Talking Through Walls
Come the Build Up, it seems like Darwin's architecture ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. An ultra-modern apartment block that shuts its windows to the sea breeze and heats up like a pizza oven, or a 60-year-old house that barely requires air-con.
Architecture graduate Katy Moir is used to the contradictions in our built tropical environment, but rather than lament over what’s wrong with urban architecture, she wants to get people thinking about the whole picture: past, present and future.
Talking Through Walls is an architecture tour that explores all the different buildings that Darwin people call home. It was a hit when it started two years ago and returns this festival with three different tours on offer.
With renewed calls to improve the CBD back on the agenda, Moir’s tour of the city centre will “provide some historical context of what’s happened in the CBD before” and unveil the distinct architectural styles that make up the city.
The first weekend of walking tours are led by Larrakia man Robbie Mills, who will explore the social and historical landmarks of Darwin’s traditional owners.
Moir’s bike tour of Darwin homes is also geared towards locals and visitors alike and will feature apartments as well as houses.
“I’m really keen to show examples of a situation where someone is living in an old, well-designed tropical home without air conditioning and, on the other side of the spectrum, to show people who are living in probably quite modern apartments which are very reliant on air-conditionings,” she says.
See the event listing.
