University of Sydney Design Studio Workshop A
August 1st - 12th 2006

DEBRIEF #03 [as of 27th July 2006]

[This is the most recent information for the studios. As more information is confirmed we will update this page and email participants.]

STUDIOS

Design Studio Workshop A will be run as three studios lead by international guest architects:

• Responsive Environment : Satoru Yamashiro + Jin Hidaka [Japan]
• IS.Ar : Lisa Iwamoto + Craig Scott [USA]
• JRA : Jaime Rouillon [Costa Rica]

As the guest lineup has changed in the recent weeks, participants will be given the opportunity to select which studio they will join after viewing an introduction by each guest on the first day of the workshop (Aug 1). We realise some participants may have selected a studio already but we will ask everyone to re-select (1st, 2nd and 3rd preferences), so that we can arrange an even number of participants in the groups. This will allow participants to receive as much tuition from the guests as possible. In the case that there are an excess of first preferences allocated to a group, a random process will be used to assign second and third preferences.

SITE

The site for the studios is Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour. This site has been chosen for its highly topical status at present and its potential for the future.

In 2001, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust was set up by the Australian Government to plan the future of 8 Defence and Commonwealth sites around Sydney Harbour, most of which had been hidden away from the community for many years.

The Harbour Trust's vision is to create a lasting cultural and physical legacy for Sydney on these sites. Cockatoo Island is one of these unique opportunities - a site both physically and historically iconic, inviting responses to its unique qualities and generating investigations into strategies to reinhabit the island in a manner that is both vital and sustainable.

THEME

The workshop has been organised under the overarching theme of "Urban Islands - generating tactics of cultural engagement". This theme recognises the importance of 'urban islands' such as Cockatoo Island, as potential sites for generating cultural activity in the city:

"Shifting economies leave post industrial cities with iconic and dormant sites that are both physically and culturally vacant. These urban islands present new challenges and opportunities for the cities they inhabit. Cross disciplinary creativity, experimental tactics and broad based participation are needed to inject these places with renewed life. The Urban Islands Project seeks strategies of engagement that respond to the unique qualities of each site whilst imbuing them with the ideas and desires of the city."

BRIEF

Considering the potential of Cockatoo Island, studios will aim to develop tactics or strategies for innovative, cultural programs to inhabit the Island. Studio leaders will present the specific brief to participants on August 1. As a central theme across the studios, all proposals should address 'a space for 100 people'. While the format of the final submission will vary according to each studio, it is a requirement that the works/proposals are in some way a spatial and material response to the site and its conditions.

[ADDITIONS WILL BE MADE TO THE OVERALL BRIEF IN THE COMING DAYS]

PREPARATION

Participants are required to find out as much as possible about the history and current condition of the Cockatoo Island site before the workshop. The Harbour Trust web page is a good start: http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/topics/sitescockatoo.html

Required Reading List:
These texts have kindly been made available by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.

Reflections on a Maritime City
An Appreciation of the Trust Lands on Sydney Harbour
The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

Sites Unseen
Exploring the Future of Trust Lands on Sydney Harbour
The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

[WE WILL BE UPLOADING FURTHER REQUIRED READING SHORTLY, AND SENDING YOU THIS]

PARALLEL EVENTS

Several events have been arranged with the aim of inviting the public to participate in the discourse of the studios. These events will enable studio participants to share their ideas and designs with the public, and to also receive vital feedback and discussion on the Urban Islands theme.

Symposium : The Business of Culture

Under the banner of "The Business of Culture" a symposium will take place on Tuesday 1st August from 6-8:30pm at the University of Sydney [Room to be announced]. A panel comprising leading analysts and commentators will discuss and debate insights with respect to two key issues:

1. The moral content of cultural commodities/ objects

If one understands culture as the values that guide expression rather than expression itself we are immediately confronted by an endless array of objects and artefacts that could be seen as cultural and therefore able to be bought and sold. This not only applies then to the produced objects per se but also to the places where they are produced. How then in a cultural economy of capitalism do we ensure that the morality, which underpins a cultural value system and supports aspects like authenticity and diversity, are maintained?

2. The logistics of cultural production

The sites or places of cultural production are in themselves a crucial variable in the production of cultural commodities. Issues concerning proximity and impact on clustering, supply chains and exposure are as relevant as issues dealing with spatial requirements, experiential qualities, communications and governance.

The symposium will be about 2.5 hours in duration and will be broken up into two sessions to allow for focus. Attendance for studio participants is compulsory.

