The Meet: Facilitator of Experimentation and Failed Inventions

The meet presents an opportunity to provide a place of gathering for the local artisan culture in Carrington to engage with the greater Newcastle community. Derived from a lack of common meeting space for local traders to connect with the greater community a program was created to accommodate for the mixed scaled production levels of Carrington’s artisan culture. This includes both heavy industrial “macro” scale types in contrast with artisanal making culture, or the “micro” type. The proposed catalyst point to facilitate this opportunity is located at the junction of Young Street and South Cowper street on a vacant infill site.

As a facilitator for experimentation, the meet is a model for integrating the boundaries of working, living and trading allowing for the collaboration between the solo worker, local trader and also heavy industrial makers and distributers. All materials produced on site are used on site. The artistry of ceramic process and making of craft has been used as a precedent for materiality of structure and catalyst for collaboration on site, prompting the collection and display of artefacts and building products crafted.

The building program focuses on the podium level for interaction between community and residents. With three points of access and address onto site, each individual’s experience of arrival to the gathering space is dependent upon the contrast of intimate and production level scales. This allows the activities within the podium to spill onto the street and activating Young street. Further, the design allows for the progression of the public through the core to the live/work spaces facilitating interaction and trade amongst Novocastrians at both public and private levels