16 March 2011

Sexy New Urban Design Team............... Take on Canberra.

| Nicolej
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Things have been busy for The Sexy Urban Design Team – Canberra down at SmithDick and YouAreHere and Applespiel are thrilled with the response to Sexy New Urban Design Team Canberra with nearly 150 proposals so far and over 100 already built and implemented in the model. It turns out the people of Canberra have some great ideas for their space and we are here to help build the dream.

If you have wandered past the old Dick Smith building in the last few days and wondered what that smashing colourful model that looks sort of like a very funky version of Garema Place then you have seen Sexy New Urban Design Team at work. As part of this we have built a model of Garema Place from such materials as cardboard, pipe cleaners and aluminium foil and now we ask you to help us to redesign it and make it the way you want to see it. By coming along and checking out the existing model at SmithDick (the old Dick Smith shop) you can fill out a proposal form for something that you would like to see added or changed about the place. Over the last few days we have had everything from the fairly sensible and practical – such as a solar powered mobile phone charging point, to the entirely bizarre and just fun, such as the double rainbow that now flies cheerfully over Garema Place. The Applespiel team on the ground to present this for YouAreHere are Simon, Nikki, Rachel and Nathan. Here are some of their favourite proposals so far…

Simon:

As far as fun goes, it doesn’t get much better than a giant Velcro wall that has recently been installed on the side of Milk & Honey. I can only assume the person who requested it wanted to throw their friends on it. A slightly more practical suggestion, that is however still just as awesome is that of the giant Trojan pigeon. Envisaged as a house for all Canberra’s pigeons to live in, so their poo will no longer grace our streets, the Giant Trojan Pigeon is both functional, and an amazing aesthetically pleasing statue.

Rachel:

As with the Erskineville project, my favourite addition is always aerial walkways. A close second is the Kitten Cafe, which was suggested by a young lady the other day. We already had in place a cafe where patrons can play with puppies and kittens while they dine, but this young lady wanted another cafe where patrons could play with ‘sexy people dressed as kittens’. Whatever the suggestion, once the proposal has been processed we have to make it. So now we have a Kitten Cafe.

Nathan:

One of my favourite proposals so far has been the addition of a military watchtower overlooking Garema Place. Complete with army men armed to the teeth, we were told this construction benefits ‘the establishment’ and will be useful in the lawless future.

Nikki:

My favourites are the Tree House Cafe where, in the middle of Garema place, you can climb into a beautiful leafy tree and then enjoy your coffee or beverage among the leaves, peering down on the people below and out over the Canberra skyline. Another fabulous addition to the model we have had is a request of putting back the purple double decker bus that was also a cafe, which used to be in Garema place in the 80’s I am told. This has been reinstated in it’s previous position and is looking fine.

The amount of interest we have had is truly remarkable and it is all adding up to making Garema Place the craziest, most wonderful place by Sunday 2pm. If you have come by in the last few days don’t think you have seen it all, pop by again to check out the new improvements, happening potentially up until Saturday 6pm and remember, you can propose to take things out of the model as well as adding them, so make sure your addition is still going strong and you don’t have to defend it!

urban design Urban design

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Pommy bastard4:36 pm 17 Mar 11

simonleeds said :

Wow, we’ve had a whole six comments without anyone claiming to have been persecuted or maligned by hipsters. Extraordinary.

To admit to being “persecuted or maligned by hipsters” would be on par with informing the wider public that you were once; “beaten up by a bunny rabbit”, or “intimidated by a daddylonglegs”, or “ran away from a nasty butterfly”.

georgesgenitals4:11 pm 17 Mar 11

Next time my kid needs a diorama for a primary school assignment I’ll know where to turn to for help.

simonleeds said :

Wow, we’ve had a whole six comments without anyone claiming to have been persecuted or maligned by hipsters. Extraordinary.

I’ve been maligned by Chaz. Come and take a look Chaz, it’s more than just a collection of shiny kiddie dreams.

Wow, we’ve had a whole six comments without anyone claiming to have been persecuted or maligned by hipsters. Extraordinary.

Chaz said :

I don’t get it. All I see is adults doing what 8 year olds do

8 years olds have petty loud arguments. Do you get question time either?

Thoroughly Smashed10:10 am 17 Mar 11

This is peoples’ dreams? I only dream in black and white. I do sometimes vomit in pretty colours though.

Pommy bastard9:04 am 17 Mar 11

Chaz said :

I don’t get it. All I see is adults doing what 8 year olds do

In which case, you do get it.

Chaz said :

I don’t get it. All I see is adults doing what 8 year olds do

YES! Chaz, I think you’ve single-handedly justified why we do the work we do.

But seriously, you’re right, you don’t get it. You should come by, take a closer look, and see whether the 140 people who’ve made development applications to Applespiel are all just idiots, or whether there’s something going on here that you’re missing.

Muttsybignuts10:42 pm 16 Mar 11

A DOUBLE RAINBOW over Garema Place!!!!
Whoa, that’s a full rainbow, all the way. Double rainbow, oh my god! It’s a double rainbow all the way.

I don’t get it. All I see is adults doing what 8 year olds do

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