TEACHING  
Undergraduate Tutor

2023
University of Newcastle
School of Architecture + Built Environment

The modern world is facing an urgent issue.

As such, water is at the heart of the composition of Ode to Water both physically and metaphorically. The cycle of water and all its forms is fundamental for various functions for all life forms.

Ode to Water also reimagines the characteristics of a city where like historical cities, natural riches and related practices are brought into the modern landscape.

Apart from its roles in supporting life, water withholds significance in lifestyles, value systems, traditions and beliefs. Since ancient times, water has played an important function in connecting the city as almost all cultures have developed around water bodies. Relationships and understanding are configured through a mutual experience of bathing as analysed in the Roman Andrea Palladio baths and Newcastle's long culture of bathing alike.

The interconnected pools as part of leisure in Ode to Water provide various water treatments assisting the celebration of water as the center of life. The baths permeate and redefine a culture of retreat and a place for meeting into the modern world. Ode to Water dedicates itself to reimagining the cultural value of water for the Newcastle community and encouraging the existing bathing culture present today.


Ode to Water. Ava Gleeson, Veruska Cediel Rodrigues, Brad Witham, Thando Landa, Josh Medbury (2023)


















Paula Birch

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About

Paula’s creative experience is cross-channel. She has immersed herself in creative arts and architecture for two decades. Her practice, teaching, learning, research and exhibiting across these fields equip her for critical thinking.
 

Current

In recent years, Paula’s interest has focused on researching emerging radical pedagogical methodologies and the convergence of architecture with blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and sampling.