Professor Martyn Hook spoke to us in class. The points I found most interesting were about the development of space in cities, particularly in regards to Melbourne. My notes from the talk are below:

• Genius loci – sense of place
• Space vs Place
• Space: has its own characteristics, the space also causes people to behave in a particular way. Eg a classroom is professional, quiet etc. has dimension, material, and intent
• These things are determined by ‘programming.’ To make a space into a place, it should be programmed. Place isn’t inherent to the space. Activities within the space, is what we understand as things that are inherent as the place. Place happens when the inhabitation and the program responds to the place. The activation of a space makes it a place.
• All that you can do in a space is determined by the space itself.
• Architecture is difficult to alter, technology isn’t as expensive and time consuming.

• Legibility- semiotics
• How do we communicate these things to people? Eg, you put a park bench there and someone can sit on it. But how do you communicate for people not to sleep on it.
• Look at the buildings as a part of the city, not as a part of the campus or of rmit.

• The city- 1:1000 things that are part of the city, roads, tram network etc. 1:1 things yu can touch, chairs etc
• The city was largely determined as the person who decided where to put the grid cbd saw where the indigenous Australians used the land and had their hub.
• The city is an unfinished project, it is never finished. Cities are designed, towns aren’t. in places where towns and cities merged it is interesting to see the boundaries of how the cities and towns have merged.
• In Australia, ~94% of people live in the cities. ‘city limits’ book about Melbourne and the Australian city
• Civic, civitas, democracy
• 100000 people in fed square Iraq war protest. Melbourne is the only Melbourne city that has that public space where people can gather in such an effective way.
• Laneway culture- myers place, began 1994. Began by loosening up the licenses for liquor service, as well as the requirement for public restrooms in various establishments.
• The rmit campus was mimicking the design and the feel of the city. Opened up, laneways etc. networks. Streets. Made with the same 1:1, miniature Melbourne.
• Once the 1:1000 is established, the network, to create the space, you need to work on 1:1, what is the floor going to be made of, what is the design going to be? Things that you touch become an immediate part of how the city operates, materials, flower boxes, designs etc.
• The behaviour that is inherent to the space of the city is then mimicked in the campus.

• Building 20
• Is a functional space, but is also heritage. It is beautiful to begin with but not entirely functional now.
• The story of building 20 and its history is still being added to. It is still being used.