ballarat govhub urban art brief and artwork aspirations · 2020. 7. 29. · page | 1 ballarat...
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Ballarat GovHub Urban Art Brief and Artwork Aspirations
Excellence
Located within the Ballarat GovHub building, the artwork will be integrated with the architecture that surrounds
it. The design of the building emphasises sustainability, local materials, and the civic qualities of the precinct. It
utilises high quality materials and is attentive to detail. The artwork must engage with this sensibility, whilst
ensuring an outcome that is conceptually and artistically strong.
Responsive and Immersive
The work should be responsive to the approach and intention of the project’s architecture and themes. It should
add to the narrative of the place and immerse visitors in the work.
Artists are asked to consider how the artwork will engage with its audience, and how this experience shifts as
one moves through the building.
Of Its Place
A gathering place, a workplace.
A place of civic importance.
The artwork should be aware of its position within a broader context and look to celebrate its inclusivity. It
should reflect this particular place’s distinctiveness, history, and people.
The intention of artwork within this building is to respond to the architectural form, the history of the precinct,
expanding upon the project narrative. The final artwork, or artworks, will look to provide a point of interest for
visitors to the building.
The location for the artwork has been nominated to be within the public realm on ground floor. It may be
freestanding or may be fixed to the internal walls or ceiling.
The public realm on ground floor is located adjacent to the outdoor conservatory and extends within the main
entrance lobby of the building.
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Image: Ground floor plan indicating artwork location .
Public Realm on Ground Floor
Ballarat City Council endorsed a scheme to construct a new commercial facility on the site, that retains the
existing library and the Civic Hall. The extent of demolition to the Civic Hall included the removal of part of the
former hall in the building.
The design proposal from John Wardle Architects creates a ‘new hall’ in its place that references the proportions
of the original and creates a new public space on the ground floor.
Image: Existing drawings of the Civic Hall. Public realm on ground floor (new hall) highlighted in orange.
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Continuing the history of having a community purpose, the function of this space is likely to be a place of
gathering such as, a café, function space, a gallery space, or a performance space. However, the exact function
of this space is still being determined.
Adjacent the Civic Hall is the glass Conservatory. As its name implies, the Conservatory is a landscaped space
in the tradition of the botanic gardens of Ballarat. It forms one of the key elements of the sequence of civic
spaces that connect Mair Street with the public realm on ground floor and central plaza.
Image: main street conservatory entrance and an image within the glass conservatory.
The public realm on ground floor will have a strong presence within the main entrance lobby. A generous double
height space signal’s the arrival at the primary address, reinforced by the brickwork within the foyer. The area
has a large proscenium window facing the GovHub foyer, and generous openings linking the space to the
Conservatory and the landscaped central plaza to the north.
Image: main entrance lobby with the new hall brickwork, large proscenium window looking into the new hall.
Location
The location identified for the artwork is freestanding, on the interior walls, on the ceiling or a combination within
the public realm (new hall) on ground floor.
All the openings in the walls have been framed with 10mm mild steel plate. The openings in the wall have
created a high-level datum which run the entire perimeter of the space and defined by a change in paint colour.
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Possible locations for the artwork could be:
1. Above the datum line, or
2. Below the datum line
Image: within the new hall looking towards the entrance lobby
The rear wall of the lower hall is a blank canvas that faces the entrance lobby and is visible through the large
proscenium window.
Image: entrance lobby looking through the large proscenium window
All walls and the ceiling are currently proposed as plasterboard. Artists should consider how the experience of
the artwork changes from differing perspectives within the building.
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Artwork Opportunity
Artwork Form
The artwork should be complementary to the architectural design and material palette and fabricated using high
quality materials.
The artist can consider the wall as part of the artwork. If the artwork is to be fixed to the wall, the artwork should
not cover this entire wall, but use the material as a part of the artwork composition.
An artwork attached to the structural components will be required to be lightweight. Weight restrictions will need
to be complied with and discussed with the structural engineer. Additionally, the artwork should not restrict
access or egress from the public realm (new hall) on ground floor.
The artist is free to suggest which elevation is best suited to the artwork.
Artwork Intention
• Speak to the language of the building design, being completely integrated with the architectural design.
• For the artwork to preference quality over quantity.
• Invite visitors to engage with the full height of the atrium space.
