Meeting Stations

deb and i undertook a second design/art project in the new university building at the same time as Access All Levels. this was a set of Meeting Stations. 

this is what the Flinders university wrote about this project:

During their discussions with the architects the artists raised the notion of applying a similar version of their "Access All Levels" concept to the ‘meeting stations’ on levels 1-5. This would see large sections of angled mirror incorporated on each of the meeting units further inviting building occupants to engage with and explore the space as they travel through it. The result compliments the larger work of art extending interactions with the building itself.

this project happened very organically. we were visiting the architect and started talking about these meeting stations that were being designed to be placed on each floor of the university. 

 

the architects had a tall unit and a long seat unit designed. we liked them but had the idea that some unusual angles could be introduced and some of these angled panels could be mirrored, to again allow people in the building to see new views of the space.

 

so we mocked up a few ideas in some simple and rough timber forms

 

we gave these to the architect and he really liked them

 

from our simple forms he made these fancy computer drawings.

 

timber number side

 

angled mirror side view

 

top view

side view

we were consulted a couple of times, to discuss angles, and the issue of fabrication and just to generally talk about the idea. and then the architects coordinated the fabrication and install. this is not how we are used to working on projects, but in this scenario it seemed to work really well and the final objects are really beautiful. 

 

these are some photos we had taken by a professional photographer.

 

the mirror and timber units work really well together

 

the angular mirror panels allowing you to see many different parts of the building together in one view.

as you can see the entire building itself is beautiful, even the furnishing they have selected are very nice and the mirrored meeting stations sit well in this environment.

it has been unusual being so far removed from the actual making and manufacturing of the units, but i guess that is because we both have a history in craft and making with our hands

but this is more how designers usually work, and often how some aspects of public art are made.

 

the final results are working though, and we are very happy to have been a part of these 2 large art/design projects.

Access All Levels

back in july i blogged about a project deb and i were working on that involved large mirrors and looking through a new university building that was being built.

Last month we finally completed the installation and positioning of the large mirror artwork. it is called Access All Levels.

its a tricky artwork to document as it relies on mirrors and the space within the building itself. but here are the images.

above is the final view. what you are looking at is a mirror located in the main entrance on the building that you see on approaching the building. when you look into it you see the view out the top of the building back. this view is bouncing through the building and off of two other sets of mirrors. 

these are the second set of mirrors that the first small mirror reflects the view.

the above image has the back of the small mirror at the bottom of the image, the second set of mirrors at the top of the image and some people walking through the space to give you a sense of scale.

this is the third set of mirrors located in the middle of the building that bounce the view of the sky down to the second set of mirrors.

it was a big project to work on, and it took many people's efforts to make it happen. 

this is what the Flinders university wrote about the project:

"Responding to the architectural vision of Flinders at Tonsley, the artists revisit the basic principles of light, refraction and reflection through their site-specific installation Access All Levels. The work, inspired by the voids and expansive light wells that are a feature of the building, speaks directly to the architects guiding design principles – to capture connections, reveal the purpose and create a place you would rather be.

Large scale custom designed mirrors extend lines of sight, opening portals to unexpected vistas and offering viewers an uncanny experience of seeing through the building. Cleverly positioned reflective glass transports the unsuspecting from the ground floor to a view from the third floor, enabling them to look around corners and back to where they have come from."