Claire Newton
Time Chain
The Sidney Myer Asia Centre - located on Swanston Street and Monash Drive – is graced with the striking Corten steel sculptural façade, Spirit Wall,by Akio Makigawa. To honour both this architectural artistry and a landscape intervention within the allotted bounds of 27m3, the Time Chain was born. The Time Chain endeavours to encourage commuting University students and the general public alike, to be inspired by the potential of materiality within the landscape. The bluestone structure can be utilised as a resting or meeting point, or simply, a creative fabrication that alludes to an alternative and interesting way of constructing landscapes. A linear, native, meadow-like planting nestled behind the sculptures addresses the severe lack of green infrastructure along the Eastern end of Monash Drive, using run-off from Swanston Street. The Time Chain sits beneath a bluestone arch that acts as a sun dial, casting a perfect circular shadow upon Makigawa’s Spirit Wall for each hour of the day. Overall, the design rejects the conservatism so often witnessed throughout institutional landscapes, particularly through the lens of materiality and planting selection.
