Leighton Beach will become a design hub on Tuesday (May 5) when Architecture and Landscape Architecture students from The University of Western Australia build a variety of three-dimensional sand structures which will later be judged.

The students' brief is to create spatial units that must be functional. A person should be able to stand, sit and lie down in the finished structure. The formations should be spatially defined, with clearly distinguished inside and outside areas, and students are encouraged to consider how these 'spatial hierarchies' are achieved and how they interact. This design task should also take into account each structure’s contours and relationship to light.

"Sand has a unique quality and texture that offers students the potential to create something unique but can also be challenging to work with," said Dr Ursa Rosner, senior lecturer in UWA’s School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts.

"The students’ completed structures are sure to take on an interesting variety of shapes and forms and a jury will determine their ability to manipulate sand and space."

The public are invited to watch the students in action.

Media references

Angela Reimers (ALVA Marketing Manager) (+61 8) 6488 1859
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716