The Government (and the opposition) of Australia apologise to the Stolen Generations

It is not architecture, but it is the architecture of our nation.
The First Action of the new Parliament: To say SORRY to the people who have suffered as a result of deliberate policies of the previous and continuing Australian Governments with regard to taking indigenous children away from their families.
I used to feel embarrassed to be an Australian under the Howard Government.
After PM Kevin Rudd's first speech in Parliament House toady, I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY.
It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders after watching the broadcast... currently located at http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/apology/
I would like to agree with our Prime Minister and add my energy to his open- hearted offering and hope it indeed can be received in good spirit.

meetings 18 and19 Feb : Sustainable Timber Accreditation

A bit of an emergency meeting ... this from James Felton-Taylor, from australian sustainable timbers

(one of the few truly sustainable new timber suppliers in Australia!)

.....

The Green Building Council Aust (GBCA) has a new Timber Credit (read procurement policy) out for review.

The current timber credit identifies recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timber and excludes the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS-the scheme which certified Gunns, Forestry Tasmania, state forests etc). This has had the Australian industry hopping mad and the GBCA under immense pressure to change the credit. The new credit consists of 4 dot points and as long as the timber complies with 3 of the 4 then its meets the GBCA credit.

Submissions are due by the 25^th of Feb, please read below as Genevieve Scarfe a Sustainable Development Consultant with Bovis Lend Lease is organising the following meetings in Melb and Syd.

If you could attend or forward this email to any of your fellow architectures or specifiers that would be great

Green Building Council of Australia

As you are aware the Green Building Council of Australia is calling for submissions by 25 February 2008, in response to the proposed changes to the timber credit.

You are invited to attend one of 2 forums to be held to discuss the credit, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne (details below).

It would be great to have 30 people at each meeting. Given the short notice, may I ask for your help in using your networks to invite other people who are involved in sustainable design.

Purpose:

To formulate a constructive response representing the views expressed at the forum.

The credit as proposed will be critiqued, with specific suggestions discussed for improvements.

However consensus is not required.

Each attendee will provide their details to be given to the GBCA.

Time:

5.30 to 7pm

Presentation:

Chris Taylor, an expert in the field of forest certifiction schemes and standards, will offer the presentation.

He is currently doing his PHD on forest certification and the uptake of timber products sourced from certified forests.

Agenda:

An agenda will be sent out shortly beforehand.

Invitees:

Please Note: The GBCA will be hosting a number of forums itself.

These two forums will focus primarily on the point of view of ESD consultants, designers, furniture suppliers.

Melbourne: Monday February 18

5.30pm

Haworth Showroom

Sydney: Tuesday February 19

5.30pm

Haworth Shrowroom

RSVP:

Please RSVP to me, by COB Friday 15 February.

genevieve.scarfe@lendlease.com.au

Regards

Genevieve

Catch the bus from your living room

And now for something I have been doing!

Local artist Victoria Lobregat and I formed a team to enter the Back To The City urban design competition. Along with 17 other architect/artist teams, our LIVING ROOM design was chosen out of around 50 entries. Our idea was to create a bus shelter that would provide an experience of using public transport which is more personally satisfying than driving.

This little creation enhances the experience of waiting for the bus at stop number 230036 on Hunter Street, Newcastle.
Until we built the living room, this exposed place beside the Clarendon Hotel did not offer a shelter or even a seat. All that a bus passenger found there was a carpark, footpath and small section of tile work which is the remnant of a previous age. Creating an
inviting space where people can pause, eat and drink while waiting for the bus, an intervention is created in the normal momentum of Hunter Street pedestrian traffic. The scale of the work make it a more intimate space than is usually encountered in a public area in the city.

Encouraging people onto the streets of Newcastle, the use of public transport revitalises our cities, reduces impact on climate change and improves heath and fitness.

To do this, we have designed and built an ecclectic Living Room, full of curios of a bygone era, where one can sit comfortably and wait for the bus, or a cappuccino.
As this site is adjacent to the Clarendon hotel, a waiter might come out and take your order.

The Living Room bus shelter is made from recycled timber, with art boxes for the side panels. These three dimensional art boxes are created from found objects by local artist Victoria Lobregat. The artist is inspired by Newcastle’s cultural and industrial heritage within an urban context.

After being installed for over a week, this shelter has not been damaged or vandalised in any way. The comfy cushions provided in the shelter still remain!!

We have received wonderful feedback from locals and tourists, and hear daily stories of people taking photos in the living room, having picnics there and generally breaking into spontaneous smiles in this otherwise empty part of town! Hooray Living Room, you are so CUTE!!

Boat house awaits the rising tide

Take a quick peek at this architecture/ art / nature section of this cute blog called Artwranglers !
Here is a little treehouse made out of an old boat. I suspect with climate change and the rising water levels it may soon find some water to carry it forth.

Grow your dinner on your Head.

Let us take a lesson form the wombats and creatures of the underground...how much more comfortable it is in summer and winter to live with soil above you. How much more space efficient to grow your dinner on your roofspace. How beautiful to look down from your apartment not onto the next buildings shiny hot roof but onto their wildflower garden.
This image is a building of offices and apartments by Emilio Ambasz & Associates (who have been designing amazing landscape=buildings for yonks) and is located in Fukuoka, Japan.
I found the image on the VERY good Green Roofs Australia website. If you want to know anything about eating off your headspace, this is the place to go.

There will be a series of talks coming up soon, One in Sydney on the 27th Feb, $100 for non-members. Check the website for other locations and details.