Review of last month's words @ bldg50...

Mel Bright and Tarryn Boden from emerging Melbourne practice MAKE architecture studio presented the Bird Hide design project that they are currently developing for Friends of Westgate Park on Thursday 7 August.

The project, a proposed bird-watching structure to be sited in the wetlands below Westgate Bridge, was originally run as a design studio within the RMIT architecture department. This allowed for an extensive investigation of the site to take place, while presenting the students with a real-world project. Mel showed fragments of several student projects; pointing out that such a thorough and creative site analysis would not have been possible within the time constraints of a typical office environment; neither would students typically be exposed to the challenges of working with a real client group and brief.

The possibilities that emerged from the studio were presented to Friends of Westgate Park, before MAKE took the project into the office. Tarryn, who studies architecture at RMIT as well as working at MAKE, has received credit towards her studies for her role in the project.

Tom from Friends of Westgate Park spoke highly of the client group’s relationship with MAKE and their delight at seeing the project evolve.

MAKE was matched with Friends of Westgate Park through the arch-peace probono service. We’re very excited to see the pro-bono process working so well. Thanks to Mel and Taz for their presentation and congratulations on a beautiful project; we look forward to seeing the bird hide built some time in the future!

We will be posting further info on the website as the project develops. Please check back at http://www.architectsforpeace.org/probono.php