I visited Building 20, the former Magistrates Court, in the morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon/ evening. Initially I struggled to find the entrance, as most of the doors were no longer in use. For this reason, the building was very quiet. Although there were old doors littered around the building, nobody was using them, thus, most of the halls and old entrance ways were peaceful. Immediately I felt a sense of stillness. Because of this, the building was a comfortable space. A space one would feel at ease wandering around in their own time, taking it in slowly, as I did. There were a few people working inside, but nothing felt rushed. The commotion just outside for the university’s club sign up day was not at all audible. The thick stone walls no doubt insulating the space from the noise.

Some areas, such as the old courtrooms and the old entrance on the corner of Russell and Latrobe street were awe inspiring. The architecture was stylised and ornate, seemingly unchanged from when the court was first built one hundred years ago. I felt a sense of wonderment and grandeur.

Some areas, however, were uncomfortable. I didn’t see any other students in the building, but I did find a number of staff working in their offices with their doors open. The quietness of the space made me uncomfortable here, as I felt as though I wasn’t supposed to be there; that perhaps I was disturbing some important work being done. The building feels grand and important, and as I encountered people I kept thinking they were going to ask me to leave, I felt like an imposing tourist. Many people did ask me whether I was lost, so in that sense, the building was a little uncomfortable because it is so closed off to the public, in both design and use.

During the evening the space wasn’t creepy or scary, but it felt distinctly different than it did during the day. The whole building has large windows in all of the rooms, so in the early afternoon the area was bathed in light and warmth. Once it was later in the day, many people had gone home and the sky was darker, but the character of the building was still inviting. The stillness of the atmosphere was accentuated at this time, and the space felt much lonelier.

The most interesting parts of the building were the remnants of its history. The exterior was intriguing for this reason because it seemed largely unchanged and unrenovated since the building was opened. The architecture was certainly not modern, and along the driveway beside the building, there were large cracks and rusted over metal features. This is what made the area charming. It was overtly aged, but not decrepit. There was a sense of history, but the architecture was still beautiful and impressive.

Some areas inside were also captivating, such as the extraordinary dome in the old entrance way. These features were echoed throughout the entire building, with unique plaster trims decorating around the archways of the doors. This entrance area was full of stylised buttresses and archways. The plaster also contrasted with the wooden ceilings, which were also found in the courtrooms. These architectural features are rarely seen today in modern buildings, so it was fascinating to see them on such a grand scale.

Another interesting part of the space was in the courtroom. Large paintings of important figures were positioned around the room. I would be interested to explore these specific people more, as this is another insight into the spaces use in history.

It was immediately obvious the elements of technology that had been introduced in the building over time. The bright green exit signs above almost every doorway contrasted heavily with the classic features of the architecture. As I was exploring the courtroom, a staff member was setting up a projector screen with a slideshow on the wall. The projection seemed out of place on the old wall, and I found it interesting to see how the space was being used today. As well as being a heritage site, these old rooms are still being used and new elements are being brought into the space to suit the needs of its new users.

The space has a long, important history as a part of Melbourne. Initially being the location of the supreme court, and then afterwards, the magistrates court was built and opened in the space in 1914. Since then, the building has been made a part of RMIT and the judicial precinct that surrounded it has dispersed.

More about the area’s history:

Dalton, Simon. The Old Melbourne City Watch House: Fast-forward to the Past [online]. Agora, Vol. 43, No. 4, 2008: 60-62. <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=490096764027465;res=IELAPA>  ISSN: 0044-6726.

Reynolds, Sue. The old Supreme Court of Victoria buildings: everything old is new again. [online]. Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 81, No. 2, Nov 2010: 233-249. <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=201211775;res=IELAPA> ISSN: 1030-7710.

(For images, refer to Google Doc for copyright reasons: https://drive.google.com/a/rmit.edu.au/folderview?id=0ByoK-Gqhdx9EMHRQSUh2Vm9fVE0&usp=sharing)

“Opening of the City Court, Melbourne, on 20th January, 1914.”

