08:07drivenBridges :: Bridging art and architecture : design meets engineeringDesign :: Innovation nation : Australian Design Awards Destination :: Mountain magic : head for the hills in a 207 GTi

::

As an owner or potential owner of a Peugeot car, we understand that you

are a person that seeks out places, people and products that are beyond the

mainstream – that highlight an intelligent and unique approach to design and

technology where ordinary is not an option.

In recognition of this Peugeot Automobiles Australia produce this quality

magazine three times a year that covers the ideas, inspiration and creations

that drive our society forward.

With a focus on the areas of design, art, food, wine, technology and travel,

Driven tells the stories of the individuals and companies who continually strive

to push the boundaries to create outstanding places, products or works of art.

Peugeot is one such example but there are passionate talented people

from across the spectrum of society whose names are set to, or have already,

become synonymous with innovative ideas, cutting-edge design and

groundbreaking technology.

Discovering what drives these people, is what drives us. [.]

is a magazine about innovation

In A worlD where so Much

Is recycleD, copIeD or

DerIvATIve, orIGInAl IDeAs

AnD InnovATIon BreAThe lIfe

InTo our sIMple exIsTence

::

driven

Driven is published three times a year by Walrus Media for Peugeot Automobiles Australia

PublisherWalrus Media PO Box 663 Elsternwick Victoria 3185Sime Darby Automobiles Australia Pty Ltd t/as Peugeot Automobiles Australia 1 Hill Road Homebush Bay NSW 2140 www.peugeot.com.au

editorialRussell Williamson Walrus Media T 03 9503 5525 E walrusmedia@optusnet.com.au

advertisingWalrus Media T 03 9503 5525 E walrusmedia@optusnet.com.au

designPing Creative E info@pingcreative.com.au

PrintAjith Gomes Offset Alpine Printing T 03 9533 7077 E ajith.gomes@offsetalpine.com.au

subscriPtionSubscriptions are available for $33 inc GST for three issues. Email subscriptions@peugeot.com.au or log onto www.peugeot.com.au, print the form and fax it back to 02 8737 7950

All material in Driven is copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content, the Publisher and Sime Darby Automobiles Australia accept no liability for any errors.

distributionDriven is distributed free to Peugeot owners whilst their car is under warranty and through boutique hotels and exclusive B&Bs selected from Beautiful Accommodation guides. www.beautifulaccommodation.com

: : d r i v e n �

WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER

IN PERFORMANCE DIESEL TECHNOLOGY.

THINGS DON’T LOOK LIKE CHANGING.

PEU6246/DRIVEN

How do you build a diesel engine with genuine motorsport credentials? By testing it on the ultimate racetrack. The same proven technology that goes into the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Le Mans racer can be felt behind the wheel of the 407 Coupé HDi. The sleek and aggressive lines of the 407 Coupé are perfectly complemented by its 2.7-litre V6 twin turbo HDi diesel engine, unleashing an imposing 440Nm of torque. And Peugeot’s pioneering FAP particle fi lter system, found in both the 908 and 407 Coupé HDi, reduces hazardous particle emissions to barely measurable levels. A diesel engine with race winning credentials that cares for the environment. Who would have thought?

peugeot.com.au

PEU6246_275x230_Driven.indd 1 17/8/07 3:05:07 PM

06

The Driver ::

Karinna Gobbo : Designer

08

Ignition ::

Innovations from Peugeot and other cutting edge companies and organisations

14

Design ::

Cool convertible, cosy coupe : from 401 Eclipse to 207 CC

24

Fashion ::

Girls on film : beyond the catwalk

28

Design ::

Innovation Nation : Australian Design Awards

34

Destination ::

Mountain magic : The Buckland Studio Retreat

38

Wine ::

Winter warmers : after dinner dessert

42

Travel ::

France beyond the field : Rugby World Cup 2007

48

Technology ::

The Good Oil : the truth about diesel

52

In-gear ::

Hottest new products

18

Bridges ::

Bridging art and architecture : design, engineering and technology

56

The Navigator ::

Professor Leon van Schaik : Senior Professor of Architecture RMIT

cover SEA CLIFF BRIDGEimage : peter bateman

contents ::

: : d r i v e n �

127_TdH_Driven_FPC 17/8/07 4:45 PM Page 1

inspiration : : ideas : : insight

: : d r i v e n �

since launching my business – a hand-crafted

rug company – a few years ago, I have to stop

and look back at where it all began. life has

been such a whirlwind with so much packed into

a day but it’s this excitement and variety which

really drives me and keeps me motivated.

I’m obsessed with all things beautiful and

unique, particularly textiles, and many of my

days are spent visiting beautiful homes and

commercial interiors. A rug can have such a

huge impact on an environment and there’s

nothing more satisfying than seeing an idea or

concept come to life and the pleasure it brings.

I’m constantly on the look out for new and

emerging trends for my rug company both

in Australia and overseas, and this obsession

sees me traveling to many corners of the world

every year. I have a fascination with different

cultures and one of the conditions of starting

my own business was that it had to involve

travel, which I find invigorating and inspiring.

My travels have also given me a renewed

appreciation and passion for my Italian heritage

– even my company name, Tappeti, is Italian

for rugs. I hold a dual Italian and Australian

passport and I try to visit Italy as often as I can.

I was raised in a large Italian home with my

three siblings and have always had my extended

family close at hand and I think this has a lot to

do with my love of being surrounded by people.

