The arrangement of the books/lanterns will recall the organization of
texts within the library, the ordering and stacking of books on shelves.
From below café patrons and pedestrians outside will gaze upwards into
the cloud of illuminated pages, that may ripple gently in a summer
breeze. From above, those on the second floor of the library will look down
upon rows of colourful spines, a more abstract invocation of the book.
Formally the work responds to and accentuates the gridded condition
of the café space as it is articulated through the fenestration and panelled
stone aggregate wall. The height of Pukapuka exploits the verticality of the
cafe space, allowing the tall volume to be appreciated.
From the exterior the project will engage with the urban precinct through
its illuminated quality, both day and night. While much illuminated
material in the center city takes the form of advertising, thus
commercializing public space, this project will act as a respite from the
“messages” inherent in that form.
This project is not dogmatic nor explicit, it will engage the public through
a sense of wonder and speculation. Futher, books through their very
nature invoke recording and thus history. These book/lanterns, being
devoid of text, will suggest all possible recordings and histories rather
than specific narratives associated with one group or another.
October 2006, proposal not selected!
