Three key institutions are undertaking a series of transdisciplinary research projects to study The Living Pavilion project through an arts, ecological and Indigenous knowledge lens and evaluate whether a temporary festival can successfully produce a ‘place’.

The Living Pavilion festival is a recyclable, biodegradable, edible and biodiverse temporary event space. The unique design brings together Indigenous knowledge systems, community arts, theatre, sustainable design and ecological science to showcase how transdisciplinary initiatives can sow the seeds of community vitalisation and environmental stewardship.

The project is engaging with a transdisciplinary research design informed by the collaborative efforts of researchers from the THRIVE Hub (Melbourne School of Design), Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub (CAUL) of the National Environmental Science Program and The New Student Precinct (The University of Melbourne).

The research design will be informed by a variety of different social, qualitative and quantitative research methods that will occur before, during and after the festival. These combined methods will accumulate data to feed seven sub-projects, as outlined in the diagram below.

Outcomes

The Living Pavilion research strategy will investigate the success of the project through an assessment of biodiversity, air quality, microclimate, social connection, community typologies & engagement, place-attachment and co-design processes. The sub-projects will also establish whether this temporary festival space can elicit a ‘place’ and contribute to the outcomes of the Rating Place project.

Sub Projects

• Transdisciplinary Research: A collaboration Process
• Influence of a temporary space in long-term design – TLP Legacy
• Influence of a temporary space in social cohesion within a university
• Social and Ecological benefit of bringing nature back into cities
• What is the impact of greening in the local microclimate?
• Enhancing eco-literacy through temporary event space: an evaluation on TLP ability to transfer ecological knowledge to its users.
• Did The Living Pavilion foster understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems (past and present)?
• What is the impact of an arts-science experience on people’s perceptions of urban ecology and the importance of biodiversity in a temporary space
• Action-based learning: The Living Pavilion as a case study for creative placemaking as a pedagogical opportunity