I really value the work ethics of patience,

commitment and hard work that my parents

instilled in me from an early age.

I get a lot of enjoyment and self-fulfillment

out of watching my business grow and

flourish, but I’m also conscious that we

all need to give something back to our

community and I maintain an active role with

the Design Institute of Australia (nsw). I also

participate in a volunteer mentoring program

for young people, which is one of the most

rewarding things I’ve ever done.

when I’m not working I like to train for

an occasional running event, share a meal

and a red with friends, or try to cook like

my two nonna’s – a feat I am yet to master

and probably never will! [.]

www.tapetti.com.au

When not designing contemporary

rugs, Karinna drives a Peugeot 307.

with a background in design and colour and a

passion for textures, it is no surprise that Karinna

Gobbo’s latest venture is all about rugs. But these

are not just simple floor coverings but rather

hand crafted artworks that combine textiles,

fabrics and materials to form spectacular and

practical contemporary rugs. referencing her

passion for her Italian heritage, Karinna has called

her company Tappeti and it is, she says, the

culmination of 12 years experience in designing

interior and exterior environments and a lifelong

ambition to run her own company.

:: t

he

dri

ve

r

Karinna gobbo Designer

ima

ge : j

en

ny

gu

er

ra

Some parts should never be seen on a Peugeot. With Peugeot Genuine Parts, the original integrity of your car is guaranteed. Whether it’s replacement parts, service parts or wear parts, the car will comply with Peugeot factory specifi cations and perform to the rigorous safety standards set. Ensure your parts fi t right the fi rst time, every time with Peugeot Genuine Parts.

peugeot.com.au

PEU6138DRIVEN

IT’S NOT A PEUGEOT WITHOUT PEUGEOT GENUINE PARTS.

PEU6138_275x230_Jigsaw.indd 1 10/5/07 2:50:35 PM

: arts alive!

:: i

gn

itio

nOne of the world’s greatest contemporary dance

choreographers Merce Cunningham is set to play

a central role in this year’s Melbourne International

Arts Festival that kicks off on October 11.

Celebrating 50 years of remarkable innovation

and achievement in dance, the US-based

choreographer will take up a residency in

Melbourne that will showcase his and his

company’s pioneering vision through dance and

music performances, visual art exhibitions, a film

retrospective and discussion series. During the final

week of the festival, the Merce Cunningham Dance

Company will perform six works including a free

site-specific outdoor piece at Federation Square.

Continuing the dance theme, local

internationally acclaimed company Chunky Move

will also perform its latest work Glow while Japan’s

Sankai Juku company presents its enigmatic Butoh

stylings with Kagemi: Beyond the metaphors of

mirrors. These artists are all part of more than

700 that will perform, exhibit and screen their

work in 19 venues across the city over 17 days.

‘This year’s program presents artists who have

by definition changed the possibilities of their

artform for all time and whose individual legacies

continue to expand, astound and inspire,’ says

Kristy Edmunds, artistic director of the Festival.

In theatre, Peter Brook directs Sizwe Banzi is

Dead, an insight into South Africa under apartheid

by Athol Fugard while Barrie Kosky and Austrian

actor and singer Martin Niedermair bring horror

master Edgar Allen Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart to life

in a gripping theatrical and musical monologue.

Laurie Anderson, whose innovation and

experimentation is seemingly boundless, brings to

Melbourne a live performance of music, poetry and

images, a film and an opportunity to participate

in a discussion. Poetry will also be showcased

through Voiceprints presented by La Mama Poetica

as the iconic Melbourne theatre celebrates 40 years.

Throw in DiVino, a circus performance

inspired by the films of Fellini by the National

Institute of Circus Arts; a contemporary reading

of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus by Dutch

theatre collective Dood Paard; and the glam

cabaret of Meow Meow as just one of the acts

set to explode in the Famous Spiegeltent and

again, Melbourne’s premier arts festival should

offer something for just about everyone. [.]

www.melbournefestival.com.au

: la

ma

ma

po

eti

ca

: merce cunningham dance company

orig

inal :: new :: fresh :: no

vel :: innovative :: o

riginal :: new

::

After two hugely successful years since the inaugural

Rendezvous Adelaide was held in 2005, this year will

see the annual tour get together in Victoria when

RV2007 hits the road from October 16-18.

Peugeot Automobiles Australia has again got

behind this owner-organised event that will this year

be hosted by the Peugeot Car Club of Victoria. But

unlike previous years where entry was open only to

206 GTi owners, this year, owners of any 07 model

from 207 to 607 are welcome to join the tour.

And with Victoria being home to some of the

best driving roads in the country, it is sure to be

an enthusiasts’ dream.

Setting off from Melbourne, the drive heads

southwest along the inland route through to Cape

Otway before heading back towards Ocean Grove

along the Great Ocean Road. The next morning there

is a quick trip across The Rip on the ferry to Sorrento

before continuing up the Mornington Peninsula to the

famed Arthurs Seat then east across to Mirboo North

before heading south to enjoy some of Gippsland’s

finest roads – and scenery. The following day takes in

more of Gippsland with the evening’s presentation

dinner at the historic Walhalla Star Hotel.

Numbers are limited and if last year’s Snowy

Mountains Rendezvous is any indication, demand

for places is likely to be high. [.]

http://rv2007.206gti.net

Peugeot has never been shy when it comes to

putting innovative styling ideas into production

and many of the cars we see on the road today

started life as show concepts. So with the

forthcoming Frankfurt motor show in September

being one of the world’s biggest, it is no surprise

that the French carmaker has developed a

stunning concept to star on its stand.

