Isn’t it funny how you can walk the same street every day and completely miss details…this is what occurred for many of our (non-camping) students this week as we walked a circuit up to Princes Park, along Sydney Road, through Barkley Square, down Barkley Street and back along Lygon Street.
“I never noticed that house before…”
“Hey! Look at the statue?!” “Yeh! Haven’t you seen that before???”
“Look at the two houses with bright doors, side-by-side!”
“Look up there! There’s a huge mosquito thing on the roof!”
“I never noticed those lights are attached to a washing line…that’s cool!”
“It’s so quiet around here…”
“That burnt toast smell is roasting coffee?!”
We walked through our neighbourhood to tune into the concept of Community Identity. The tour helped to make comparisons between Princes Hill, Brunswick and Brunswick East. Our provocations included observations about
- natural features (both organic and landscaped)
- movement and flows
- facilities and who they intend to serve
- homes and architectural styles
- other interesting features such as communal spaces, graffiti, sculptures, cobblestones, fragrances, etc.
Next week we will begin to reflect on our observations and consider what kind of identity the councils are helping to construct, as well as what kind of local identity and shared values we have established.
Looking for something new, something old, something beautiful, something bold!
This provocation has also sparked an interest in mapping and how we present local information graphically. We are just beginning to explore road maps, culture & local knowledge maps, heat maps, indigenous representations & songlines…if any of these ideas are resonating with you, we would love to share your passion.