Melbourne Unfolds [Film]

Based on the book [ours] Hyperlocalization of Architecture the short film [Melbourne Unfolds] is broken into two parts, each exploring the texture of Melbourne’s built environment. When I first arrived in Melbourne for research in 2013 I was taken aback at how the laneway culture imaginatively activated what is typically an ignored part of city infrastructure. When I visited again in 2016 I wanted to document that quality of discovery that I felt on my first visit.
Part one- ‘Laneways’ is about experiencing the kaleidoscope of activities, people, spaces, and art one would witnesses on a brisk walk through the city’s core. The laneway phenomena is articulated with a sense of unearthing spontaneous spaces. The quirky hole-in-the-wall businesses dotted between old brick buildings and skyscrapers provide a much needed human scale to the city.
Part two- ‘Architecture’ is inspired by the book’s chapter on contemporary Australian design which utilizes a kinetic or unfolding gesture. These vivid building forms, unique to Melbourne’s contemporary architecture, show a design culture mastering the synthesis of sustainability and aesthetic needs. The colors, forms, and variety speak to a desire for a progressive innovation in creating a contemporary city.