Dubbed the 308 RC Z, this compact 2+2

coupe combines futuristic design elements with

developments of existing technology to produce

a car that evokes passion and excitement with an

underlying practicality and potential viability.

From the front, there is no denying its strong

Peugeot heritage with the prominent lion badge

proudly displayed on the nose. From here,

the lines flow upwards back over the bonnet

and into the two polished aluminium roll-over

protections bars. This flowing ‘V’ profile gives

the vehicle its shape and creates an impression

of movement in all positions.

From the side, the 308 RC Z offers a strong

profile with its big 19-inch alloys filling the

prominent front and rear wings while the deeply

sculpted sides give it a purposeful solid stance.

But the RC Z is about more than just good looks

and under the bonnet is a development of the

207 GTi’s 1.6-litre turbocharged four cylinder

engine. In the 308 RC Z the engine is mated to a

new six-speed manual gearbox while power and

torque have been boosted to 160kW and 280Nm

– an increase of 32kW and 40Nm over the GTi.

The driveline has been developed for both

performance and efficiency and while its 7.0

second 0-100kmh sprint time and top speed of

235kmh are impressive, so too is the combined

fuel consumption of just 6.7l/100km.

The 308 RC Z may just be a concept for a

motor show but if Peugeot’s past record is any

indication, it may well form the inspiration for a

production car in the not too distant future. [.]

www.peugeot.com.au

: peugeots venture into victoria

:

: : d r i v e n �

: show stopper

: sa

nKa

i ju

Ku

orig

inal :: new :: fresh :: no

vel :: innovative :: o

riginal :: new

::

: melbourneEver since its establishment in 1939, New York’s Solomon R Guggenheim

Museum has been one of the world’s greatest contemporary art museums.

Such has been the strength of its collection and the subsequent opening

of sister museums around the world such as that in Bilbao, Spain,

the Guggenheim brand has become synonymous with cutting edge

contemporary art.

And while Geelong may have missed out on its chance to host a

‘Guggenheim’ a few years back, Victorians can now at least get a taste

of the vast collection with the Guggenheim Collection: 1940s to Now

currently showing at the NGV on St Kilda Road.

A joint collaboration by the NGV and the Guggenheim, the exhibition

draws from the Guggenheim collections of New York, Venice, Bilbao

and Berlin and includes more than 85 works by 68 artists representing

22 nationalities. It includes a variety of media from paintings and

works on paper to sculpture,

photographs and new media.

‘It is the art of our time. A who’s

who of acclaimed artists from

every decade, including Mark

Rothko, Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson

Pollock, Gilbert & George, Andy

Warhol, Jeff Koons and Cindy

Sherman as well as many significant

artists whose work has never been

seen before in Australia,’ says

NGV director Dr Gerard Vaughan.

10 d r i v e n : :

The exhibition charts the development of art from post-war

figuration and abstract expressionism, through minimalism

and pop art, to the most recent developments in international

contemporary art. Masterworks from the early years include

Alberto Giacometti’s unsettling sculpture from 1947 Nose, in

which a suspended head with a long nose eerily resembles a

gun, and Roy Lichtenstein’s Preparedness 1968 with its pop-art

depiction of massive machinery and soldiers evoking both war

(specifically the Vietnam War) and the modern industrial machine.

The Guggenheim exhibition runs until October 7. [.]

www.ngv.vic.gov.au

ro

y li

ch

ten

ste

in :

pr

epa

red

nes

s 1

968

gil

ber

t &

geo

rg

e : d

rea

m 1

984

: : d r i v e n 11

: brisbaneView more than just Howard Arkley’s

iconic airbrush images of suburbia in this

retrospective of the artist’s work showing

at the new Gallery of Modern Art until

September 16. Arkley’s images were drawn

from a range of inspirations from the punk

and club culture of the 1970s and 80s

through the art world itself to Melbourne’s

suburban streets. This exhibition – organised

by the NGV – comprehensively presents the

evolution of Arkley’s oeuvre from the early

1970s to the final major works with which he

was represented at the Venice Biennale in

1999, shortly before his death. [.]

www.qag.qld.gov.au

: sydneyExplore the world of nuclear science at the

Powerhouse Museum through its interactive

exhibition Nuclear Matters. With the current

hot debate on Australia’s energy future, this

exhibition offers a chance to delve into the

world of nuclear science, medicine and power

and gain a greater understanding of how these

areas already play a role in our daily lives and

the changes that have taken place in social

attitudes towards nuclear issues over the past

century. Nuclear Matters opens on August

21 and will be on permanent display in the

Experimentations gallery. [.]

www.powerhousemuseum.com

: perthDiscover the vision for tomorrow’s cities by some of the world’s

leading architects at the New Trends of Architecture in Europe

and Asia-Pacific 2006-2007 exhibition that is on display at FORM

until September 30. This international touring exhibition that

opened in Greece in 2006 showcases Australian and international

new-generation architects whose projects – including housing,

public architecture, planning, landscape and installation – redefine

ways of seeing the city and position architecture as an important

contributor to a city’s liveability and future direction. [.]

