There were certainly naysayers aplenty when it opened 20 years ago, but Federation Square has become one of Melbourne's most successful public spaces. Crowds gather to watch the tennis on the big screen during the Australian Open; arty types explore giant glowing installations when they pop up; and people often meet on the steps, using the space as a convenient jumping-off point from which to venture out into the wider city.
Fed Square is now after a new way to innovate in the space, and there's cash going for anyone who can come up with a cool project. The project is called the Experience Lab, and it's an incubator for individuals or groups to develop interesting, site-specific experiences to transform Fed Square. The Experience Lab is being run by some pretty brilliant people, the Experience Consortium. They are: Remix Summits co-founder Peter Tullin, Immersive Cinema co-founder and Secret Squirrel Productions founder (and Time Out Future Shaper!) Tamasein Holyman, and Grumpy Sailor founder James Boyce. They are experts in the field of immersive experience, and they are helping Federation Square to find three creative types who will reimagine the space. Each of the three individuals or groups will be given $10,000 to bring their vision to life, and they'll be given coaching and help from the Experience Lab to turn it into a reality.
If you're interested in transforming Federation Square and getting your idea off the ground, head to Fed Square's website.