Architecture

A Place for the Non-Convivial

Our expectations are shaped by our experience of the norm. However, these expectations are challenged when we find that objects are not where we expect them to be. An inherent tension is created between the object and it’s surrounding. The known becomes the unknown, untold and unexpected. My project looks at unveiling the unknown and telling the untold by creating a space for the unexpected deep underground in Melbourne's CBD. My exploration of the theory of convivial urban spaces, considered successful public spaces, inspired me to focus on the complete antithesis of these spaces - non-convivial space. Non-convivial spaces are the dingy, dark, uninviting and unsafe areas of night-time Melbourne attracting a marginalised demographic. In this context, I have chosen to accommodate for street prostitutes through my design. By shining a light on the non-convivial to unveil the fringe of areas we inhabit, I am designing a place for society's forgotten and overlooked.