Yesterday the two groups presented, the first about Google maps and the second about apps relating to RMIT (RMIT lost on campus, digital signage at RMIT, safe zone app etc.).

It was great to see all the research that had gone into the other groups and they only got to show probably only a quarter of their research from the last couple of weeks. Our class will use this research to create our final project at the end of the semester.

Some ideas that popped up:

From the Google game, Ingress, that used certain places around Melbourne as “portals”. Rachel brought up a great idea about using our researched buildings as portals and then when they take a picture of it or use some sort of QR code perhaps it could link them to what it used to look like –> history of the building. Or even one of our pieces that we work on like a short film.

The interactive digital signage could be turned into an interactive map to showcase our work for a day –> this would need some advertising involved as well –> it could be like a guide or kind of treasure hunt where you have to go to all the destinations, while learning about the building along the way –> then picking up clues/facts that link to an app/game

We could just create a game using google maps to showcase our work –> you can be a character in the game and you have to get past certain levels – Storey Hall could be the first few levels and then the Magistrate Court being another few levels and then building 15, 20 and the fig tree area could be incorporated if people are still researching them

These are only a few – our group researching about Way finding is still to present which could add the conversation about certain medians we could use or mix together.

One of the phrases that got my attention in this week’s reading was the idea/discipline of “acoustic design”. According to Murray Schafer acoustic design “should function alongside any form of urban development and architectural work.” Mainly because the design of the built environment has “radical implications for the acoustic environment: population density, noise pollution, the erasure of ‘sound marks’*.”

It is quite amazing how a lot of the time sound or acoustics of a room isn’t taken into account. Especially one of the 5 senses that allow us to ‘be’ in the environment and experience the space.

I remember last year hearing about one of the new rooms in building 80, the cinema, was built with acoustics in mind. Since it is mainly used as a cinema screening room the acoustics of the room were taken into account and the lecturer should be able to stand at the front and not need a microphone.

* Sound marks refer to “a community sound which is unique or possesses qualities which make it specially regarded or noticed by the people of that community.”

In class on Monday we were given about 45 minutes to go to our chosen building to record the soundscape and the space’s own unique sounds. Firstly, building 20 is a very quiet building. The fact that about 10 of us went to the same building probably made up for most the sound in there. The rest was the occasional staff member talking in their office, the sound of shoe heels on the concrete stairs or when someone opened a door which let in a gush of street noise.

Since the building is so quiet there wasn’t a lot of varying sounds to record. If you listened to the sound recording you wouldn’t be able to identify that it was building 20. Perhaps the quietness is part of its unique soundscape. That the space is filled with silence and the liveliness only comes when you bring forward the past like tours of the building, the architecture and more visual aspects. Although, the stairwells create a lot of echo which is unique to the building.

In the reading that we were given ‘Background Noise: perspectives on sound art” by Brandon LaBelle the author distinguishes between a “site” and a “non-site”. In my previous post I did call building 20 a museum and in that sense is a non site because of the reflection nature of a past place. Is Building 20 a “non-site” to house the “site” of the former magistrate court? I think because of the dual functionality of the building it acts as both depending on the subject.

Architecture has become more interesting to me in the last couple of months, this is one I stumbled across today.

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/blogs/daily/2015/03/barcelona-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau-restoration

The inside ceiling of the Grand Entrance *

I have chosen a building in the judicial precinct, which is Building 20 at the corner of Russell St and La Trobe St. It was formerly the Magistrate court in Melbourne and before that the Supreme Court. I’m going to describe the history of the building more to you later because I only want you to know the extent of my previous knowledge when viewing the building.

The first time I visited the building we went through Building 1 to get through to it. It’s quite a seamless entrance and I didn’t actually realise until the second time around when I officially entered building 20. I was with my class and our teacher; Rachel was able to give us a tour and some history behind the building. Previously I wasn’t sure what Building 20 was used for or even if the main entrance at the corner was in action. Staff offices now occupied the old courts for quite high-level members of the university like Vice Chancellors.

