“The three winning projects are The Architecture Drawing Project, by Bryon Kinnaird and Barnaby Bennett from Victoria University Wellington – a project exploring the different modes of architectural drawing; (in)human habitat, by James Gardiner, RMIT (SIAL) PhD candidate – a proposal that looks at using the built environment to preserve ecological habitats; and CityBreeder, by David Pigram and Iain Maxwell, Canberra University and GSAPP Columbia/AA London graduates – a propsal that reshapes the urban design model as an open-source, real-time interactive platform capable of adaptive growth.”

After two succesful Volumes of Freerange Magazine (Vol.1 and Vol.2 for free download) we are now inviting people to submit ideas for the next volume.  Freerange is changing its format slightly this year and will roll out 2-3 purely online smaller 20-30 page issues, which will culminate in a print version at the years end.   Have a read of the starting text below and see where that leads you…

The stories of our fore-bearers, our wise and brutal ancestors, tell us tales of events long before we laid our bare feet upon the earth. Folklore, mythology and religion reveal brilliant forces of light and dark, played out by a myriad of colourful characters.

There are a number of archetypal roles that link our own short lives to the activities of the gods, including that of the ‘trickster’. Many cultures have a central character that is an anthropomorphic animal or semi-divine demi-god, a mischievous rule breaker, artful swindler or independent outlaw. This character held an important purpose; to push accepted boundaries, to enter realms others were afraid of, to stir the waters, provoke thought and discussion, to speak truth to power.

The trickster is the court jester, the archetypal joker in the pack, the coyote, the neutral angel, the benevolent pirate. Although the trickster may cause collateral damage along their way, the change they create builds resilience and opens opportunities in the face of the inevitable pressures that this world inflicts.

But does the trickster exist today? If so, what roles do they play in modern societies? Are they the protesters, dissidents, radicals and revolutionists who challenge our systems of power, governments and ideologies? Or are they trouble-making drop outs who have nothing better to do but create societal discord? Can the trickster be found in the social entrepreneurs, the hopeful musicians, or urban artists? Maybe God is dead, but has capitalism now killed the trickster?

Submissions of interest are due on the last day of march.  Thats the 31st.

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More news to come soon, we are re-jigging the format of freerange in 2010 so it will be more frequent and more responsive.

HAPPY READING!