Media Architecture in Knowledge and Innovation Districts: Designing a Canvas for Research, Culture and Collaboration

Emerging economic and demographic trends stimulate universities across the globe to promote better connections with industry, governments and communities. By clustering within Knowledge and Innovation Districts (KID), they are able to respond more quickly to societal and scientific challenges. Architecture is crucial in driving their success by providing spaces that encourage convergence, connectivity and proximity. In this paper, we report on the design process of a media façade for a new KID within Melbourne Innovation Districts. We analyze our process through the lens of client and design team, and illustrate how vision and motivation translate into tangible design outcomes. Our insights reveal interesting future directions for media architecture practice and research, by way of (1) its synergies with KIDs, (2) evaluating the success of noncommercial media architecture, and (3) the opportunities for media architects as experts that coordinate media architecture projects from conception to delivery.