Journal Entry 8 - Design Statement (Draft)

The proposed automuseum will be the first of its kind in Sydney, located within a public park in Waterloo, which forms a part of the Green Square Master Plan. The museum is sponsored mainly by the Bowden's Own Collection, who desires to showcase their family's collection of classic cars from the 80's, as well as several car companies which wish to have some of their cars exhibited.

The perception of automobiles and architecture appear to share a similar history of the increasing dependence of form over experience. With the increasing advancements of technology, cars are able to attain a more superficial streamline appearance, contemporary architecture has also adhere a similar relationship to its form and facades. The Automuseum aims at not only showcasing to the public automobile as an art, but also making a statement about the conception of automobiles and architecture through personal experience. In other words, one should be given the opportunity to interpret and re-define their own perception of the car, and architecture.

The re-defining process of a visitor involves several aspects which are incorporated into the spatial design of this museum:

• An uncontrolled circulation gives the viewer an opportunity for self-exploration and self-interpretation.

• Diverse ways of exhibiting automobiles allowing the viewer to view the composition of the exhibits and interpret their own hierarchy of importance.

• A simple, non-biased yet cohering nature of the building forms enables the viewer to have a neutral stance towards both the displays and architecture during exploration.

The initial state of the museum includes 7 galleries and other public facilities, which are divided across two levels where only the top level has access to the galleries and is ticket-required. The car collection of the museum is due to change constantly and at times expansion might be required to house more exhibits. The proposed museum therefore adopts principals of the Mat Building Typology, which are to allow for flexibility and expansion by having a modular organization. An uncontrolled / free circulation is also made possible by the modular characterstic.