www.form.net.au

: adelaideIndulge your tastebuds at one of Australia’s

biggest food and wine festivals as Tasting

Australia takes over South Australia for eight

delectable days from October 13-20. This

biennial festival, now in its 10th year, offers

far more than the chance to taste test some

of the state’s best produce with national and

international chefs – this year including Rick

Stein and Antonio Carluccio – food writers and

commentators all contributing to discussions,

workshops, forums and cooking classes. [.]

www.tasting-australia.com.au

: hobartJoin the visual feast as Tasmania celebrates its diverse artistic community

during the biennial Living Artists Week from August 24 – September 2. With

more than 1000 artists participating in some 400 events across the island

state, the week offers exhibitions, forums, workshops and gallery crawls. [.]

www.artsatwork.com.au

orig

inal :: new :: fresh :: no

vel ::

fra

nc

ine s

mit

h : t

elo

pea

spec

ios

iss

ima

deb

ra

ho

wa

rd

: a

lter

ed

on tourevents : exhibitions : performances

ima

ge : s

oth

a b

ou

rn

ho

wa

rd

ar

Kle

y : n

icK c

ave

: new

yo

rK g

ug

gen

heim

: bja

rKe in

gels

gr

ou

p

orig

inal :: new :: fresh :: no

vel :: innovative :: o

riginal :: new

:: fresh :: novel ::

12 d r i v e n : :

: peugeot power

While the number of design awards

and competitions seems to be growing

exponentially every year, one that has made its

mark as a harbinger of tomorrow’s design stars

has been the annual Bombay Sapphire Design

Discovery Award.

Offering an overview of who those designers

might be this year, Object Gallery in Sydney

will showcase the 10 finalists in an exhibition

that runs from September 8 until November 4,

during which time the winner will be announced.

Now in its fifth year, the Bombay award offers

designers a $30,000 grant and the opportunity

to show their work at the annual Milan Salone

del Mobile in Italy with the competition drawing

more than 60 entrants this year.

As in previous years, the finalists’ works

tend to represent strong aesthetic design with

pieces such as John Smith’s Stingray fibreglass

chair taking the concept of seating to an

almost sculptural level. Simone LeAmon’s silver

tealights add humour to the aesthetic with the

holders seemingly melting away.

Among the other finalists that include

Anthony Dann, Kelly Freeman & Rina Bernabei,

Michael Hoppe, Nick Rennie, Elliat Rich, Stefan

Lie, Berto Pandolfo, and Edward Wong are

an array of groundbreaking contemporary

functional designs in lighting, furniture,

accessories and homewares. [.]

www.object.com.au

: design discoveries

Peugeot has taken out one of the world’s most

prestigious automotive awards winning the 2007

International Engine of the Year Award for the

1.4 to 1.8-litre category with its 1.6-litre direct

injection turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant.

The engine, which made its debut in the

207 GT earlier this year was co-developed with

the BMW Group and is offered with outputs

of 110kW in the GT and 128kW in the recently

released GTi hot hatch.

With no fewer than 71 engines considered,

the 1.4 to 1.8-litre category is a key battleground

as the demand for small and medium sized cars

continues to grow. The PSA-Peugeot /BMW

engine came away a clear winner with a total

of 273 points and was also awarded third place

in the ‘Best New Engine’ category.

Judged by a panel of 62 renowned

motoring journalists from across the globe, the

International Engine of the Year Awards are

some of the automotive industry’s most sought-

after accolades. Judges apply their impressions

from driving the latest cars to identify the

powerplants that offer the best driveability,

performance, economy, and refinement.

The co-operation between PSA Peugeot

Citroen and BMW Group has applied the

strengths of each partner to successfully

solve the conflict between advanced engine

technologies and cost pressures in the small

and compact car segment. [.]

www.peugeot.com.au

orig

inal :: new :: fresh :: no

vel :: innovative :: o

riginal :: new

:: fresh :: novel :: inno

vative :: orig

inal ::

: : d r i v e n 1�

: out of the boxFor most people the prospect of living in a cardboard box doesn’t hold much appeal but that is exactly what Melbourne-based architect Peter Ryan had in mind when he started developing his PER (Portable, Environmental, Recyclable) Hut back in 2003. While not exactly a cardboard box, these small bungalows are constructed using cardboard cladding around a looped plywood frame making them light, easy to erect, affordable, environmentally sustainable and surprisingly durable. Ryan first had the idea after realising that there was a growing need for affordable structures that could be delivered and erected easily and quickly to deal with temporary housing issues following natural disasters. So a few years ago he approached the packaging giant Visy, which had been toying with the idea of cardboard structures but when Ryan delivered his designs, they decided to get behind the project. The bungalows are of a modular design that can be extended lengthwise to accommodate a variety of rooms. The basic unit is about 3.5m wide and 3m high and with three plywood arches set 1.5m apart giving it a length of 4.5m, there is enough room for a small bathroom, toilet and space for a bed and a desk. The plywood flooring sits on a frame of bearers that can be simply located on the site using metal spikes removing the need for concrete footings and on top of this, the frame is built. Screwed to the frame are the cardboard panels that comprise an outer layer of new board made from wood pulp and an inner layer made of recycled cardboard. The entire structure is 100 per cent recyclable and can be removed from the site without leaving a trace. Although Ryan first envisaged the PER Hut’s main appeal as temporary housing – although he says the structure would easily have a lifespan of between 5 and 10 years – he has since found a growing need from charities and others that simply require affordable additional accommodation. One of these, for whom he has built a prototype and now has an order for ten more bungalows, is the Victorian charity Kids under Cover which raises money to build homes and bungalows for homeless and at-risk children and young people. For many of them, this is one cardboard box that they would be happy to call home. [.]

www.shed4media.com

: two-oh triumph

: s

imo

ne l

ea

mo

n

Visitors wandering along the waterside of

Sydney’s Darling Harbour were treated to an

historic display of Peugeot heritage in May with

15 examples of the 2-series models stretching

back to the 1953 203 proudly displayed in

front of the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

The display was organised by the Peugeot

Car Club of NSW and was timed to coincide

with the launch of the new 207.

