Architecture and Art

   I think the artistic side of any additional building form of the existing Parliament house in Canberra will be extremely important. It has to signify the culture of Australia, as well as enhancing and relating to the current building. Art is a way to directly relate back to the people of our multicultural society, so maybe this could be something that is made flexible? With changing migration patterns, trends and fashions, maybe a flexible component could be aesthetics that are easily manipulated? Or maybe it could be a way to showcase different aboriginal artwork over a long period of time? Could it be something that is not only a physical form of artwork that transforms, but a structure that interacts differently with surrounding environments using nature and people to create different art forms?

   The following information was taken from the Australian Government website (http://australia.gov.au/), and discusses the architecture and art used in the parliament building which will be very helpful when designing additional structures...

ARCHITECTURE AND ART

ARCHITECTURE:

"Visitors experience the magnificent architecture and design of the building such as the 81-metre high flagmast, which is one of the world's largest stainless steel structures and is recognised as a national icon.
Opened 9 May 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Parliament House is the home of Australia's Federal Parliament and one of the world's most acclaimed buildings.
Designed by Mitchell/Giurgola and Thorp architects, following a design competition that attracted 329 entries from 28 countries, it is one of the largest buildings in the southern hemisphere.
Parliament House welcomes around 1 million visitors from Australia and overseas each year, making it one of Canberra's most popular attractions.

Features

The Forecourt Mosaic is based on a Central Desert dot-style painting by Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, a leading Aboriginal artist from the Papunya community of the Northern Territory. The mosaic is made up of approximately 90,000 hand-guillotined granite pieces in seven different colours and represents a Possum and Wallaby Dreaming.

The marquetry panels in the main Foyer are inlaid with designs of Australian flora. The 20 panels were designed by Adelaide artist Tony Bishop and fabricated with Sydney craftsman Michael Retter. Some panels feature traditional Aboriginal food sources and others feature botanical specimens documented by Sir Joseph Banks when he landed on the East Coast of Australia with Captain Cook in 1770.
The Great Hall Tapestry is based on a painting by Australian artist Arthur Boyd, AC, OBE. It features a eucalyptus forest in the Shoalhaven area of New South Wales. Measuring 20 x 9 metres, it is one of the largest tapestries in the world. A team of 13 weavers from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop took just two and a half years to complete the work.
The Embroidery was a Bicentennial gift to the nation from the Embroiders' Guilds of Australia. Adelaide artist Kay Lawrence designed the work, which then took over 500 members of the Embroiders' Guilds of Australia more than 12,000 hours to stitch. It is made from cotton, linen and wool, with some synthetic fibre.
Static displays in the Members' Hall include some of Australia's most important historical documents such as the original Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK) and one of only four surviving 1297 issues of Magna Carta.
The Tom Roberts' Painting hanging in the foyer of the Main Committee Room shows the opening of the first Australian Parliament, in Melbourne's Exhibition Building on 9 May 1901, by the Duke of Cornwall and York.
Red Ochre Cove, a dramatic painting by Canberra artist Mandy Martin, can be found in the Main Committee Room.
The roof of Parliament House provides spectacular views of Canberra. Visitors are welcome to walk on the grass ramps covering the building. The lift to the roof is marked on the floor plan in the Visitor Guide which can be obtained from the Information Desk on your arrival at Parliament House.
The 81-metre high stainless steel flagpole can be viewed from the roof of the building. The flag, measuring 12.8 x 6.4 metres, is approximately the size of the side of a double-decker bus.

ART:

The integration of commissioned art works into the built fabric of Parliament House was central to the architect's concept for the building. Also central was the idea of developing a contemporary collection which would reflect society back to the decision makers of the nation. As such, the art is a critical element of the experience for visitors to Parliament House.
The Parliament House Art Collection is a significant national collection that currently comprises over 5,000 works of art and heritage objects. The Collection includes notable works by most major Australian artists, represents almost all media forms and includes major architectural commissions such as the Forecourt mosaic, Possum and Wallaby Dreaming by Michael Nelson Jakamarra, and The Great Hall Tapestry. One of the largest tapestries in the world, it was made by the Victorian Tapestry Workshop after a painting by the late noted Australia artist Arthur Boyd.
Some works from the Collection are always on display to the public areas and are supplemented by regular exhibitions as opportunity presents."