Photos

Federation Square

Another photo from my trip to Melbourne last week.

PLEASE don’t tell me that the walls are crooked or I should have removed the lines overhead!!

The walls ARE ALL crooked.
The wire lines are attached to the buildings and to each other, as if to hold them upright and all together. And the tubes hanging down from the wires are lights that look like starts at night – they look quite attractive at night.

The story of Federation Square and how it became the landmark it is today involves six hard years and more than 5000 people. Behind every bit of the distinctive triangular façade, every wall, every window, there’s a story of battles, disputes and decisions, as the creative vision of the architects clashed with the demands of time and budget.

The story of Federation Square began in 1997 when an international design competition to create one of the great civic, cultural and commercial spaces on top of a railway yard which separated the city of Melbourne from it's river.

A jury unanimously selected two unknown London-based architects from 177 entries. And six months before it’s opening in October, 2002, the project was more than $200 million over budget.

Their radical design soon divided community opinion:

“It’s just dead ugly!”
“It’s an appalling waste of public money.”
“At least it’s a bit different.”

And my thoughts of Fed Square. Me, a New Zealander visiting Melbourne:
“I liked it! Strange, weird, interesting, lovely, very different. BUT certainly eye-catching! AND VERY EXPENSIVE!!”

Quoting it’s website:
“Conceived as a tribute to the first 100 years of Australian nationhood, Federation Square opened on 26 October 2002.

Standing in the heart of central Melbourne and linking the city centre with the Yarra River, Federation Square fuses art, architecture, hospitality and promenading into a distinct and striking public space. Visitors can stroll around Federation Square's expansive desert-toned plaza, which affords commanding views of Melbourne's riverside and cityscape, or enjoy food and wine at one of the 20 captivating restaurants, cafes and bars interspersed throughout the square.

Visitors can also take in a comprehensive collection of Australian art at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, or walk next door to see the state-of-the-art Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

Federation Square is also home to the Melbourne Visitor Centre - a one-stop shop for visitors to learn all there is to see and do in Melbourne and Victoria.

www.federationsquare.com.au