into this complex. The main hall’s supposed tribute to the Sydney opera house and the large brail on the walls give the architecture a depth and enhances the experience in a unique way for each person. Regardless of background knowledge, the hidden messages relate back to the original concept that Australia is a land of many stories all crossing paths to paint a portrait of a nation. And every piece of ornamentation re-enforces that.

What I will be taking from this is the way the Museum manages to connect with everyone at different levels of understanding. From obvious and strong reflections, down to the subtle jabs of criticism and jokes.

Changing environment Visual

This is a video that my group looked at last year when we looked at occupying space for projections on buildings to change the space that we see.


also a video that i found showing how sound and light can dramatically change the environment in which we occupy.

Visual Reactions to Sound

This is a conceptual object i found on http://computationalenvironments.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/movement-and-sound-transformation-in-space/

The object changes colours based on sound. the space reacts to the user through colours.

Visual Sound

This is a animation of vibrating air molecules to show visual representation of sound.

the patterns are really quite striking and look very similar to the ripples of water. in a pool perhaps?

Changing environments

Previously for the Foli design I looked at changing the environment without phyiscally moving. to create me study pods.

Now i am expanding this concept to ask how can the environment that we occupy change?

expanding this idea to look at more then physical change and rather base research around: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch. as well as looking at if our emotional perceptions change, does this mean our environment has changed?

Welcome to Theme 8. Ornamentation

ok. first entry, sweet...

im still not entirly sure what exactly i am ment to be writing about so ill start by covering the main points of the first tutorial.

After our Foli Design presentations we sat down and discussed the theme for the unit which is ornamentation.

Ornamentation is defined: enhancing the context through visual appeal as more important then the intellectual appeal or content.

I tend to agree with this statement and feel that it relates closely with marketing and advertising. The concept or function may be fantastic for those who are aware of it, but it must also be appealing and interesting for the sheltered people who have not experienced the object.

some examples shown in the the tutorial illustrated this idea of visual appeal to draw people to the place. The most memorable for me was the example of the birds nest stadium created for the Beijing Olympics (shown above).

The stadium represents a strong concept however, the external 'structure' that gives the building its appeal playes no part in the structural composition of the building. Its all for a visual effect.

Initially, it seems pointless. But when you look at the way the building can be recognised by anyone from across the globe. The way the building stands as a symbol for the modern China, would it have done the same without its 'birds nest' nickname?

For me, the idea of ornamentation is something that i can use as a way to make my designs more 'realistic'. prior to this idea, the majority of my designs either struggled to convey the concept, or way to difficult to build and construct. For me, ornamentation offers me an opportunity to tie these two together and create realistic buildings that strongly convey the concept or central idea,