• Provide a point of interest for visitors to the building, while respecting the history and heritage of the site.
Deliverables
The artwork deliverables will include concept proposals, design development, documentation, fabrication and
installation of the artwork and close-out reporting. It is expected that the artist will work closely with the design
team (John Wardle Architects & Development Victoria) to finesse the integration of the artwork following
selection.
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Key Artwork considerations
Engage
The artwork should be designed to engage with the public and occupants of the building. It should provide an
additional point of interest to visitors, while respecting the history and heritage of the site.
Design
The artwork is to demonstrate exceptional design and curatorial rationale. It should acknowledge the
architectural design and community nature of the space.
Sight Lines
Artists should consider the visibility of the artwork from the various vantage points, including from the building
entrance, when moving through the entrance lobby, the conservatory or arrival from the central plaza.
Lighting
Sunlight will enter the building during the day and any artwork should not significantly limit this. Artists may
include artificial lighting within the artwork as the work will be experienced during the day and night. Artists
should ensure any lighting adds to the form of the artwork, as opposed to defining it.
Electricity Availability
No allowance for power or AV to the artwork has been made to date. Power could be available, however the
provision and location of power will be dependent on the preferred artwork concept.
Life Expectancy
The expectation is that the work should have a lifespan of 25+ years and the materials chosen by the artist
should be of a suitable quality to last for at least that period of time.
Materials
Materials selected must be durable, colourfast (given direct sunlight) and warrantied to ensure longevity of
lifespan. Artists are asked to consider the architectural materials of the building, while also selecting materials
that will minimise dust collection and maintenance.
Fire Engineering
Any materials introduced to the space are required to be non-combustible. The combustibility of materials will be
assessed by a fire engineer at concept stage and will inform the selection of the final artwork.
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Safety
Entrapment, climb-ability and any safety hazards must be considered and minimised.
Clear Access
An artwork should not restrict access or egress to and from the public realm on ground floor.
Structural Requirements
Any fixing points into the wall should be discreet and well considered. This will be reviewed again when the
preferred concept is selected.
Any suspended artwork should look to be as lightweight as possible. This will be assessed when the preferred
concept is selected.
Engineering Review
The Artist will be required to arrange for the design to be reviewed and the completed artwork to be certified by
appropriate engineers.
Certification
Artists will need to consider relevant Australian Standards dependent on their artwork concept. Artists will be
required to certify their work against all relevant Australian Standards.
Accessibility
The artwork should be accessible for all ages and abilities.
Documentation
The artist should ensure the artwork is documented via photos during the fabrication and installation stages for
inclusion in the Maintenance + Operational Manual.
Cleaning
Cleaning and maintenance should be kept to an absolute minimum.
Power
This will be assessed when the preferred concept is selected.
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Maintenance
The artwork should be developed to be easily maintained, conserved and preserved. Any electrical components
should be able to be easily sourced for replacement.
Maintenance and Operational Manual
At the completion of the project, artists are required to provide a Maintenance and Operational Manual. This
must be completed and returned to the Client prior to payment of the final invoice.
Insurance
The successful artist must be insured, for professional indemnity to $2million and will be required to insure the
artwork during fabrication, freight and installation.
White Card
All Artist Team personnel accessing the site will be required to have a white card, undergo induction to enable
access the site and must operate within the Builder’s safety framework. If the artist does not have a white card
and requires training, this amount may be included in the project budget.
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Artwork Location
Image: Ground floor plan.
Image: Detailed floor plan.
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Image: internal elevations
Image: within the new hall looking towards the entrance lobby
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Image: section through the new hall looking towards the entrance lobby.
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Image: section through the new hall looking towards the civic hall.
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Budget
The Artwork Project Budget is AUD $60,000 (excl. GST).
This budget will need to cover the following:
• Artist’s fees for design development, project management and administration, including all required
meetings;
• Agent’s fees or assistance costs, if applicable;
• Coordination and collaboration with the project architects and the project team;
• All fees required to ensure all compliance requirements and Australian Standards are certified as
requried;
• Fabrication costs, including but not limited to all materials, construction, labour and/or hire costs;
• Freight costs for all elements introduced to the site for the artwork;
• Artwork lighting and associated integration costs;
• Insurances;
• Travel expenses;
• Photography during fabrication and installation; and
• Delivery of Maintenance Manual + Operation Manual and Close-Out Report.