Melbourne’s Hidden Treasures

Sometimes, the unexpected is usually what brings the unbelievable. The Campbell Arcade – running underground between the Degraves Street and the western entrance of Flinders Street Station is one of Melbourne’s hidden treasures with the interesting public and aesthetically as a substantial example of late Art Deco design in a distinctive 1950s colour scheme. The arcade was built to ensure crossing between Flinders Street and Melbourne’s main train station was safer. The Arcade is a good example of Melbourne’s famous bohemian arcades and lanes. A sad story that although this place was located under the Flinder Station – where a thousand of people walk through everyday, they do not know the name as well as the value history of it. Therefore, following with the question “How to make people (especially young generation) know about the value of this underground artspace?”, this project explores the idea of the surface, the reflections and the relation of this place with sacredness. With the story from the 20 years hairdresser, the Melbourne’s Hidden Treasures draws an idea of how could people see this Campbell Arcade is the hidden treasures in the middle of Melbourne.

Site: The Campbell Arcade

by Phuong Nguyen