Glenorchy Art and Sculpture park prefers to use the abbreviation GASP as its name! The exclamation mark is not present here at all by chance: the word “gasp” can also be translated from English as “ah!”, And the park, which stretches on the banks of the picturesque Elvik Bay, near the mouth of the Derwent River, is simply bound to surprise its visitors. Numerous installations and performances are constantly replacing each other, and the walking route, the right to design which Room 11 received in 2010 as a result of a closed architectural competition, is designed to create several universal venues for them.
The tourist route project is being implemented in several stages. Its first stage, commissioned back in 2011, provided for the creation of pedestrian paths proper - a 3 km long promenade with several stops in the form of comfortable recreation areas and viewing platforms. In plan, this structure has the shape of a smooth arc repeating the shape of the bay. And the ruggedness of its coastline forced the architects to "assemble" the route not only from paths, but also from bridges raised above the water on thin steel supports. And if the paths are floorings of unpainted wood, then the railings of the bridges are made of narrow slats of all colors of the rainbow.
The walls of the visitors' pavilions are decorated with the same slats, however, the palette of the latter is much more restrained: according to the architects, nothing should distract visitors from contemplating the works of modern art, as well as the landscape and numerous birds living in these parts. The promenade also has an important social role: it made it possible to connect the playground, school and rowing club located on the long coast.
The second stage of the project was the construction of another pavilion, this time made of glass and concrete. It is located at the tip of a promontory and serves as the terminus of a 3 km route. Like other structures in the park, this pavilion is designed for meditation and admiring nature. That is why Room 11 opted for a laconic modernist style, constructing the building as a giant screen, images on which are "broadcast" by nature itself. The only thing that the architects complement the beauty of the landscape is with a variety of illumination, which can be yellow, orange or even scarlet, likening the building to a lighthouse that will help you not get lost among the works of modern art.
