The Melbourne Monolith
Really excited to be part of the 2019 Melbourne Design Week exhibiting at Melbourne:Megacity? down at Budd St Gallery, Collingwood, Melbourne.
Similar to many of the other exhibited works, this is a speculative piece on the future of Melbourne's urban condition. I'll let the exhibition text explain:
For more than two decades the Australian Federal Government has been looking for a single place to store its radioactive waste. Currently the government stores this material in over 100 locations around the country and a centralised facility is intended to improve it’s security and management. Most of this low and intermediate level radioactive material is created in major Australian cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane - for government run or affiliated medical and research activities. As our major conurbations transform into mega-cities and institutions expand their medical and research capabilities we are set to produce even more radioactive waste in the future.
From nearly 30 proposed site, to date, the government is considering three possible locations in South Australia - Barndioota, Kimba and Hawker - for the future storage facility. Concurrently, our office is engaged by the Australian Nuclear Storage and Management Department (ANSMD) to research the feasibility for a fourth potential site in Melbourne’s CBD.
The Melbourne Monolith is a 300m tall concrete structure located within the city and is designed to house Australia’s low to medium grade radioactive material for the next 15 generations. This type of waste usually loses its radioactivity within 300 years. Considering this, the Melbourne Monolith is seen as a multi-generational project more safely managed within the confines of the city rather than its periphery.
As Melbourne transforms into a mega-city - from 5 million to 10 million people over the next 50 years - the storage facility is designed to manage 250,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste (around 100 Olympic size swimming pools). The project will create over 1000 new jobs. By being the centrally located the facility will have greater access to the city’s talent pool ensuring it’s security and longevity through the future centuries.
 |
| Twilight over Northcote Hill looking back towards the Monolith. |
Similar to many of the other exhibited works, this is a speculative piece on the future of Melbourne's urban condition. I'll let the exhibition text explain:
For more than two decades the Australian Federal Government has been looking for a single place to store its radioactive waste. Currently the government stores this material in over 100 locations around the country and a centralised facility is intended to improve it’s security and management. Most of this low and intermediate level radioactive material is created in major Australian cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane - for government run or affiliated medical and research activities. As our major conurbations transform into mega-cities and institutions expand their medical and research capabilities we are set to produce even more radioactive waste in the future.
From nearly 30 proposed site, to date, the government is considering three possible locations in South Australia - Barndioota, Kimba and Hawker - for the future storage facility. Concurrently, our office is engaged by the Australian Nuclear Storage and Management Department (ANSMD) to research the feasibility for a fourth potential site in Melbourne’s CBD.
The Melbourne Monolith is a 300m tall concrete structure located within the city and is designed to house Australia’s low to medium grade radioactive material for the next 15 generations. This type of waste usually loses its radioactivity within 300 years. Considering this, the Melbourne Monolith is seen as a multi-generational project more safely managed within the confines of the city rather than its periphery.
As Melbourne transforms into a mega-city - from 5 million to 10 million people over the next 50 years - the storage facility is designed to manage 250,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste (around 100 Olympic size swimming pools). The project will create over 1000 new jobs. By being the centrally located the facility will have greater access to the city’s talent pool ensuring it’s security and longevity through the future centuries.
 |
| The Elizabeth St worker’s entrance. |
 |
| Exhibition Poster |
Comments
Post a Comment