2022 Art x Architecture IN SITU Audio Tour

Presented by The University of Melbourne’s Museums & Collections and the Melbourne School of Design, supported by the National Gallery of Victoria and Melbourne Design Week.

Art x Architecture IN SITU is a self-guided audio tour presented by The University of Melbourne’s Museums & Collections and the Melbourne School of Design for Melbourne Design Week. Using your personal device, you can create your own tour activated by QR-codes at various sites of contemporary and historical architectural significance across the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus.

Hear in-situ perspectives from the architects and experts behind some of the University’s most unique contemporary and historical buildings, including the Old Quad, the Grainger Museum, Arts West, Glyn Davis Building, home of Melbourne School of Design, and Science Gallery Melbourne. You will also hear from curators and artists from the exhibitions currently showing in each building.

Headphones are recommended for this experience.

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Old Quad is the University of Melbourne’s oldest building and the first university building to commence construction in Australia. The original building was designed by Francis Maloney White and completed in 1857, and redeveloped by Melbourne-based architecture firm Lovell Chen in 2019. This tour stop features in-situ insights into the building and its redevelopment from Peter Lovell, Director of Lovell Chen.

Inside the Old Quad is Emu Sky, an exhibition exploring Indigenous land management, knowledge, science, plant use, language and truth telling. With a strong focus on south-eastern Australia, over 30 Aboriginal community members share their stories, knowledge, and art practice in the exhibition. Listen on for an introduction to Emu Sky by exhibition curator Zena Cumpston.

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The Grainger Museum is the only purpose-built autobiographical museum in Australia, and home to the personal collection of composer Percy Grainger. Designed by John Gawler of the firm Gawler and Drummond, in close consultation with Grainger, the building was completed in 1938. This tour stop begins with an in-situ introduction to the building’s history and its contemporary usage by Dr Heather Gaunt from the University of Melbourne.

Inside the building is Sounding Grainger, a multidisciplinary collaboration bringing together a composer and an architect to reimagine the Museum through a creative sonic and visual exploration of its interior spaces. Hear from the creatives behind the project, Dr Rochus Hinkel, Associate Professor at the Melbourne School of Design and composer Sydney Miller, a Bachelor of Music (Interactive Composition) Honours student.

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Arts West is the new home of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne. Designed by ARM Architecture, in partnership with Architectus, the building was completed in 2016. This tour stop begins with an in-situ discussion of the building project by Ian McDougall, Director, ARM Architecture.

Presented throughout the building is 21x10, an exhibition shifting works from the University of Melbourne Collection beyond the walls of the museum while the Ian Potter Museum of Art undergoes major renovations ahead of its 2023 re-opening. Hear from exhibition curator Samantha Comte about the artworks which have been selected in response to critical issues directly currently affecting our communities.

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Melbourne School of Design + There is no/only public Architecture

The Glyn Davis Building is home of the Melbourne School of Design (MSD) and was designed by John Wardle Architects in collaboration with Boston architecture firm NADAAA, completed 2014. This tour stop begins with an in-situ interview with Stefan Mee, of John Wardle Architects.

Inside MSD is There is no/only public Architecture, a MSD Alumni Survey Series exhibition, that examines the complexity of publicness in contemporary architecture, and draws on the work of Melbourne-based practice NH Architecture. Hear insights into the exhibition concept from Hamish Lyon, Director NH Architecture .

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Science Gallery Melbourne + MENTAL

Located at University innovation precinct Melbourne Connect, Science Gallery Melbourne (SGM) is part of the acclaimed Global Science Gallery Network pioneered by Trinity College Dublin. The building opened to the public in January 2022 and was designed by Smart Design Studio. This tour stop begins with in-situ insights into the design of Australia’s new home for the intersection of art and science from William Smart, Smart Design Studio.

Inside the building is MENTAL, an exhibition confronting societal bias and stereotypes around mental health. MENTAL features over 20 experimental projects from local and international artists and research collaborators that reflect a range of different perspectives on mental health and ways of being. Hear about the exhibition and an introduction to key works by curator Tilly Boleyn, and lead mediator Bern Hall.