ABSTRACT

From its 1994 conception to its 2002 realisation, Federation Square generated an intense public dispute between groups associated with architecture and conservation. Created by London-based LAB Architecture Studio following a design competition and located at the southern gateway to central Melbourne, Federation Square was a notable example of late-twentieth-century public architecture. It functioned as a civic and national monument and incorporated a sophisticated design response to its immediate physical and broader symbolic contexts. However, conservation activists the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) opposed Federation Square and specifically “the shard”, a structure which partially obstructed historical southern view lines into the city and St Paul’s Cathedral (1891). Rather than aiming to prevent demolition and conserve historic fabric, the National Trust sought to shape the future impacts of this experimental architectural response to the urban historic environment. Progressive sections of Melbourne’s design community rallied around LAB Architecture Studio because the integrity of architecture appeared to be at stake. Civic populism and political opportunism generated a final negotiated outcome. This article argues that this major public space architectural project was shaped by an expansive urban politics of heritage revealing broader concerns about the role of architecture and conservation in Melbourne at the time.

摘要

从 1994 年的构想到 2002 年的实现，联邦广场在与建筑和保护相关的团体之间引起了激烈的公共争议。联邦广场由总部位于伦敦的 LAB 建筑工作室在设计竞赛后创建，位于通往墨尔本市中心的南大门，是 20 世纪后期公共建筑的一个显着例子。它起到了公民和国家纪念碑的作用，并结合了对其直接物理和更广泛象征背景的复杂设计响应。然而，澳大利亚国民信托（维多利亚）的保护活动家反对联邦广场，特别是“碎片”，这种结构部分阻碍了进入城市和圣保罗大教堂（1891 年）的历史南部景观线。而不是旨在防止拆除和保护历史建筑，国民托管组织试图塑造这种实验性建筑对城市历史环境的未来影响。墨尔本设计界的进步部分聚集在 LAB 建筑工作室周围，因为建筑的完整性似乎受到威胁。公民民粹主义和政治机会主义产生了最终的谈判结果。本文认为，这个主要的公共空间建筑项目是由广泛的城市遗产政治塑造的，揭示了当时对建筑和保护在墨尔本的作用的更广泛关注。墨尔本设计界的进步部分聚集在 LAB 建筑工作室周围，因为建筑的完整性似乎受到威胁。公民民粹主义和政治机会主义产生了最终的谈判结果。本文认为，这个主要的公共空间建筑项目是由广泛的城市遗产政治塑造的，揭示了当时对建筑和保护在墨尔本的作用的更广泛关注。墨尔本设计界的进步部分聚集在 LAB 建筑工作室周围，因为建筑的完整性似乎受到威胁。公民民粹主义和政治机会主义产生了最终的谈判结果。本文认为，这个主要的公共空间建筑项目是由广泛的城市遗产政治塑造的，揭示了当时对建筑和保护在墨尔本的作用的更广泛关注。