Blue Bower is a temporary pavilion – an urban refuge prototype – designed in response to the challenges posed by the (post)pandemic city. The Blue Bower concept was selected via competition from entries by 42 world-leading architecture schools and built at the 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism (SBAU), ‘Building the Resilient City.’
The pavilion takes its name from the Australian satin bowerbird, which builds its nest from pieces of blue detritus – from pen lids to clothes pegs. Its vibrant monochrome palette also reflects the ‘Blue City’ of Seoul. Inspired by the potential of cultural appropriation via this symbolic colour, the design sought opportunities to engage meaning through materiality across the Asia Pacific region.
Designed by Phorm architecture + design with Silvia Micheli and Antony Moulis, with the support of a UQ team and industry partners, Blue Bower was on display as part of the SBAU public exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. It was awarded the Crossroads X Prize by Seoul Biennale curator, Dominique Perrault, in recognition of “the project’s profound inspiration and high artistic quality during the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2021.”
Built in Brisbane in the context of the 2022 Asia Pacific Architecture Festival, Blue Bower received a Commendation for Small Project Architecture in the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects Queensland State Architecture Awards. It was acknowledged for its “lightweight, low cost, and transportable prefabrication techniques, challenging public notions of refuge and resilience in the urban context.”
It was also awarded the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects Greater Brisbane Region Commendation for Small Project Architecture, recognised as “a remarkable project that effectively combines architectural design research with innovative use of materials and colour. The project is a testament to the effective collaboration between academia, architectural professionals, and industry partners.”
Blue Bower is the result of a larger design research project on urban resilience coordinated by Dr Silvia Micheli with her UQ team upon invitation to the 2020 Global Studios initiative curated by Archiworkshop at SBAU. It celebrates the convergence of Australian professional architectural expertise, national and international industry partners and academic research and educators in the global design scene.
Blue Bower – The Autonomous Edge
Blue Bower – 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism
| Project coordinator | Dr Silvia Micheli |
| Core design team | Paul Hotston Nicola White Dr Silvia Micheli Associate Professor Antony Moulis |
| Architectural attribution | Phorm architecture + design with Silvia Micheli and Antony Moulis |
| UQ team | Dr Silvia Micheli Associate Professor Antony Moulis Lily Parsons Lara Rann Jesse Grant Hudson Smith Ketki Mahadik Lisa Hinchy Sophia Fu Ivan Ling Daniel Giorgi William Hickman Sam Butler Sonya Brown |
| Phorm architecture + design team | Paul Hotston Nicola White Hudson Smith Cameron Changuion Alice Langholt |
| Industry partners | Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism Archiworkshop, Seoul Hanyang University, School of Architecture PRAUD Architecture, Seoul Asia Pacific Architecture Festival Phorm architecture + design Superstructure Australian Embassy of Korea Trade Investment Queensland BlueScope |
| Awards | Crossroads X Prize, 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism Commendation for Small Project Architecture, 2023 Queensland State Architecture Awards, Australian Institute of Architects Commendation for Small Project Architecture, 2023 Greater Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards, Australian Institute of Architects |