MOMENTUM is a dowdy old 1970s office block that we have recycled into a multi-residential building. It is in inner-suburban South Melbourne.
To celebrate its location near the Albert Park sporting precinct, we have chosen a series of images of a long jumper that form an animation sequence. They come from the 1880s book Animal Locomotion by English photographer Eadweard Muybridge, who pioneered stop-motion photography and motion-picture projection. Muybridge’s animations were originally part of his University of Pennsylvania-sponsored work using photography to study human and animal motion. He photographed most of his subjects nude, or almost nude, so their movements were clearly visible.
On our building, the images are arranged in a maze configuration, which gives shape to an otherwise dull stack of uniform storeys. They cover two façades of the building, which stands on a corner. The panels are aluminium with etched and stained images, giving them a lithograph-like look. Their light, shiny appearance contrasts with the darker recessed balconies to create texture on the walls. The images also feature in the foyer. They are also frieze-like, recalling classical art and architecture. The building is dynamic, exclusive and urban, tough and delicate.