The 2 series is Peugeot’s most popular

model, with over 13.5 million models

produced since the 201 was launched in

1921, and has introduced a vast array of

automotive innovations.

The 201, for example, was the first mass-

produced car to feature automatic wipers and

independent front suspension, and in 1953 the

Peugeot 203 won acclaim for wining the first

ever Redex Round Australia Reliability trial.

The 205 GTi will always be remembered as

one of the world’s first and finest ‘hot hatches’

which took out two World Rally Championship

titles and also twice captured wins in the

famous Paris-Dakar Rally. The 205’s rally wins

were subsequently bettered by the 206 which

became Peugeot’s best selling model with

over 5 million sales, and three World Rally

Championship titles. [.]

www.peugeotclub.asn.au

for cars and a fascination for levers and

contraptions, including such arcane details

as aircraft wingflaps.

At night he would labour over detailed

drawings of these contrivances, interspersed

with sketches of cars with sleek aerodynamic

bodies. In the nights following that seminal

summer squall, he took up his pen to design

a quicker and easier way of sealing a car from

the elements.

Paulin’s simple idea would be copied,

reinvented and refreshed over the decades to

come but it was Peugeot, the company that first

put his folding hardtop design – the world’s first

coupe-cabriolet – into production.

However, Paulin didn’t rely on others to put

his first folding hardtop to the test. Borrowing

money from his father-in-law, he purchased

a new Peugeot 301 and to the horror of his

family, removed the existing roof and fitted

his own design.

Peugeot was so impressed it purchased the

rights to the system from Paulin and his so-

called ‘Eclipse’ roof, named for the way in which

the single-piece roof section swung up from

its repository behind the passenger’s seats and

shut out the sun.

The desire for car companies to have something

innovative and interesting to offer customers

hasn’t changed since the first turn of the steering

wheel. While the French coachbuilder Pourtout

had assembled a few prototypes using Paulin’s

patented system on various Peugeot chassis, it

was the 601 ‘Coupe Transformable’, with its six-

cylinder engine and long beavertail, that wowed

the crowds at the 1934 Paris Motor Show and

cemented the concept as a viable production car.

By any standards, production volumes of

these early ‘Transformables’ were tiny; between

1934 and 1935, Peugeot produced just 79 401

Eclipses, followed by 580 Peugeot 402 Eclipses

from 1935 to 1940.

The development of the motor car, like any

other field of human endeavour, is punctuated

by individual inspiration.

Sitting by his window as a sudden mid-

summer’s rain squall swept through Nice in

1925, little did young Frenchman Georges

Paulin realise that his moment in history

arrived when a family friend in the street below

struggled to erect the awkward soft-top on his

convertible car. The type of car which attracted

Paulin’s scrutiny is lost to the annals of history

but not so the significance of the incident.

At the time, Paulin was better known for his

skills with porcelain than with the designer’s pen.

His father, Henri, was a sought-after dental

technician and firmly believed the career of

young Georges – apprenticed to the dental trade

at the age of 14 – would be best-served through

replacing the rotten teeth of the well-to-do.

Georges Paulin however, harboured dreams

far removed from dentistry. He had a passion

14 d r i v e n : :

:: d

es

ign

: : d r i v e n 1�

with its best of both worlds scenario, the peugeot 206 cc

has been the driving force behind the worldwide trend in

convertibles that offer a folding metal hardtop. now the

206 cc has a successor in the form of the 207 cc with a

clever roof design that continues the concept that peugeot

pioneered with the world’s first coupe convertible, the

1934 401 d eclipse. Peter Brewer traces the history of

this original and now much imitated design innovation

16 d r i v e n : : : : d r i v e n 1�

Compare that with the phenomenal success

which followed the introduction of Peugeot’s

marvellous little 206 CC 2+2. It was introduced

first at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show as a concept

car with a name which followed the customary

Peugeot formula but ended with a symbol: the

‘Two-0h-Heart’, and created almost as much of

a sensation as its forebear 64 years previously.

When the production 206 CC rolled out

a little over two years later, demand quickly

overwhelmed supply.

By the end of its production run, the

206 CC had become the world’s biggest-selling

coupe-cabriolet, with more than 360,000 sold

internationally, and dozens of awards burdening

the Peugeot trophy cabinet.

Built off-line by specialist French cabrio maker

Heuliez, the 206 CC offered open-and-shut

advantages: it was stylish, had superior levels of

vehicle security and safety compared to a soft-

top cabrio, went from fully open to closed in 20

seconds and most importantly, was affordable.

The boot was hinged two ways; from the front

for normal loading, and pivoting from the rear

to admit the two-piece roof. The whole roof,

complete with its joints, arms and hydraulic

mechanisms weighed in at 33kg.

