Scoping Melbourne: Lincoln Square

Lincoln Square is situated off Swanston Street in the the City of Melbourne between Queensberry and Gratton Streets, Carlton. The location is close to Melbourne's CBD, University of Melbourne and Carlton cultural district.

The square's $800,000 refurbishment in 2004 included landscaping of the gardens, new lighting and a childrens' playground.



The Victorian State Government contributed more than $120,00 towards the Bali Bombing victim memorial to be situated on the Lincoln Square site at the same time as the planned refurbishment. The site was selected by the Bali Bombing survivors and victims' families. The site was specifically selected because it is near youth precincts (e.g. University of Melbourne campus) and not near any War Memorials.


The design was intended to reflect things that the survivors and victims’ families thought were important including water, sunshine and brightness; the full names of those who lost their lives; a factual account of the bombing, and an acknowledgment of others affected by the tragedy.



The memorial is an excellent example of a "counter-monument" that focuses on a pluralistic culture of remembrance, devoid of political or social dimensions, focused on victims that has evolved since the 1970s as opposed to previous patriotic and heroic memorial monuments.

This is demonstrated through the underpinning intentions of the monument but also the design itself which is low to the ground and devoid of any traditionally "monumental" edifices through decoration or literal placements on pedestals.


Like many contemporary monuments it focuses on the shadowy side of history and the use of hardy but sombre materials such as concrete and granite reinforce this.


We visited the site on a Sunday and the only people really in the area were a group of young skateboarders who were using the memorial to practice their tricks. Even though there were signs prohibiting skateboarding given the emphasis of the survivors and victims' families on "youth" being an element of the memorial their presence and use of the site somehow didn't seem inappropriate.



References:
Melbourne City Council, Media Release, 30th September 2004
Van Vree, Frank Open 2004,#7, (No) Memory, NAI Publishers, Rotterdam