The Tinder Box

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Research Background: The Tinder Box was a speculative design project produced in response to an open ideas competition for an extension to the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense, Denmark. The project investigated design technique, specifically the use of literary narrative structures as a design generator and the relationship between built form and cultural identity. The project draws upon the work of Melbourne practices such as Ashton Raggatt McDougall, Edmond & Corrigan and Dr. Michael Spooner in the use of narrative and urban iconography in the design of architecture. Research Contribution: The Tinderbox contributes a set of ideas around the role of the museum as a component of the contemporary city. The museum is often considered to be either a mute 'container' of information, or more recently commodified as a form of advertisement for a city. The design seeks to develop the medium of architecture itself as a material archive of cultural knowledge, and active agent in the life of the city. This is tested through via a number of approaches. Firstly, through the translation of literary references (Hans Christian Andersen's Fairytales) into structures that organise the planning of the building and fossilise the literary culture of the city in the architectural material; Secondly, through the sampling and reorganisation of the built forms of the surrounding city in Odense, and finally through the contribution of a new public space that is interwoven through the proposal. Research Significance: The design was awarded both the prize for unbuilt work, and the Architeam medal at the 2014 Architeam awards. The judges were Shelley Penn, Des Smith and Paul McGillick. Architeam is Australia's largest organisation of small architecture practices. The project was peer reviewed in World Architecture News (Subterranean Addition to Hans Christian Andersen Museum Submits to Architeam Awards, 7 November 2014).