CHOOSING A SITE Finding and selecting a site is a sensitive process. The lifespan of a project is highly dependent on how and where it is placed. Pondering the expected impact of the installation includes observing the space during different times of the day, documenting changes, measuring the topography, considering the neighbourhood and privacy issues. It is also useful to consider access for delivery and installation. In one of our repeated exploratory drifts through the city we found a lane that was actually a lane off of a lane, Drewey Alley. Drewery Alley is a dead end lane, situated off Little Londsdale street in a busy and diverse area of Melbourne next to the State Library, Melbourne Central shopping mall, Central train station, a large office tower, residential apartments, cinemas and RMIT University. It is a big find, a quiet blindspot amidst so many city destinations. Adjacent to the lane we find an empty building, opposite it is a car park with access to the start of the lane. The car park is the base for a 1940’s art-deco residential apartment building. At the end of the lane there is a large graffiti wall poster of a man lighting a cigar. The image invites visual interest in the lane for those passing by and introduces the site.
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