Brisbane, QLD


Monday, April 5, 2010

They Looked Like Steamers

On our walk around the city on the weekend we came to Brisbane Square. I smiled to see two tourists standing in the shade of the sign. They must be from a cold country because it really wasn't hot for us. It has cooled down to 27C/80F.

The building below houses City Council offices. It is a 5 star green building. It uses water from the river for its cooling system, it has rain water tanks and sterilises sewage, bringing down its water usage by 75%. It used recycled materials in the building  and saves power. It offers more bicycle parking and less car parking in an attempt to keep cars out of the city. It filters pollution from the air inside the offices. 
It towers into the sky but in the square itself there is an unusual sculpture, it comprises of 15 metal spheres scattered throughout the square. Can you see two above and three in the first photo?

Here are more

Tourists have photos taken with them.

Kids like to climb them.


Funny what you find behind them.

I thought that they looked like veggie steamers and blow me down they are! When I looked up info on them I found that there are 7000 steamers and 780 steel plates in the collection. It is called Steam Spheres by Donna Marcus and she made them in 2006. She is renowned for making sculptures using discarded aluminium kitchenware.

 To decide where to place them Donna made a scaled down version of the spheres and threw them across Brisbane Square, where they landed is where they were placed. (That's  random disbursement) 
The beautiful old building across the road is the Casino but it used to be the old Treasury Building.

16 comments:

  1. That would be me in the shade! I like the spheres - familiar things in an unfamiliar setting.

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  2. This building is an example ! and the balls really original ! what a creative idea to make them with steamers, lol ! and they even look nice !

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  3. Gorgeous Diane... Your city is so modern and so beautiful... You could have shown that close up picture of the metal spheres as a "WHat is this?" photo--and none of us would have ever known!!!!

    Thanks for sharing your city.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. More bicycle parking is a welcome change. I love those sculptures.

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  5. So where have my other comments gone...Blogger?

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  6. The spheres gobbled them up - Pac Man style!

    Fascinating scultures there Diane - they are just so tactile.

    In fact Brissy looks like a wonderful spot to explore - even though I've been thru there, I've never stopped in the CBD - always en-route to somewhere near there.

    Must put it on my list to visit, after Norway (Jez's choice)!

    Cheers,

    Cindy

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  7. That is just FUN! I love it. Everyone seems to be having a great time. Great way to bring art to everybody.

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  8. What an amazing building the green building is. And the spheres are brilliant pieces of art. Thanks for sharing. PS I'm glad it's cooled down for you-all.

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  9. Vegetable steamers! Now that is an amazing piece of art.

    Maybe the visitors just needed some shade from the sun.

    I miss the sun.. I wish it would return.

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

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  10. Hi Diane! Love the spheres... But the idea that it is cooling down at 27º is amazing... Like some Brazilian friends who think that + 17º C is terribly cold... ;))

    Blogtrotter Two is having a MED break. Enjoy and have a great week!!

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  11. I thought they were kitchen items, also, but I didn't come up with steamers. Treasury to Casino, that gave me a laugh!

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  12. These photos are great Diane, I particularly enjoyed the one of the spheres. It was 90 deg F here today. Couldn't believe it.

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  13. Wonderful green buildings and fun art!! Yes, 80 is hot enough for me, and I would be dressed in cool clothing. (Although it does get much hotter and oh so humid here in the summers.... I wilt in the summer! Show me a swimming pool please! )

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  14. Thanks blogger my comments have come back. The pac man sphere's must have spat them out.

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  15. Thanks for letting me walk along with you for a while. I enjoyed the trip.

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