Heart of Hamilton
“We must not forget that the city is not only made… from its reality, but also from its memory.” Álvaro Siza
The project is an establishment for the Heart of Hamilton, inclusive with redevelopment of an existing gallery institution into a civic-cultural complex. The existing gallery is unable to remain relevant. A heart is missing from the town’s fabric. To give a heart for a town is to first understand its identity. The project aims to establish an intervention that consolidates the sheer amount of agendas concerning the proposal This includes considerations of civic, art and culture, education, and community. Australia Felix, pastureland, memory. The main operation is to peel off the concrete ground, revealing its hidden layer, remaking of a pastureland, celebrating the town’s memory. The site is opened up, transparency is emphasized. The architecture forms axes, opening subsequent spaces. Tectonics and the garden. A humble shed archetype is adopted, inspired by its context and its memory. Architecture of tectonics, moments, and materiality. A verandah for the town, weaved into its fabric. A dialogue between interior spaces and the garden.
A new landmark restrained from dominating. Calm, mindful, yet communal. Programs, atmosphere, and transparency of site are constructed. What kind of architecture is truly appropriate for the Heart of Hamilton?
Andrew Kurniawan (917857) Tutor: Dayne Trower + Simona Falvo studio 32, Melbourne School of Design, sem 1, 2021