Statement

The way parliament works in Australia, citizens voting for Members and representatives who then work in the two chambers of parliament, results in citizens often feeling left out of the policy making process and unable to associate the process with their idea of an Australian identity. The design of parliament house accentuates this problem, citizens are given access to the building and are able to glimpse the workings of parliament, but are not able to interact in the workings of parliament. It has been shown that active citizen participation results in a greater understanding of policy and a sense of shared identity. As much of the work of the parliament is done by committees, a solution which allows citizens and committees to interact together could help solve this problem. In a third house of parliament there will be a better interface between parliamentarians and the people. This third house of parliament will still allow citizens to visit parliament house, but will also allow them to participate in the process of policy making and investigation.

This new third chamber will need a new space that plugs into parliament house. The existing parliamentary infrastructure is static but can be used as a good base for an adaptive design. The existing transport, communication and spatial infrastructure around Parliament House can be used to support an adaptive structure site above parliament house. This in turn could support the new third space. This means that the new infrastructure does not replace the existing but augments it to produce an adaptive Parliamentary building. This adaptive structure can not only be used to structurally support a flexible design space but will also help service parliament house as it changes according to future need.

This new space could be called a Combined Public and Committee Chamber.  It will help to bring together all the members involved in parliamentary committees and the concerned public.

The adaptive structure over parliament house adds a wedge into the triangle of the parliamentary zone, symbolising the inclusion of citizens into the democratic process. This structure retains the ability for citizens to walk over the top of parliament, meaning politicians will still not be able to look down on the public. Allowing politicians and citizens to work together in the same space symbolises Australia’s classless society. An overpowering structure would be symbolically undemocratic, instead this structure will sit lightly above the existing parliament and a grid like structure will allow it to be see-through.