A pink pond installation in the rear garden of the National Gallery of Victoria will open to the public in November.
Designed by Taylor Knights in collaboration with artist James Carey, the 2021 NGV Architecture Commision, Pond[er], will present an opportunity for visitors to cool off during the summer months while reflecting on their relationship with the natural environment.
The installation design, which was revealed as the winner of the commission in May, references the original open air courtyards of the NGV International building, designed by Sir Roy Grounds in 1968.
It consists of two primary components – a pink pond which references the inland salt lakes of Victoria, intended to highlight the scarcity of water as a natural resources; and a garden bed designed by Ben Scott Garden Design, which will feature indigenous wildflowers that will bloom at different times throughout the installation, highlighting the beauty, precariousness and temporality of Victoria’s natural ecology.
2021 NGV Architecture Commission designed by Taylor Knights in collaboration with James Carey and Ben Scott Garden Design.
Image:
Courtesy NGV
The installation will not only occupy the garden but become part of the garden, with a series of interconnected waterways and accessible platforms encouraging visitors to explore the flower beds and wade in the water.
The project will be made from locally sourced and locally manufactured materials, which will be reused after its time at the NGV by Landcare and Indigenous and community groups, including the Willam Warrain Aboriginal Association.
“Through an elegant interplay of architectural and landscape elements, this work draws our attention to the challenges facing Australia’s many catchments and river systems, whilst also ensuring that the design itself has minimal environmental impact by considering the future lifecycle of the materials used,” said NGV director Tony Ellwood.
The design of the 2021 NGV Architecture Commission was selected through a two-stage national competition.
It will be on display from 20 November 2021 until 28 October 2022.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