Lectures

The University of Sydney Thursday Night Lectures presents international guests:
- JRA Jaime Rouillon Arquitectura [Costa Rica]
- IS.Ar : Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott [USA]
- Responsive Environment : Satoru Yamashiro and Jin Hidaka [Japan].

Thursday 10 August, 6 - 8pm
Eastern Avenue Auditorium , University of Sydney.

Attendance for studio participants is recommended.

Review

The final review for the studios will be held on Cockatoo Island on Saturday 12th of August starting at 10am . Special guest critics and the public will be invited to view your presentations.

LOGISTICS

Apart from site visits, the studios will take place in the 4th and 5th year studios of the Architecture Faculty at the University of Sydney. As this is an intensive workshop, participants are expected to focus their energy entirely on the workshop. Course lectures have not been scheduled during the second week to allow full participation.

Transport to and from Cockatoo Island will be arranged for August 2nd (group site visit) and August 12 (review). This will be a ferry leaving from a terminal either in Circular Quay or Woolwich (to be announced).

Studios are free to arrange site visits on other days. However notification must be made to the Harbour Trust before your visit via Tom Rivard (0414 369 262), Olivia Hyde (0431 983 250) or Joanne Jakovich (0409 204 236 ). You will also need to arrange a Barge booking through Tom, Olivia or Joanne. The Barge leaves from the Woolwich Dock and costs $5.50 per person, per journey ($11 round trip), or $44 for less than 8 people ($88 round trip).
Location: http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/topics/siteswoolwich.html#map
Studio participants: please arrange shared or public transport to and from Woolwich Dock.

SCHEDULE

The draft schedule is as follows. If changes occur we will inform you.

Tuesday 1st
9am - Students to meet in 4 th and 5 th year Studio Areas to do a big cleanup of the space
10-11am - Meet in 4 th and 5 th year Studio Areas
Welcome : Prof. Tom Heneghan
Urban Island intro : Tom Rivard (20min)
11-12noon - Meet in ALT 1
Studio introductions :
Responsive Environment, Satoru Yamashiro - (20min)
JRA, Jaime Rouillon - (20min)
IS.Ar, Lisa Iwamoto + Craig Scott - (20min)
Voting for studios : (10min)
12-1 Lunch Break
1-2pm - Meet in ALT 3
Cockatoo Island Intro : Nick Hollo, Deputy Director of Harbour Trust (30min)
Foundation Investigation Intro : Olivia Hyde (20min)
2pm-6pm - Free time to work on Foundation Investigation
6pm-8.30pm - Symposium (Attendance is compulsory for studio participants)

Wednesday 2nd
Site Visit to Cockatoo Island
9.00am Meet @ Circular Quay* to catch Ferry (~$5) - Ferry leaves at 9.15am**
The studio groups will be announced on the Ferry.
Tour of the island (1.5hours) (in studio groups)
Lunch and presentation of Foundation Investigation (This is worth 20% of final mark)
Studio / individual site survey .
Ferry to Circular Quay: 3.45pm

*If you miss the ferry you must catch a water taxi: 1300 666 484. NB This costs $25 per person.
Failure to attend the site visit will disqualify you from future workshop attendance .

Thursday 3rd
Studio : 9am - 6pm
4th and 5th year studio areas,University of Sydney, School of Architecture

Friday 4th
Studio: 9am - 6pm
Mini cross studio critique and discussion : 2pm - 6pm

Monday 7th
Cross studio critique : 9am - 12pm
Studio: 12 - 6pm

Tuesday 8th
Studio : 9am - 6pm

Wednesday 9th
Studio : 9am - 6pm

Thursday 10th
Studio : 9am - 6pm
University of Sydney Thursday Night Lectures: 6 - 8pm
JRA, IS.Ar. and Responsive Environment
Eastern Avenue Auditorium, University of Sydney

Friday 11th
Studio: 9am - 6pm

Saturday 12th
Project Reviews on Cockatoo Island :   10am - 5pm
[Venue TBA], Cockatoo Island
9.00am Meet @ Circular Quay* to catch 9.15am ferry** (~$5)
Set up of review space and projects: 9.45 - 10.30am
Reviews start 10.30am
Lunch 1 - 2pm
Closing Reception: 6pm - 9pm
Ferry to Circular Quay 9.30pm

**Note: More information will be given about accessing the island at the introductory presentations. The precise times of departure may change.

CONTACT

Please feel free to contact us with any inquiries about the workshop, or the Urban Islands Project in general.

Tom Rivard trivard@zip.com.au Mobile: 0414 369 262
Olivia Hyde Olivia_Hyde@bvn.com.au Mobile: 0431 983 250
Joanne Jakovich joanne@jakovich.net Mobile: 0409 204 236