The link between Building 1 to Building 20 – the outline of the previous tall door frame outline is still present

The shell of the interior architecture was still in tact. It was quite a unique staircase because there were no pillars holding it up but it was a heavy concrete material. It looked like a floating staircase. There was another contrast between the heavy chipped material and the polished and clear cut glass doors that have been put into place. I think it has been a theme with older historic building to have glass doors inside because it doesn’t draw away as much from the building’s rich architecture.

The Floating Staircase

One of the most interesting parts of the building was the tension between the historic building and the present modern functional usage of it. All the modern features were practical like the RMIT room signs, key card scanners and large recycle bins. One of the courtrooms connected to a kitchen. The old fireplace had been closed off and was now a fully functional addition to a room that was most likely previously a judge’s chamber. The building still has its shell on but the inside has been filled with a completely different purpose. It is part museum, part office; without either purpose being fully fulfilled. On top of that there is another level of tension between a public space of the past and a private space for the University. The hallow halls still feel like it is ‘haunted’ by the past. It felt like the staff didn’t really ‘live’ in the space, in order to maintain the past I felt like they couldn’t really make it their own place.

Definite signs of renovation

The Judge’s View

The building has an otherworldly feeling and one that is separate from the rest of the University. The windows are all stained so light doesn’t come through easily. The solid brick walls block out the sound of the city streets and when you pull open the wooden side doors a gush of sound hits you, which definitely is a reality check. It is really quiet in the building, especially because the only people who use it are generally in their offices.

Somethings missing – there are gaps from the past

In the basement, there are these large arched white doors that I decided to open (maybe wasn’t meant to). Upon glimpsing inside I suddenly felt frightened. There was definitely a strange atmosphere to the room. It was a dark, narrow, long corridor like room. It was very reminiscent of a secret tunnel or passageway. The ceiling I think had wooden panels and stabilizers. It would be interesting to find out what it was originally used for. The doors were quite grand. White, arched, detailed doors but the current usage was for storage. What looked like old cupboards, some chairs and signs occupied the room. Upon reflecting on it, I think it was interesting how a space could bring about such emotion by just the atmosphere it creates. Even without prior knowledge of it I had a feeling of unease. I think it definitely was connected to the stereotype of dark, narrow tunnel like rooms.

Originally there were three main court routes to separate the public, magistrates and the accused

Named the “Bull Ring” where witnesses and defendants would sometimes wait before trial – a place of tension

Apart from that situation I found the whole building quite fascinating to walk through. Especially because I wasn’t just roaming around but I was looking out and trying to notice particular features. It was recording my thoughts on certain areas of the space and how I was feeling. This relates to the John Mason reading because I had a purpose of trying to look out for special features of the building, thus becoming intentional noticing. It was a balance trying to be in the moment and take in all that I was noticing while also trying to record everything down. As I focus on jotting down a certain point I start losing all the other observations I had because it wasn’t marked.

Why are there hooks in a court room?

Second day exploring ended with restricted access to areas

Brief Timeline of the Building

1842-3 Two storey brick building was built as the Supreme Court of Victoria

1853 A wooden extension added to facilitate the increase in cases because of the gold rush

1855 Thirteen prisoners from the Eureka Stockade rebellion were trialled for high treason – acquitted

1880 Ned Kelly tried and convicted of murder

Ned Kelly on Trial in the dock 1880

1884 The Supreme Court Moved – was now the Court of Petty Sessions

The Court of Petty Sessions 1900

1910 Building was demolished

1911 – 1913 The current court was being built and finished – designed by George B.H. Austin of the Public Works Department

1913 – 19 Million old Fossil found

1924 Gangster Leslie ‘Squizzy’ Taylor was tried for negligent driving that caused the death of a pedestrian

Police Entrance 1928

1970 Renamed the Magistrates’ Court

1997 Purchased by RMIT University

2002 Refurbished by Peter Elliott – former RMIT graduate

– Building 1 and 20 linked together to become RMIT’s Corporate Headquarters

* References

Pictures

The inside ceiling of the grand entrance – Peter Elliott 2002 http://architecture.rmit.edu.au/About/Building_20.php

1900, Court Houses, the old Supreme Court, State Library Collection, Melbourne. 

