A stunning glimpse of what visitors will find in the Australian Pavilion at 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Heading up the Australian Pavilion’s creative team is photographer John Gollings and architect Ivan Rijavec.

Together Gollings and Rijavec have created ‘Now + When Australian Urbanism’, an exhibition which highlights three of Australia’s most interesting urban regions: Sydney, Melbourne and Surfers Paradise.

Juxtaposing the Now against the When, the team have put their skills to good use. Gollings uses stereoscopic photography (that is, three-dimensional imagery) to capture the brilliance and booming lifestyles of each city – all taken while leaning out of a helicopter!

He then ventures into the Australian outback to photograph some of the world’s biggest mining holes, which represent a very “uncity” side to Australia.

Viewing these through the multi-dimensional lenses of 3-D glasses, the viewer is struck by the glitz of Australia’s cities, and the raw and inhospitable conditions of its outback origins.

Gollings likens this 3-D viewing experience to watching a movie. “For quick understanding, imagine the Avatar of urban design,” he says.

Representing the When is 17 proposals, selected by Rijavec and Gollings to represent a vision for Australia’s urban centres in the century to come. These, too, will be shown through stereoscopic images.

“The overarching message of the Venice Biennale exhibition is that Australian identity has gone ‘walkabout’, it has come out of the bush and bedded down in our urban centres,” says Rijavec.

Australian Institute of Architects
architecture.com.au

Venice Architecture Biennale
labiennale.org/en/architecture/

Melbourne ’Now’ by John Gollings

Multiplicty by John Wardle Architects & Stefano Boscutti

Mountwhale Back, WA ’Now’ by John Gollings

Survival vs Resiliance – A collaboration between BKK Architects, Village Well, Charter Keck Cramer and Daniel Piker

Sydney ’Now’ by John Goliings

 Fear Free City ’When’ by Justyna Karakiewicz, Tom Kvan & Steve Hatzellis

Kalgoorlie, WA ’Now’ by John Gollings

 A Tale of Two Cities ’When’ by Billard Leece Partnership Pty Ltd

Gold Coast ’Now’ by John Gollings

Oceanic City ’When’ by Arup

City of Hope ’When’ by Edmond & Corrigan