Bold modular yellow bleachers both welcomed participants through their open curved form and enclosed the performers in an intimate theatre setting. The simplicity of the design allowed the space to fully celebrate the art and artists of Melbourne Now.
— AIA 2024 Victorian Architecture Awards Jury
Community Hall was one of the flagship spaces within the NGV’s 2023 Melbourne Now exhibition, which celebrated Melbourne’s contemporary art, architecture and design.
Designed to host a variety of event types; from performance art, to film, talks, and interactive workshops, the design of the space needed to have flexibility for these events whilst maintaining a strong sense of presence and identity.
The resulting design broke down the formality of the rectilinear exhibition space by introducing a sweeping curved structure that acted as a backdrop to the space. Opening to the wider circulation area of the main Melbourne Now exhibition entry the curve drew the visitor into the space, like a big open-armed hug, a welcoming and inclusive formal gesture. Its positioning and colour made the space feel activated and enriched when no event was occurring.
Designed in mind with the experience of sitting in an intimate theatre, the canopy above provided a sense of containment for the spectators, and focused the view towards the central apex of the arc where the varying events occurred. The repetitious bleacher type seating was designed as flat pack modules for ease of storage after the life of the exhibition and for use in future NGV events.
Discreetly hidden behind the curve was an AV control desk that had clear sight lines through the structure to the performance area. This area also acted as a discreet storage area for the event related furniture – work tables, bean bags, stools.
Vertical orange toned LED lights were discretely placed on the uprights of the structure, hidden from view upon entry. As the structure curved away from the wall, creating a void between the yellow structure and the pale pink gallery wall, the colour between the pale pink wall and structure shifted across a gradation of pinks, oranges, purples and violets. Every shift of one’s eye and position in the space resulted in a tonal change. This theatrical and elusive play of colour between the structure and enveloping gallery wall created a kind of visual thickness to the void and dynamic backdrop to the structure.