Victorian Sites
Dandenong CBD Art Makers Project: Vessels of Light
introduction / overview / images / location / /Projects
Landscape Architect: Sinatra Murphy Pty Ltd
Location: Dandenong, Melbourne (20km south of the CDB)
Overview
Dandenong CBD: 2 vessels on Walker St car park, 2 vessels in Ewart Lane, 1 vessel in Crump Lane, 2 vessels in Boyd Lane.
The scope of the project was to design and fabricate ‘art markers’ in response to the clients Brief, and install them at a number of approved locations emanating from the Drum Theatre. The concept was to develop highly visible and optically dynamic vessels with shapes inspired by Dandenong’s multicultural community. The intent was to use translucent and fluorescent acrylic to react with natural light for brilliance during the day, and to accommodate light fittings for creating different and enigmatic night effects. The final locations were specifically chosen based on aspect, elevation, visibility, certification and approval, and sometimes contrast against the ‘grunge’ context of laneways.
SPECIAL FACTORS:
The Vessels of Light were designed to be placed on walls in elevated positions. Therefore the vessel shape was designed as an object high on a wall, not one that sits on the ground but has been lifted above. As a result the vessels with stainless steel brackets are not self-supporting, and had to be assembled in the custom made lifting frames designed and fabricated for installation. Two vessels were assembled at a time and transported for installation before the next were assembled.
The primary challenge of the project was the client gaining approval for installation on walls of private properties and associated logistics of installation. The first vessels to be installed were the two on the wall of the Walker Street car park, a Council asset. This clearly exhibited the project intent for other property owners. The process of securing official approval for the installation locations put project timing behind by just under 12 months.
BUDGET:
$91,000 including contributions from Dandenong Development Board and VicUrban
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Sinatra Murphy responded to an Expression of Interest for the Dandenong CBD Art Makers Project and was awarded the project after a successful Tender, and acceptance of the Vessels of Light concept. Sinatra Murphy provided past experience in public art projects and successfully competed for this project as artists. This project is an important example of promoting landscape architects’ creative ability in making important contributions to the public art arena.
The lamination method for fabrication for this project is unique. Prior to being awarded the Art Markers Project Sinatra Murphy had been trialing and testing acrylic’s reaction to different light conditions to create numinescent qualities, identifying the lamination method as highly reactive to both natural and artificial ambient light.
Two components were important in the development of a clear and legible concept:
Light
The Brief required the inclusion of light in the Art Marker Project as a portion of the project’s budget came form the City’s lighting budget. Light has been the primary element used in the project. The devised fabrication method and acrylic specification reinforces the material’s translucence and creates an optically dynamic lamination that responds to different natural light conditions. A totally different lighting effect is achieved at night though the use of a programmed LED fitting housed in the top bracket that illuminates the vessels’ inner core. The intent is not to provide light as would a standard light fixture, but to create an inner glow within the vessel through the programmed colour change of the LED and its effect within the different acrylic colours. Reaction to day light, and introduced night lighting the medium to create interest for the pedestrian.
Form and Colour
The Brief required a response to the multicultural make up of the City’s community as the City of Greater Dandenong is one of the most multi-culturally diverse regions in Australia. The form created for the Vessels of Light was inspired by the notion of sharing cultural experience through daily life. The shape has been generated through references with cultural containers such as glass perfume bottles, creating generic but exotic containers that ‘hold the light’. The colours selected for combination in the seven vessels are dictated by the national flags of countries represented through Dandenong’s ‘waves of migration’.
The Dandenong Art Markers Project was developed in response to the City’s revitalization program. The recent development of the town hall into the Drum Theatre and identification of future projects inspired the need for ‘visual markers’ or ‘points of interest’ for people parking in the Walker Street car park and walking to the Theatre, or beyond to Palm Plaza and the Dandenong Market. The Vessels of Light provide pedestrians with visual clues as they navigate their way through Central Dandenong. The positioning of some vessels in high locations provide visibility from long distances and continuity between some sites. The vessels’ LED lighting system allows them to be animated after dark creating a unique night time experience and contributing to Dandenong’s aspiration of developing a 24 hour city.
“Like jewellery for building facades, seven dynamic Vessels of Light adorn Central Dandenong’s laneways. Inspired by the idea of trade and exotic cultural containers the Vessels of Light brilliantly display an array of colours that will inspire pedestrians during the day and night.”
(City of Greater Dandenong promotion literature)
Response to brief
As discussed above, the Vessels of Light were a total response to the project Brief.