Five hydraulic jacks – two driving the roof

action, two for the boot lid and one for the

retractable rear shelf which ensures a snug

fit – were fed from a single reservoir. From its

lowered position, the roof is ‘pushed’ into place

by the jacks, and manually locked against the

windscreen.

If imitation is flattery, then the volume of

coupe-cabriolet rivals – large and small, from

marginally cheaper to extraordinarily more

costly – rolled out as recognisable plaudits to

Peugeot’s groundbreaking reinvention.

Every major manufacturer on the planet

rushed to clamber on board the market Peugeot

had created, opening product niches where

none had existed previously.

Encouraged by its success, Peugeot next

set its sights on growing its winning retractable

hardtop formula in the family way. The company

wanted to extend the concept to reach

customers that needed genuine seating for

four passengers but still sought that unmatched

coupe-cabriolet security and versatility. The

lessons learned from the 206 CC project were

invaluable in the development of the bigger

307 CC. The bigger physical dimensions of

the 307 yielded benefits beyond the cabin,

has now introduced its successor: the 207 CC.

This latest folding hardtop 2+2 is built entirely

in-house, firstly on a special sub-assembly line

at the Villaverde plant outside Madrid before

transferring across to the factory’s main line. For

the first time, too, the smaller of the Peugeot

coupe-cabriolets receives a turbocharged

engine tuned not for an outright sprint but for

an even spread of torque across its rev range.

Where the 206 CC mechanism required

locking the raised roof to the windscreen

manually, the 207 CC’s alloy roof is a genuine

one-touch operation and snugs up tight without

clamps. There are six hydraulic actuators to work

the new structure, and the pump sits under the

rear floor to reduce operating noise. Like the

307 CC, a touch of the door handle drops the

window glass by a few millimetres for ease

of opening and optimum sealing.

While the rush to retractable steel roofs

has gathered apace in the past seven years

and shows no sign of abating, it’s worth

remembering that it all started with one man’s

clever idea. The steady march of technology

through powerful and compact hydraulics,

lightweight materials and smarter electronics

has helped make the latest coupe-cabriolets

all the more reliable and appealing.

But it’s also worth remembering that the

company that first recognised the potential

in Georges Paulin’s original design, had the

confidence to build it. It’s proof that with a little

fresh insight, everything old can be new again. [.]

www.peugeot.com.au

too, with the larger car yielding 25 litres more

of extra available boot space over the 206 CC

when in cabriolet (roof down) mode. Built on the

sedan platform, the 307 CC was given a longer

rear overhang (by 14cm) to accommodate the

retracted roof but in style terms, there’s little

to compare the siblings.

There is an aesthetic balance inherent in

the design so that the 307 CC looks dramatic

roof up or down, its larger, more steeply raked

windscreen rolling in an eye-pleasing arch to

the compact rear bootlid.

Front seat passengers sink into sports-style

seats that are 40mm lower than the sedan

version. Sports styling cues abound, with lashings

of alloy and metal – gear knob, sills, pedal pads,

instrument panel, even the steering wheel inserts.

Raise the roof – at speeds of up to 10km/h –

with the one-touch switch to seal the cabin and

the 307 CC is whisper-quiet inside, testimony to

its high-quality sealing. As usual, safety received

the Peugeot engineers’ close attention, too,

with telescopic rollover bars armed by electronic

detection, multiple airbags and pyrotechnic seat

belt tensioners.

After completely changing the dynamics of

the cabriolet market with the 206 CC, Peugeot

: 2

07 c

c

: 2

06

cc

: 2

07

cc

:: b

rid

ge

s

: : d r i v e n 1�18 d r i v e n : :

bridgingart &architecture

:

: m

illa

u v

iad

uc

t, f

ra

nc

e

bridges were once regarded as little more than engineering

constructs built as a means to cross the river but in today’s

society that is seemingly always searching for a distinct

identity, they have become much more than a means of

streamlining transport. and although engineers more often

than not play the main game, increasingly architects and

artists are getting involved to ensure the megastructures

of today have the potential to become landmarK icons of

the future. Andrew MAcKenzie taKes a looK at some of

the world’s most innovative structures that meld metal,

concrete, design and technology

:

: : d r i v e n 21

June 28, 2000 was not a good day for Baron

Foster of Thames Bank. He woke up that morning

to a less honorific title splashed across the front

page of the UK dailies – Lord Wobble. The public

had been allowed onto the new Millennium

Bridge for a few trial days before it was to be

officially launched. Linking two key tourist sites on

either side of the Thames, the Tate Modern and

St Paul’s Cathedral, it was an immediate hit with

90,000 tourists pouring across its deck in the first

day. Problem was, it wasn’t stable. The authorities

called it ‘resonant structural response’. The rest

of the world said it wobbled and so its architect

was dubbed Lord Wobble.

We all know that bridges are designed to sway

as part of their structural tolerance, but this was

different. Children got seasick. The elderly gripped

their canes that bit tighter. It couldn’t go on. With

red faces all round, the bridge was closed pending

further investigation. Already months late and £2

million over budget, the bridge was in trouble.

Norman Foster, celebrated architect of airports,

vast banking monoliths and sprawling cultural

complexes, took the full brunt of public outcry.

Little did the public know that Lord Wobble had

little to do with the bridge’s problems, and even

less to do with fixing them. That of course, was

the job of the engineer, Arups.

