Carved Ground: residence and studio

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RESEARCH BACKGROUND: 'Carved ground' is one strand of a larger $800,000 commission for a house and studio on a steep rocky site. The exhibited component focussed upon the design of the site as a contribution to the discourse on environmental sustainability through an innovative design of the site. It was exhibited in X-Field Archive (also co-curated by the researcher), the final iteration of an international travelling exhibition that began in Melbourne in 2010 and went to Seoul, Beijing and Taipei. Black was one of six Melbourne practitioners included in the show. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: In response to the curatorial theme "Preparing the Ground", the exhibit focussed upon the "carved ground" of the site. This concept brings a building into relationship with its site - so that external and internal environments form an integral whole. A series of new levels, terraces, spaces and edges were defined and then echoed in the crafting of the volume of the house and studio. This process was reflected in the photographs and a drawing included in the exhibition. This work extends the knowledge of a site-based approach to making architecture and deals with issues of sustainability and regimes of care. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: 'Carved ground' was part of an international touring show funded by the Victorian State Government (via Victorian Endowment for Science, Knowledge and Innovation), the Australia Korea Foundation and RMIT. This final iteration was staged at Pin-Up, a gallery funded by local government (City of Yarra) and commerical sponsors. A further example of peer review and esteem is that the 'Carved ground' house and studio work has been a component in public lectures in Australia and overseas. It has been discussed on ABC Radio National 'The Architect-Designed House, 31 Dec 2012 http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/architects/architect-designed-house/4428130. It has also lead to other commissions in Castlemaine and Bullarto South.