Project finished but never ending.

Wow,
A nice fellow from The Design Observer Group emailed me today about an article that I may be interested in called "Queer Beacon". Written by an architect, Kian Goh, it looks at the challenges faced by LGBT youth in the gentrified West Village and historically queer spaces in New York.

I thought I should do a post on this blog to update on my since completed research project Queer Feminist Landscape Architecture. The project won two awards from RMIT University in Melbourne 2008. This was a great as a had spent a lot of the year in up hill battles with tutors who refused to critique the work unless I described to them what queer was! and how was I ever going to do that. So I told him whatever straight is, Queers not that.

The installations are grouped together according to what role, I, the designer was taking on while working with people. The backbone of Queerer design practice is really a collective design process. There where many ways which I responded to and worked with people. For example some installations I completed in response to discussions during collective meetings and others where completed by people while in site. The 3 main roles where student, facilitator and interpreter.

Most of the installations from the project are on my portfolio website.

Temporary Design Installation Queerer Node 01 (city) Debrief

The flag installation and Saturday was good. The flags looked fantastic and looked gorgeous. Thanks you to everyone who participated on the day. I hope everybody had as much fun as a did being crafty together.. :-)
Thank you Bei, Yaelle, Karleng, Kaz, Loop Hole, Jimmy and Claire.
There where people who engaged, but rarely had time to talk. A common experience in the city. The interactions that did happen where wonderful. But what was beautiful to see these objects that we had made together... as daggy and cute as they where.:-)

Reclaim Our Spaces Action Sat May 31st

This action is about reclaiming and queering our public spaces. This action is about providing a tribute to female queer role models of our local community that should be commemorated and celebrated. At the same time as challenging the normatives of public validation of hetrocentric privilege. Promoting queer visibility to the broader community and helping queers claim ownership of our city through the temporary action and the making of memories.

The public realm is ours too...

This action is also an application of the Toolkit also sited in the city however of a temporary nature (with remnant effects upon the landscape). This action/design has been a collective process.

Its happening this weekend! so would be great if people want to make a flag, put the flags up, or just attend your more than welcome. Flag making is from 12(venue yet to be confirmed, but if your interested contact us or watch out for update.), then we'll be on the Yarra Bridge at 3.
(post earlier diagrams out this process)

queerer Melbourne CBD?

I am compiling a database of queerer places in the city. They are covering a whole range of place ans space types. Some are based on historical events or people, others are of bars and cafes, specialty shops and I also want other sites that just feel queer. No I guess then don't feel super straight.
The cards are an application of the Toolkit of the Melbourne CBD which is one of the queerer nodes in Melbourne. The cards are a permanent design about space, creating space.
I am considered compiling these cards as a thick and handy resource for queers. This is a project which will progress through out the year.

Does anyone know of any places in the city worth mentioning? Anything for places to spray street art, a safer space, a little anarchist Zine Shop or the location of Joy(I already know this but you get the jist!)

First Test and . .

Currently I am refining the first test application of the queerer tool kit at the same time as refining and exploring the complexities within the tool kit. Intending to engage in community consultation to assist in this process. Designers have a understanding of safety, however safer spaces is definitely not only about step grip and railing.
Mean while one the first test design application of this project is almost ready to be created. Keep watch for details about where and when.

Weekend Intensive

Ahh... so sometimes progress comes with a little pain. After working all weekend some strong break through occurred- in terms of translating queer concepts into queerer spatial concepts.

At the end, just like every presentation I was asked to define queer. I need to be more articulate in explaining why if I did that it would be contradictory to my entire project... or define an anti-definition. Eventually discussion could move past queer and engage with how what I am designing also has spatial landscape qualities... Queerer Landscape design has become a critique on the current generic and linear public space design.

Mid Semester Critique - May

The past two months of this project have been dedicated in establishing what typology of queerer spaces currently exist. I have conducted mappings of queerer spaces that are created by the ideologies entwined in queerness such as feminism, anarchism, deconstructionism, subversions, DIY, performativity, gay and lesbianism and all those in between...






I researched precedents of queerer spaces under the vague typologies of symbolic, institutional, alternative(/queerer) and memorial.

















This resulted in the creation of a Queerer Landscape Design Tool Kit. Memorial has become the framework as a testing ground for queerer design against the Tool Kit.
Following is the presentation which would usually be spoken to therefore it lacks in text/explanations. So any questions/dialogue I would appreciate.

The next step of the project is to refine the terminology and the Tool Kit in order to critique Queerer Memorial 01. Then after tweaking potentially DIY collectively and do the design!