Concrete Playground

Once again the City of Sydney is transforming, well, the
city of Sydney, with its public art program Art&About. While there are
many pretty things lining the more conspicuous promenades, it’s down the
laneways where the – dare I say it? – more interesting things are happening.

Now in the second year of its most recent incarnation, the
2009 Laneways: By George! program is set to stimulate a rethink of what, in this
fun-crushing age of public liability, we can do with public space in this city.

For four months you can visit a 7 metre bar that responds to visiting crowds with the force of
virtual weather, get lost in an Infinity Forest (think Yayoi Kusama but outside with trees), or
maybe just unwind in a planter box.

Neeson Murcott Architects, Chalk Horse and Freehills, gave
me a little insight into the impetus behind their installation in Tankstream
Way, PS: Potential Spaces:

"We can and should make the streets whatever they have the potential to be," they said. "The laneway does not have to be a dark and lifeless passageway and we hope this project will encourage people to use and enjoy the spaces of their city more - to see the potential of the public realm rather than to shy away from it."

While their
project has some serious undertones, it promises to enliven the laneway in a
slightly less than serious way. Go play.