STEAMWORKS

"The adaptive reuse of the Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot as a museum and library provides the unique opportunity to emphasise and utilise circular planning and kinetic operations as an architectural solution. The synthesis of conceptual similarities between industrial and indigenous histories stimulated a response reflective of place (turntables + yarning circles), nature (track ballast + native plants) and ether (industrial steam + ceremonial smoke). The new roundhouse juxtaposes the surviving heritage-protected asset as an outwardly expressive arrangement of structure, material and function with the layered parti reminiscent of growth rings within a tree. Inspired by the works of James Turrell and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, elements of Light and Atmosphere are played with to create a sense of spectacle from the old world."