Air Travel Congestion

The airspace between Syndey and Melbourne is the 4th Busiest in the world.
Why?

Well i guess that is explained by the lack of dominant city within Australia, given Canberra, the administrative city, being completely planned in the not so historical past.
As such the competition between the cities is continuing to fight for economic development and investment.
Many companies have multiple offices in each city, and commercial trading is often done between states, and as such has contributed to the massive amounts of air travel between the two.

Network

Presence

Typology

Mobility

Infrastructure

High Speed Rail in Australia

Mobility

The above page was a relfection during class of WHAT IS MOBILE?

We focused as a group on mobility of of a place as opposed to a space. That is, the extension of an atmoshpere or a feeling.
Mobile homes for example. They move a sense of place or belonging. You feel comfortable in that space because it is familiar and it is where you would live more of your life for an extended period. In comparison, the difference between a mobile home or motor home and a tent is that a tent, (assuming that you don't normally live in a tent) can never replace the spaces and the feelings that you get from a more solid dwelling, mobile or not. This begs the question, can you really transport an atmoshpere?

With regards to parliamentary services, the biggest issue that we arrived at was that parliament is segregated from society. There is an 'us' and 'them' mentality which for our so called democratic process shouldn't actually exist. Why is it that Members of Parliament are people segregated from the rest of us?
Obviously they have added responsibility in addition to the general public, however they are elected members of our own communities, whose job is advocate for us on our behalf the rest of the Parliament. Why are they so inaccessible and unapproachable?

Planes Vs High Speed Trains

http://architypereview.com/17-train-stations/iconic_projects

What makes something iconic?
When it comes to political buildings, they all want to be iconic/ imposing.
They want to create an artificial brilliance, a flair and zing. They want to humble you and be awe struck in their might and achievement ...
Oh sorry, i was talking about governments, not buildings.

The point is, architecture seems to be used as propaganda. The nazi regime redeveloped an entire strip and filled it with imposing neo-classicial architectural examples, doric columns and giant over scaled stone facades - All to show the power and might of its regime.

The Soviets themselves have developed a number of administrative buildings that take centre stage in city plans. Avenues are broadened to create vistas and sweeping views of a grand building, giving the impression that they watch over all. Likely to deter any form of uprising against the regime which unfortunately for them, didn't turn out so successful.
A bit like Lord of the Rings? The watchful tower that can see everything. You live in fear of secrets being outed.

The point is, with development of political agendas and vehicles of information, how relevant will parliament buildings be in the future?
What if another type of building or infrastructure was representative of the parliament institution?

Mobility of an idea

Extending the idea of mobility, I can't help but consider the idea of the importance of staying 'connected'. Updating your facebook status is second nature now. I am not sure how many posts I have seen about someone 'checking in' and telling me their intimate details and locations.
Everyone is going mobile and wireless. We have access to everything right from our smart phones, we can access files in a 'cloud' in the sense that everything is online and accessable to us at our fingertips. While is is broaching virtual, and the sense of non-physical, it seems that everything is only worth having if you can pick it up and move it. Society is fickle.

Anyway, Not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, but staying connected is forming an integral part of our own self worth. I have withdrawals simply from not being able to check my facebook or read emails if I don't have reception. It has essentially become an addiction - on top of that, I rarely read emails on my computer. There is something so much more convenient if it just 'slots' into your daily life in the background. It's a bit like air. It only really matters to you when you're not getting it!