A free exhibition exploring Geelong’s changing industrial identity enters its final week at Deakin’s Waterfront Gallery.
Deakin Library exhibition Industrial / De-Industrial features artefacts from Deakin Library’s Special Collections alongside contemporary creative projects by Deakin’s Architecture Vacancy Lab.
The Architecture Vacancy Lab engages in both traditional and non-traditional research of the gaps in architectural knowledge and practice and the creative and imaginary possibilities of architecture.
The exhibition intermingles historical documents such as real estate posters with stylised maps, dynamic video trainscapes and an interactive 360-degree scans of Little Malop Street showing architectural changes over time.
Industrial / De-Industrial has been showing since late July and closes on Friday, September 17, and Deakin Library Exhibitions Curator Pip Minney encouraged members of the public to experience the exhibition.
“The visual artefacts, photography and architectural plans reveal Geelong’s culture of change as a response to shifting environmental, social and economic contexts,” Ms Minney said.
“We are shown Geelong’s manufacturing and production industries during times of rapidly surging population and consumption growth.
“Real estate posters spruiking the benefits of buying land near industrial sites and smokestacks remind us how working conditions and lifestyles differ from today.
“These works show the research outputs by Deakin’s Architecture Vacancy Lab extends beyond the renewal and reactivation of dis-used spaces into deep engagement with the social and cultural memories embedded within the region’s industrial architecture.”
