Architecture - Honours
Connecting to the icon materiality and form of Brisbane's cultural buildings, this hall of democracy embodies the idea of categorical imperative and embodies creating an environment of openness and dynamic circulation. The 3 main interconnected space are exposed to the public as place where ideas can be shared fostered and listened to.
Luminance of Democracy is a building that is based on the idea of categorical imperative, realization of inner character, and uplifting users to a purer state of mind. The environment the building creates encourages people to be mindful of their surroundings and others thus fostering a character rational thinking in new ideas. Biophilia and materiality play a large role in creating this experience, we find these things beautiful because we resonate with them and see a part of these things within ourselves. Through this notion the building creates an atmospheric synergy spaces in the background of politics and the public inhabiting this place
The light auditorium harbors the main gathering space that connect people to the heads of departments and politicians. It has scheduled regularly reoccurring public and government meetings where people can voice ideas and opinions to politicians in the hope change will be made more in line with what people’s values and concerns are.
The building itself, monolithic in scale has a glowing form on top that the auditorium is open to, creating an beacon of ideas and encouraging other to enter and experience the building and become more apart of the political processes. The large glazing walls and view decks create an aperture
to which to watch the world around move by, uplifting the user to a sense of transparency and importance.
A place for politicians and people to realize ideas and issues together, the annex, connected to the auditorium, is where the issues raised in the public gatherings can be looked into with more depth while still including members of the public. The building contains on the lower floor meeting spaces, and on the upper offices for reps of the departments and governments which are to work with the public on addressing the ideas. The building itself is very transparent and open, reflecting this of the new political process under proposal. Its’ strong form and heavy structure create a dynamic building that reaches around the site as to keep it with the range of all on the site. Passive ventilation, biophilia, and daylighting have also been integrated into the buildings tectonics to foster a low impact center to inspire a new movement of operable buildings in lieu of the current climate crisis.
The green courtyard is a place to feel uplifted by and get back to nature within the inner city context. Sunken into the site and protected above by the annex, the space creates a cool and relaxing experience that block out the noise and visual pollution of the surrounding city allowing users to take a moment to stop, think and absorb the place they are in. Connecting the upper street level to the below area are various methods of entry via colonnades and stepped water fountain that runs across the site creating a sense of ambience throughout
Beyond simply inhabiting this space, the knowledge center, on the same level as the green court, below the auditorium, formatively takes place as a zone for members of the public to use the synergy of the building to foster ideas among themselves or enjoy the environment around them. The importance of this space is that currently there is no formal place to allow people to mobilize ideas to present to our state’s leaders. With this space and its resources, it would allow ordinary people have a launch pad to which they can develop ideas and insight into the running of our country.
Ethan believes that architecture is a formative tool that can be harnessed by designers to shape the future of our urban and natural ecosystem. He cares passionately for people and the environment, and one day hopes to be making a change in the world around him; just like those he looks up to. Through his work he hopes to inspire others after him to carry forward this same thinking.