[re]establishing forgotten sites
EXPLORING THE SEATING
The height of the Ballroom was in the 1950s/60s. I began to look at the dance moves that were popular during that time in hopes to begin to understand the history of site further.
Stills of Earl Barton and Lisa Gaye dancing
Sam Katzman, Robert Kent, Fred Sears. 1956. Rock Around the Clock, movie.
How can I apply these movements to something so mundane as seating?
Initially when I began to consider the seating I thought the window adjacent space would be perfect for a high bar table to overlook the views of the station and Flinders Street. However, when putting it into an elevation the bar would need to sit across the window to be at the right height. Bench seating would fit perfectly below the windows and allow for minimal interruption to the physical structure of site.
Elevation illustration of high bar tables within the Ballroom
Elevation illustration of bench seating and lower tables in the Ballroom
Took the standard shape of a chair and altered it to mimic the shapes made when doing a 1950s dance.
Although the outcome is impractical for everyday use within a bar / restaurant setting, this task is an interesting method which connects the history of the Ballroom to the necessary elements of the program. Ultimately, the mundane seating become elevated by the intricate shapes.
Realistically, this is what the bar might begin to look like with the seating around the windows.
Perspective collage of how the seating may begin to look within the Ballroom