Meeting of the minds: Martha Schwartz and Deakin University’s Hisham Elkadi outside Geelong City Hall on Wednesday. Picture:
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
AN ICON for Geelong is a good idea, according to a visiting Harvard architecture professor.
Martha Schwartz, who is also the principal of an international landscape architecture practice, said Geelong needed to find its own identity.
“Geelong should aspire to be distinctive,” Ms Schwartz said.
“An icon for Geelong is a good idea but you need to take your time over it.
“It must be something that really represents the city and makes the city distinct.
“Many cities are trying to find their identity, so you need to find something that is compelling; something compelling enough to make people willing to go on a plane to see it.”
Ms Schwartz said an icon could become a key to branding and marketing Geelong.
“But it has to be blue chip, not a second-rate icon.”
Ms Schwartz believed raising the confidence and pride of the city and its citizens was important.
She went on a walking tour of central Geelong and will participate in a workshop to assist with the a Vision II project to revitalise the area.
Ms Schwartz said Geelong had many natural advantages but had to find ways of making the most of them.
Ms Schwartz was in Geelong to speak at an architecture conference at Deakin University.
The city’s Icon for Geelong competition carries a $10,000 cash prize from Senia Lawyers. The competition seeks a design for a landmark of artistic merit to raise Geelong’s profile around the world.
Entries close January 28.
A design brief is available via geelongindependent.com.au/iconbrief, although entrants are free to use their imaginations in terms of design and location.
Where to send entries
Post: Icon for Geelong, PO
Box 407, Geelong, 3220.
Email: icon@geelongindepen-
dent.com.au.