As the world’s top engineering company

and collaborators with the biggest and best

architects, Arups are used to dealing with

unique problems, fast, efficiently and usually

behind the scenes. So on came the lab coats

and out came the whizzbang gadgets. 52 mass

dampers later, strategically placed and precisely

calibrated, and all was well. The moral of the

story: when it comes to bridges, architects

might think they are in control, but really it’s

the engineers who are in charge. Unless that

is, the architect is also an engineer.

History has seen a few bi-polar geniuses,

who have combined the aesthetic beauty of

architecture with the scientific rigor of engineering.

The most heroic architect-engineer of France

would have to be Gustave Eiffel, who, aside from

etching his name forever onto the skyline of Paris,

created some of that country’s finest bridges, such

as the Garabit Viaduct and the Maria Pia Bridge.

The Italian genius Pier Luigi Nervi, who went on

to inspire the young Harry Seidler (and helped

him build early landmarks buildings like Australia

Square) was a master of the wide spanning

concrete vault, put to use on grand arches,

bridges and aerodromes. Other modernists

like Buckminster Fuller, though never a bridge-

builder, saw the future of architecture as locked in

step with the future of building technology and

engineering. More recently, the Spanish architect

Santiago Calatrava has reinvented this hybrid

profession of the architectural engineer through

a two-decade career of bridge building that has

brought poetry back into engineering, and the

rational back into architecture.

Calatrava completed his architecture studies

in 1968, but returned to college the next year, to

the ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in

Zurich, to study engineering. From an early age

Calatrava knew he was not destined for home

alterations and boutique retail. He was aiming

for bigger – city building, infrastructure, the built

environment. So where better to learn about the

technical challenges of designing big, complex

and structurally demanding architecture, than in a

land of alpine mountains and precipitous gorges.

At first, Calatrava’s bridge building attentions

were entirely focused on the rational pursuit of

optimal engineering; using the least materials

and most economic structures to achieve the

greatest strength. But he soon discovered

that bridges were more than functionary bits

of infrastructure, designed to bear the load of

this much wind and that many trucks. Bridges

are symbols that define landscapes. The more

valued the landscape, the more critical it is

that a bridge located there does more than

simply ease traffic movement. Bridges have

the capacity to express a range of other, less

economically tangible outcomes; civic pride,

social aspiration and urban confidence.

It sounds obvious. Yet for decades, and even

today in many parts of Australia, the relationship

between infrastructure and the landscape, or

infrastructure and community, is one of distrust

and enmity. Not in my backyard is a common

community response to the announcement of

new infrastructure works.

We might want bridges and highways when

we’re late for work or rushing to the airport, but

we’re always first to protest if said infrastructure

interrupts your walk to the park on Saturday

morning. We’d rather bury it underground,

and pretend it’s not there. What Calatrava

declared, with the most dramatic of architectural

expressions, was that infrastructure should be

loved, admired and coveted by those it serves.

It should not hide in utility but should declare

its status as a cultural landmark.

Alamillo Bridge in Seville, Spain, does this in

spades. Built for the Seville Universal Expo and at

the time of the Barcelona Olympics, the Alamillo

Bridge expresses the poetry of movement with

supreme economy and elegance of form. Like

many of his bridges it is supported by a single

powerful soaring pylon, an array of shrouds

(tensioned cables) strung between it and the

deck. Like a massive futuristic harp, the scale

of the pylon is all the more extraordinary in its

absence of counter-stays. The weight of the

bridge holds the pylon and its tensioned cables

in place. A flawless white presence on the land,

it expresses perfect balance, graceful geometry

and a magical defiance of gravity. This cable

stayed bridge and other Calatrava beauties like

it, went on to inspire hundreds of bridges across

the world including Sydney’s Anzac bridge. It

remains for me, despite much bigger and more

complex work, Calatrava’s most poetic expression

of structural delight, and became an instant

landmark of pride for the region. This is a bridge

to silence the most quarrelsome NIMBY.

More locally, the Sea Cliff Bridge in Illawarra

NSW has also received an uncommon level of

community support and appreciation. Then

again, it does literally bridge the gap between

the villages of Coalcliff and Clifton, connecting

them in turn, to nearby Wollongong. Before the

bridge was built, the Lawrence Hargrave Drive

was the only easy connection. Originally built over

a hundred years ago to service the coalmines of

the Illawarra region, the road, though scenically

beautiful was structurally dangerous. After

numerous rock-falls and near misses, the road

was closed in 2003. For over two years the local

communities were divided. Now complete, the

Sea Cliff Bridge bends and tracks the rocky coast,

just far enough offshore to avoid the tumbling

rocks and land subsidence. Designed in-house

by the construction company Laing O’Rourke,

this long snaking bridge may not have quite the

refinement of a Calatrava, but it makes up for this

with the spectacular coastal landscape it opens up,

once again for local tourism. More Monte Carlo

than Wollongong it is no wonder it has quickly

become a tourist mecca for NSW day-trippers.

Bridges take all shapes and forms, but recently,

with technical advancements, they have been

breaking all the records; highest, longest, heaviest,

leanest, we’ve had all these records smashed

in recent years. Returning to Lord Wobble,

undeterred by his Millennium Bridge troubles,

he recently completed a bridge of epic scale, the

Millau Viaduct in southern France. It is, predictably

enough, marketed to the world as the refined

designs of Norman Foster. But here once again is

a master engineer, lurking in the background, the

unsung hero. On this occasion it wasn’t Arups but

Michel Virlogeux; architect, engineer and creator

of over 100 bridges over a 25-year career.

