Trapezium

Trapezium is a redesign of the Eight Hour Monument site, located on the intersection of Victoria Street and Russell Street in Melbourne. The trapezium as fundamental geometric form has, via patternmaking and the use of compositional principles, been translated into a proposed plan.

The site is situated in a busy part of Melbourne CBD – many people pass it on a daily basis. Therefore the ‘human scale’ – or more specifically -, usability, walkability and accessibility were significant objectives during the process of design. For example, accessibility for wheelchairs has been achieved by creating ramps and using subtle elevations with a maximum height of two meters.

Engagement with the surrounding environment, creates an open, public space, with relatively few boundaries and obstacles. Small ‘seating islands’ have been realised, varying from grass slopes to seating walls, with different slope gradients and directions so that users can face their surroundings in multiple perspectives. Within the space ‘enclosed’ by the tilts, the surface invites a wide range of activities such as play and encounter.