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Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Rare insights into the demolition of the iconic Perth Entertainment Centre and intriguing ideas behind the futuristic design of new Perth Arena are revealed in an impressive exhibition at the Australian Urban Design Research Centre - affiliated with The University of Western Australia - opening in Perth on Friday (November 2).

In My Beginning is My End explores the strikingly-shaped new venue's design secrets and celebrates the legacy of its much-loved predecessor, which for 28 years enthralled Perth audiences with hundreds of superb performances - from Disney On Ice to KISS - by some of the world's greatest acts.

The new AUDRC exhibition in central Perth features photographs, video, animation, drawings and sculptural constructions that combine the talents of UWA Associate Professor Jon Tarry - a renowned WA artist - with Australia's most inventive and controversial architects - ARM Architecture - and joint venture partners Cameron Chisholm & Nicol.

"Ask people in the street about the Perth Entertainment Centre and many will have a story to tell about their first concerts, bands that influenced them and dates that marked their lives," Associate Professor Tarry said.  " In My Beginning is My End explores the contradictions of people, associations and memories embedded in this public space."

ARM and CCN were inspired by WA's oldest surviving public building - Fremantle's 1830 Round House - to combine local and global themes of ‘impossible' puzzles, spatial projections, iconic WA figures and the vision of a modern Renaissance city to embed the concept of grand performance and spectacle into the world-class design and construction of new Perth Arena.

Building on the 12-sided (dodecagon) shape of the Round House and UK Lord Christopher Monckton's best-selling 1999 near-dodecagonal ‘Eternity' mathematical puzzle, the Arena addresses its urban context from every angle, both for spectators on the street and the visitors gazing out on the city.

"This distinctive building is a new urban marker that will make a defining contribution to the emerging identity of Perth as a changing city," internationally renowned architect UWA Winthrop Professor Geoffrey London said.

In My Beginning is My End runs 10am-5pm weekdays throughout November at the AUDRC, Level 2, 1002 Hay Street (near Elder Street), Perth, and is also open 10am-5pm this weekend (November 3-4) as part of Open House Perth which enables people to explore buildings and spaces normally closed to the public.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Richard Weller (Director, AUDRC )  (+61 8)  6318 6205
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783

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