Carriageworks

reminisce

tender

Labour

Nestle

Gascoigne

Grid

Assemble

Earthy

Moffat

Labour

Reminisce

Humorous

Hall

Debris
Nestle

Tender

Built on a strip of land running between a lagoon and the open ocean, and surrounded by lush vegetation, the Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre in New Caledonia is visually stunning yet sits harmoniously within the surrounding landscape. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the centre is devoted to the local Kanak culture and named after a leading figure in a New Caledonian independence movement that contested French rule. Its highly photogenic façade features ten cases - curved rib-like structures inspired by traditional Kanak villages, with each featuring vertically set beams of laminated iroko timber. I like the way a synthesis is achieved between the vernacular architecture and culture of the region whilst creating a highly modern structure. In addition, I like its interaction with its surroundings, aesthetically and conceptually, and also, for example, through the way it utilises the prevailing sea breezes to provide natural ventilation. Add to this the political implications of such a building at this site and I'd say you have a pretty interesting piece of architecture.

This is a simple little sketch I made of a fella who was having lunch with his missus at a café in Sydney. Seeing as though our class will be required to do a lot of ‘Moleskin sketches’ (and in the absence of a high school art portfolio) this was the first thing I thought of. It is observational, not technically perfect, but still it conveys (to me) something about the scene that day, or perhaps offers a glimpse of the character in question.

I would inagine that for most people this location (set within a national park in East Java, Indonesia) is beautiful for its combined natural features; the jungle, the sparkling ocean, and the abundant wildlife. (And the serenity!) But for surfers the waves that peel across the reef into the bay are the main attraction. The way the swells refract at the edge of the point and funnel down the reef is, to me, beautiful. The waves are almost like fleeting architectural structures. Brilliantly designed.