Monash Urban Lab

As buildings rise, age, deteriorate, and then undergo regeneration or redevelopment, the earth beneath them experiences similar cycles. From this perspective, Monash Urban Lab probes the interplay between structures and the soil, the extraction and use of resources, as well as patterns of urban migration, climate change impacts, and significant industry shifts. They explore this from both a detailed close-up and a broad bird’s-eye view, aiming to comprehend the city’s “ground” from micro to macro scales.

 

In the exhibition, every one of the 10 projects is summed up in a video and a brochure, each centered around distinct themes: Ravaged ground, Repaired ground, Reworking ground, hybrid ground, Bluestone Quarries, inclusive ground, Assembled ground, Sharing ground, Ripponlea, and Remaking ground. Drawing from an exhaustive range of research mediums―including video, photography, and written content―the exhibition comes together as a cohesive anthology named “Ground Melbourne”, chronicling Melbourne’s journey towards crafting sustainable and multifaceted urban spaces.

 

- Monash Urban Lab is a research studio undertaking practice-based research into urban architecture in Melbourne and is based at the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture (MADA) at Monash University. Much of the Lab’s research is focused on the intersection of the natural history of Melbourne with its urban form and processes.