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University of Adelaide

Unlocking Physical Spaces

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This research examines how an architect might contribute to the social and public dimensions of contemporary Australian cities through small-scale, low-tech, object-based interventions. Employing a research-by-design methodology, original interventions that invigorate everyday, abandoned and overlooked city spaces are created and interrogated. The unlocking of behaviours and corresponding explosions of social activity reveal a latent public potential, suggesting an untapped spatial determinism. Intervention sites are conceptualised as ‘micropia’ which are anomalous yet beneficial ruptures in the urban fabric that emerge from an organic engagement with everyday life. These ‘micropia’ put into question ‘grand designs’ devised and imposed from the preserve of a detached professionalism.

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Le Messurier, Richard Joseph
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • Worrall, Julian
  • Bette, Urs

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/2440/136732
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:digital.library.adelaide.edu.au:2440/136732

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Adelaide
Base URL
digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Le Messurier, Richard Joseph. Unlocking Physical Spaces. 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/2440/136732