Excerpts from the Brief (Dandenong CBD Art Markers Project, Artists and Designers Project Brief, November 2005, Cultural Development – City of Greater Dandenong):
Project Aims
Council is seeking the services of an artist with proven experience in developing public art projects in urban settings. They should bring an interest in developing a series of smaller linked or themed works, that are discovered by pedestrians. These works will occur along pedestrian routes emanating from the Drum Theatre at Dandenong Town Hall.
The project aims are to:
- provide a series of visual markers between the Drum Theatre, Dandenong Market, and Walker Street car park in Dandenong’s CBD;
- utilise a variety of mediums that will animate pedestrian spaces and contribute to a 24 hour city;
- create a series of smaller artworks that take inspiration from the local Dandenong area;
- contribute to the cultural landscape and positive images of Greater Dandenong; and
- foster a sense of identity, place and pride in the community.
Project Themes
The artworks need to consider their audience and offer a degree of accessibility to pedestrians. They should share a connection or link in some way to Dandenong either visually, thematically or conceptually. They should celebrate, describe or explore Dandenong’s unique characteristics and culture.
Social, cultural, historical, physical and natural context
The project is a direct response to the rich and diverse make up of Dandenong’s community. It is a celebration of the people who have made Dandenong their home and are contributing to its vibrant cultural texture. The brilliant and dynamically colourful vessels are signals of this, reinforced by the contrast to their contextual environments, especially the ‘grunge’ of the laneways.
Quality of implementation of built work
Phin Murphy, Sinatra Murphy Pty Ltd, project-managed all stages of fabrication and installation to ensure maximum quality from the design stage through to the finished works in place. AusPlastics fabricated and installed the vessels, CP Engineering fabricated the brackets and lifting frame, and Coemar Di Sisti provided and programmed the LED systems.
The original concept was adjusted in response to the Project Review period as determined by the Brief. After the Vessel of Light design was signed off by the client, documentation was prepared for the fabrication of a 1/3 scale maquette. The maquette was used to check form, fabrication method, optical qualities, and test the LED lighting affect. Documentation was then completed for the full-scale work. Detailed measurements and colour specification were provided for all 243 acrylic discs that make up the laminations to ensure the integrity of the finished shape for the seven vessels. The same rigor was carried out for the development of the stainless steel brackets.
All components of the vessel were certified, as was the custom made lifting frame used to install the works, and each individual location.
Sustainable policies or practices
The Vessels of Light are fabricated from 100% recyclable material.
The lighting system consists of low energy LED lighting technology, which was ‘state-of-the art’ at the time of testing and specification:
“Power consumption “Nominal Current 0.2 Amp at 240 volts”, which is 0.2 Amps constant under normal operating conditions for 36x1 watt LEDS (which you are only running 6 LEDS per vessel).
There is no information on the current draw of 6 LEDS, however at an educated guess 6 LEDS and control gear would draw less than 0.1 of an Amp.”
(Representative from Coemar Di Sisti Australia)
Environment Principles
The project does not use specific landscape materials. The acrylic is produced as a by-product from oil production. The project is identified as temporary with a 5 year installation time frame. When the vessels are decommissioned, the acrylic is 100% recyclable – used in the production of acrylic paint. The stainless steel brackets are also 100% recyclable. The LED light systems are reusable.
The project Brief required the inclusion of night lighting. Sinatra Murphy explored options for minimal power consumption and fitting within housing of the top bracket. (Power consumption discussed above.) Solar options were also investigated, but proved too expensive considering the project’s temporary nature, difficult of providing infrastructure at the locations and the dispersed nature of the locations.
Relevance to the profession of landscape architecture, the public and the education of future practitioners:
As discussed above this project successfully promotes landscape architects as competent and important contributors to the public art arena. It demonstrates the profession’s creative ability in non-mainstream landscape related projects.
Sinatra Murphy draws on over a decade of diverse landscape experiences for unique approaches in all projects. The studio’s primary focus is to advance the art of landscape through innovative and exciting approaches in public and private art and landscape design. This has lead to a creative framework for all public art submissions that centres on producing dynamic work. Where appropriate the philosophical intent of projects celebrates the culture of people and the spirit of nature.
The approach for the Dandenong CBD Art Markers Project was consistent with this framework. It continues Sinatra Murphy’s exploration of light as an expression of nature using highly processed materials.
The role and influence of the landscape architect
This project was not a formal multi-disciplinary collaboration. However, as outlined in ‘Collaborators’ published in Landscape Architecture Australia (112 November 2006) Sinatra Murphy recognises the critical role of all who are involved in making sure that projects become reality. Sinatra Murphy values the client for their initial vision and establishing the project framework, and the expertise that specialist fabricators bring to project resolution.
introduction / overview / images / location / /Projects
2008
