"MEMORIAL REPRESENTATION REMEMBRANCE" by Naveen John Thomas

Pulling focus towards the history of aboriginal cultures in Australia, University of Melbourne M.Arch graduate Naveen John Thomas used his thesis "MEMORIAL REPRESENTATION REMEMBRANCE" to highlight the importance of incorporating culture and history within architectural design and narrative.

Thomas shares, "the recent events around the killing of Mr. Floyd in the US and similar reports from Australia regarding the percentage of imprisoned among the First Nation population, only reiterates the importance of acknowledgement of the past, living with that acknowledgement and respect in the present and planning for the future [...] The aim should be to make the architecture communicate. It should communicate the stories, the history, and the purpose." Archinect connected with Thomas to discuss his thesis project and his observations with how the pandemic has influenced Australia and the architecture industry as a whole.

Archinect's Spotlight on 2020 Thesis Projects: 2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for architecture graduates. Students were displaced as schools shut down, academic communities had to adapt to a new virtual format, end-of-year celebrations were canceled or changed dramatically, and now these students are graduating into an extremely challenging employment market. To support the 2020 class we're launching a summer series of features highlighting the work of thesis students during this unique time of remote learning amid COVID-19. Be sure to follow our 2020 thesis tag to stay up to date as we release new project highlights.

This project titled Memorial Representation Remembrance was born out of a studio brief to design a landmark along the banks of the river Yarra, in Melbourne, Australia.

[Architecture] should act as a catalyst for change, a pathway for betterment and in this case, architecture should help people in acknowledgement of the history. The history of how we are where we are.

Briefly describe your thesis project.

I acknowledge the Traditional custodians of the country throughout Australia and recognize their continuing connection to the land, waters and culture. I pay my respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across the nation.

This project titled Memorial Representation Remembrance was born out of a studio brief to design a landmark along the banks of the river Yarra, in Melbourne, Australia. The brief was to look at the entries received for the 1978 Melbourne landmark competition and build upon one or multiple entries to eventuate in a meaningful landmark for Melbourne. The entry titled Boomerang City Melbourne paved the way for this project. The recent events around the killing of Mr. Floyd in the US and similar reports from Australia regarding the percentage of people imprisoned among the First Nation population, only reiterates the importance of acknowledging the past, living with that acknowledgement, respecting in the present, and planning for the future.

MEMORIAL - The atrocities against the First Australians were unimaginable. They were massacred, killed off to take their land, traded as slaves, and forced to leave Australia to be enslaved in other nations. Even dead, their remains were sold to the highest bidder. Many remains of Aboriginal men and women lie around the world, in Museums, private collections, and storage warehouses. Of these remains, many remain unidentified. There has been a massive push to bring these remains home to Australia so that they can be properly reburied. Most Aboriginal cultures believe that once dead, the body must be integrated into the same land that the person was born in. But what happens to the unidentified remains? That is where the scope of the project comes on. On a research talk with Prof. Marcia Langton, she mentioned that the priority of many organizations and NGOs is to find a safe and respectful space to store these remains until they can be traced back to their origin. Memorial aims to do just that. 

REPRESENTATION - The importance of the site in the history of the development of the city is well evident through written journals. The site used to be a gathering and meeting space for the members of the Kulin Nation. The site symbolized unity and the sharing of resources throughout the ages. 

Representation aims at starting a conversation on how the lives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is represented and enriched in the future. It aims at providing a space for the numerous organizations working for the betterment of the lives of the community. Organizations like the Torch Project, AIATSIS, etc. deserve a safe and healthy working environment to help the members of the Aboriginal community. Studies into the art, the culture, and the practices are also a big part of understanding the people and thereby planning for a better future. Spaces for research and further transfer of this knowledge must be integrated into this building. 

REMEMBRANCE - Presently the site is home to the Federation square. While heavily in use, the land that the square is situated in, should be given back to the Aboriginal communities and therefore this design proposal proposes the demolition of the buildings in the square. The square will be turned into a controlled ruin, with landscaped areas occupying the present building footprint. The existing paving is retained as the original designers visualized the paving to be a representation of the red landscape of the Australian outback. Remembrance plays home to the iconic NGV-A which would need a new house now that the buildings in the square are demolished. Remembrance would be a symbol of how we, as a present generation, identify and connect with Australian Art, especially the ones focusing on the history and the development of the country.

Like the aboriginal song-lines and the stories, the facade has been designed to tell a story. The initial idea was to select an artwork which conveys a story and design the facade around it. The facade will be developed with constant involvement of the Aboriginal and Torres strait islander communities and give jobs and an international canvas for Aboriginal artists. For this thesis, numerous artworks were studied and common elements that tell a story were found. These elements were then extrapolated and combined to form a pattern that tells a story of its own. The materiality again reflects the wider Australian landscape with wood and red earth in mind. Corten is widely used for the facade of all the three buildings. The two layers of facade also helps in rotation with use of space frames with the mechanics being worked out on the roof space.

For this thesis, numerous artworks were studied and common elements that tell a story were found. These elements were then extrapolated and combined to form a pattern that tells a story of its own.

Architecture now lives in an image-driven culture. We, as architects are not above the obsession with images and icons that make up the ubiquitous mentality of people now. Image-driven culture in architecture labels a form of architecture where a structure is etched into the minds of the viewer. The aim should be to make the architecture communicate. It should communicate the stories, the history, and the purpose. It should act as a catalyst for change, a pathway for betterment, and in this case, architecture should help people in acknowledgement of history: The history of how we are, where we are.

Any tips for students as they continue to work on their thesis?

As someone who has had the good fortune to graduate right before the pandemic hit Australia, the only tips I could give pertain to the things I have experienced in conversation with friends. Looking at negatives, yes, it is hard to be working on your thesis when the whole world is going through uncertain times. But just look at the positives, you get much more time to focus on your design. You get to design the best thesis you could ever do. With technology, we could even have group discussions and virtual studios to keep the design discussion going. It is also important to take regular breaks, as it is so easy to get bogged down by thesis. Get your mind some fresh air and you might end up with better ideas.

Memorial Representation Remembrance by Naveen John Thomas from Archinect on Vimeo.

As a recent graduate experiencing the effects of the pandemic, how do you feel about the architecture industry right now? 

The industry still goes strong. New projects, while slow, are still coming in. People have realized that while the pandemic has slowed down their life, it should not be stopping or changing your life plans completely. Government projects continue, even though at a slower pace. With Melbourne in particular though, as part of an effort to curb the growth of the second wave, the government has announced a strict stay-at-home mandate. This has stopped and slowed down work in all industries, and architecture is feeling the pressure, too. The efforts though, seem to be working and I am hopeful that we will come out of this stage of high restrictions by mid-September. The industry should bounce back again quickly with current projects getting back on track.