Good Design, Pedagogy and the Public Realm

Eamon Broderick from Broderick Architects was invited by the Office of the Government Architect to give a presentation at Curtin University in November as part of the "Perth Samplings 2010” lecture series.

Eamon shared the bill with Sydney architect Angelo Candelapas who spoke about his recent projects including the award winning multi storey All Saints Primary School in NSW.

Eamon’s presentation focused on three recent projects completed by Broderick Architects: 

• Geraldton Universities Centre
• Nagle Catholic College Library (Geraldton)
• John XXIII College Year Seven Transition Building (Mt Claremont)
• The design of each project was reviewed in terms of the way the pedagogy had influenced the building design as well as other themes explored by the practice including:
• Social suggestiveness – buildings in which you instinctively know what to do and how to behave.
• Directness – a clear response to a set of parameters unfiltered by "style”.
• Climatic logic – recognizing the synergy between our desire for fresh air and sunlight and reducing energy consumption through careful climatic design.
• A satisfying materiality – selection of construction materials that look good, are pleasing to touch and develop a patina with age; beauty that is more than skin deep.
• Intermediate spaces – extending the threshold between indoors and out; or extending the depth of a surface to make a space within its thickness.
• Structural awareness – the expression of the bones of a building; giving rhythm and integrity to elevations and interiors.
• An awareness of daily and seasonal changes – the warmth of winter sun; the sound of rainfall or the colour of a sunset.

The evening coincided with the opening of the architectural student exhibition at Curtin University and was well attended by a small crowd of thirsty students!