Harvey, John Henry 1928, Police Court entrance, State Library Collection, Melbourne.

David Syme and Co. November 6 1880, THE KELLY TRIAL – THE SCENE IN COURT, State Library Collection, Melbourne. 

Books

Magistrate Cases 2015, The Magistrates’ Court Melbourne – An historical outline, Magistrates Cases, viewed 10 March 2015, <http://www.magistratescases.com.au/Legal%20History%20Articles/BriefHistoryoftheCityCourt,Melbourne.pdf>

Edquist, Harriet & Grierson, Elizabeth 2008, A skilled hand and cultivated mind – A guide to the architecture and art of RMIT University, RMIT University Press, Melbourne.

Back to the interesting lines before the introduction, just like in my last post where Tim Cresswell dedicates the book to Yi-Fu Tuan in the introduction page John Mason writes “I cannot change others; I can work at changing myself”. I thought this was definitely an interesting inclusion and only reading the first chapter I will not have the full picture but it seems that there is an emphasis on professional development in the Noticing chapter. By noticing our actions and being more sensitive to our surrounding is a way to help shape change in perception and behaviour. Is this what he is referring to? He hasn’t directly addresses the phrase yet in the book.

Anyways to the reading.

Mason describes three levels of noticing – there is ordinary noticing or perceiving, marking and recording. Ordinary noticing is when you can only remember the information through cues by other people such as them mentioning it, allowing that to trigger the memory. Marking is when you not only notice but you are able to initiate mention of what you have noticed to someone later. You are able to start a conversation with someone about the cat you saw perched on top of a man’s shoulders at school. (That is a real story that someone told me once or remarked). And finally recording is when you make a brief but vivid note of something that you noticed and it allows you to access it at a later time.

I like how he ended the chapter with the phrase “The essence of noticing is being awake to situations, being mindful rather than mindless.”

This is the main text for my Media 3 studio this year Ghosts and Space – Mediating Place. The book is written by Tim Cresswell. Interestingly before even beginning the first chapter the dedication “For Yi-Fu Tuan” already interested me. After a little research, I found out he was a humanistic geographer. Firstly, what even is a humanistic geographer or geography and since when did that exist?

The definition?

Humanistic Geography studies how humans interact with space and their physical and social environments. Most importantly though, humanistic geography stresses people’s perceptions, creativity, personal beliefs, and experiences in developing attitudes on their environments

Yi-Fu Tuan also has famously defined PLACE and SPACE in a new way.

• PLACE is defined as a particular part of space that can be occupied, unoccupied, real, or perceived (as is the case with mental maps).
• SPACE is defined as that which is occupied by an object’s volume.

Tim Cresswell sums it up in Yi-Fu Tuan’s definition as space to movement and place to pause – stops along the way.

As I have only read the first chapter introducing us to the definition of place which is debated across many disciplines. A brief mention of the term ‘placelessness’ also caught my attention, which is talked about more in chapter 3. It argues that because of our increasingly mobile world and globalisation we also lose a sense of place. This is will be interesting to explore as the course progresses.

It was exciting going on an excursion the first week. We learned about how to research to find resources. It was definitely something I didn’t think was necessary before coming to the state library but definitely in higher learner like honours or PHD’s it might be more essential. As of yet, I don’t know what exactly what my piece will be however I am narrowing down on building 20 or maybe even the fig tree could be interesting as well. However, if I chose to go down the researching path I think the session would be very useful.