<http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=MAIN&reset_config=true&docId=SLV_VOYAGER2504554>

“[Melbourne Magistrates Court and Russell Street Police Headquarters from La Trobe Street] [picture”

<http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=MAIN&reset_config=true&docId=SLV_VOYAGER1785115>

“Old Supreme Court c/r of La Trobe and Russell Sts. built in 1842 on the present site of the City Court, Melbourne[picture] ”

<http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=MAIN&reset_config=true&docId=SLV_VOYAGER1801839>

Since walking around building 20, I’ve started trying to generate ideas of what could be created. One idea is quite complex, but its a virtual tour of the building/ area, on an app, that teaches you the history of the building while you are there. As you walk through the spaces, you can see the spaces on the app as well, but as they were 100 years ago in the magistrates court. Full of important people and criminals, with information available on each. There would also be information about the architecture available as you go through the app/ space. Of course this app could probably be explored from the comfort of your own home, but to go on a virtual tour while you are really there would be a fun experience. Like having a tour guide app but you can select the people and areas you want to learn about.

It is a complex idea, and probably not doable, but its just something to put in the think tank. The idea got me more excited and interested in the possibilities of what could be created, so I think it is worth noting down. Perhaps as a jumping off point.

The Cresswell reading, ‘Defining Place,’ explored space and how people use it. Cresswell talks about how we can define space, and I thought the example about ownership of space was interesting. A place may seem to belong to a person because they have their belongings there, so to make the space yours, you replace it with your belongings. I began thinking about how spaces change through renovation or refurbishing, such as the renovated historical buildings i encountered on Thursday. The building and place are the same, but the space is defined completely differently based on how it is used.

Cresswell writes that mere spaces have been made into ‘places’ because people have made them meaningful. A place is defined by people, and users. And this definition can change over time depending on the needs and behaviors of its users.

On the 6th of March we took a trip across Latrobe street to the State Library of Victoria. I was already somewhat familiar with it, as I enjoy going there for the study space, but I rarely take advantage of the resources that are there. Despite having had a library card since 2012, I had never once used the database.

It was good to learn what is available at the library and how to access it, because it is probably the richest source of Victoria specific information you can find. I already had a look through the database for information on building 20, and found a range of images from the site over time, dating back 150 years. Strangely enough though, I found it difficult to find written sources on how the site was originally used. Perhaps I would need to go there in person to really get a good idea on what they have on the topic, but I spent 2 hours going through the database searching and didn’t turn up anything promising. Conversely, I spent 5 minutes on the RMIT library database and found two really great sources that are very specific to what I needed. Perhaps I am just more accustomed to that database and I know how to use it. But in the future, I would like to use the state library resources more to enhance my research.

I found the John Mason reading, ‘The Discipline of Noticing,’ enlightening. Immanuel Kant’s explanation of why noticing is important to have a full experience was particularly interesting. Noticing effectively takes effort, it requires you to go a step beyond just experiencing something on the surface. You must actively and thoughtfully absorb it and reflect to experience it fully. We may notice some things, but without proper reflection, these things are forgotten.

Some are conditioned to notice certain things; such as a mother noticing the habits of other children. It takes specific effort, habit and experience to notice some things naturally or subconsciously.

The reading also touches on the practice of ‘marking’ something that you notice. Making a mental note to remember it, rather than just noticing it. And then one can go a step further and record what they have marked.

I particularly like the closing line; “The essence of noticing is being awake to situations, being mindful rather than mindless.” When relating this to spaces, you will not experience a space simply by being in it. To really understand it you must actively look and ponder things about it. You must take your time there; looking, marking and recording the space.

On Thursday morning and again in the afternoon I visited the old Justice Precinct of RMIT. It was somewhat difficult to navigate some of it, and a couple of the buildings such as 15 and 21 had clearly been renovated over time. But I found a classic charm with Building 20, the old Magistrates’ Court. It still had many of its original features still in tact. I was surprised to find so many interesting angles and perspectives within the building. I had seen a couple of photos of the interior online, but it wasn’t until I was wandering around inside that I realised the importance of looking up in this building. Ornate door-frames, plaster formations, and intricate buttresses. Particularly in the large, circular room at the old entrance.

In my exploration of the other buildings, however, I found the interiors to be less historically in tact. From what I saw, they had been recently renovated with decor no older than the 80’s or 90’s. For this reason, unless something in a particular building’s history draws me in, I am gravitating toward building 20, on its aesthetic qualities alone. Through visiting the space, I found a more accurate representation of the unique qualities of the building that I hadn’t found in my initial online search.

I hope to return to the area on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, during the evening to gain another perspective of the space.