: s

ea

cli

ff b

rid

ge,

ns

w

: a

lam

illo

br

idg

e, s

pain

Like Concord and the Channel tunnel, the Millau

Viaduct was a Franco-British endeavor.

For those at the pointy end of engineering,

it broke three separate world records: at 270m

above the Tarn River it is highest road bridge in

the world; at 343m it has the highest masts in

the world (just higher than the Eiffel Tower) and

finally; at 244m it has the highest pylons in the

world. The cable stayed deck stretches across

seven piers, weighs 36,000 tons in total, extends

for 2.5kms and took three years to build. The

staggering scale of it may seem extravagant,

but it does reduce travel time on the busy north-

south route through the Massif Central by over

an hour, meaning the bridge owner and operator

will have its tolls busy 24/7 for years to come.

As is often the case, the construction of the

bridge was even more spectacular than the

finished thing. Seven concrete pylons rose from

the valley floor like improbably slender needles.

Once in place, sections of the 36m wide steel

decking were launched horizontally from

either side, using massive hydraulic launching

machines capable of moving 4000 ton sections

of steel at a time, at a crunch rate of 150mm

per minute. Maybe it was French engineering,

maybe it was American hydraulics, maybe it was

just lady luck, but when Millau Viaduct opened

on December 16 2004, nothing wobbled.

Technology is clearly improving matters

and making previously unthinkable structures

eminently possible. Innovations in ultra high-

performance concrete such as Ductal (concrete

impregnated with metal fibres) have created

ever more compressive, flexible, durable and

yet powerful forms, which are being used in

exceptionally slender wide spanning bridges.

Beyond material technology, new software is

also allowing architects back into the game.

Building Information Models (BIMs) are all the

rage. With this software you don’t just design

using dumb lines, but rather information-rich

forms. A drawing file that contains a building’s

architectural elevations, plans and sections,

can also contain information on wind loading,

structural stress points and material properties.

What this means for all highly engineered

buildings, but especially bridges, is that

architects, designers, engineers, builders, urban

planners, surveyors and service engineers all

use the same file. No more importing and

exporting of files. This represents nothing short

of a revolution for all building professionals and

creates a more fluid communication in bridge

construction in particular, between architectural

aesthetics and engineering function.

Perhaps more important than technical

innovations however, is the shift in architectural

attitudes to the city. Architects today want to

participate more fully in the bigger picture of the

built environment. If we think of the modern age as

a time when the architect fixated on the building

as an immaculate object – independent, isolated

and sculptural, today’s postmodern age is one in

which architects want to play a more integrated

part in the growth of our cities. Urban design,

once construed as the dull business of where to

put traffic lights and carparks, is the new black.

And you know how much architects love black.

So the bridge, today’s shining symbol of

urban design par excellence has become

every architect’s dream commission – almost

as good as an art museum. In Rotterdam, the

world’s second most beautiful cable stayed

: : d r i v e n 2�

bridge is the Eramus Bridge by UNStudio. In

the UK there’s the award winning Gateshead

Millennium Bridge, by talented architecture

engineer duo Wilkinson Eyre. In Switzerland,

following in Calatrava’s footsteps, there’s

Jurg Conzett, with his improbably delicate

footbridges that span great distances with the

slightest of engineering. In Dubai, not to be

outdone, the current queen of architecture Zaha

Hadid has designed a swooping, flexing and

torsioned form for the Sheikh Zayed Bridge.

Artists too have jumped on the bandwagon.

American artist Vito Acconci was invited to

design a temporary building for Graz, Austria,

while the city was the Cultural Capital of

Europe. The result, Mur Island, half bridge half

amphitheatre, was so successful it has become

a permanent fixture on the River Mur.

Here in Australia there are dozens of

architect/artist/engineer collaborations

heralding a new age of hybrid bridge design.

In Melbourne’s growing suburb of Craigieburn,

a busy bypass road needed a pedestrian

bridge, which became an iconic new part of

the landscape; part building, part road, part

art. The Sydney artist Richard Goodwin, who

likes to describe his sculptures as ‘parasites’

on architecture recently completed one of his

best works so far in his parasitic additions to

the Bicentennial Park Bridge. Denton Corker

Marshall meanwhile, known for some of

Melbourne’s most impressive and enormous

architectural landmarks, collaborated with artist

Robert Owen to create one of Melbourne’s

most impressive pieces of public sculpture/

architecture, in the form of the Webb

Bridge, in the dockland’s Yarra Edge.

Taking its form from the traditional shape

of an Aboriginal woven eel catcher,

Webb Bridge is now emblazoned on

all of the city’s tourism brochures

and posters, as a symbol of the

stylish contemporary city.

As this trend continues towards

a more integrated urban fabric,

made hand in glove by architects

and engineers, it could be that

we are about to enter a new age

of structural and architectural

innovation – one filled with

aspiration and ambition. A

renaissance in city building,

in which bridges, highways,

railway networks, stadiums

and stations, and all those

other practical essentials

for the growing city, are

not the architectural

lepers of social opinion,

but instead embody all

that is most innovative,

most optimistic and

most creative in our

built environment. [.]

: e

ra

mu

s b

rid

ge,

neth

er

lan

ds

: m

ille

niu

m b

rid

ge,

lon

do

n u

K

: web

b b

rid

ge, m

elb

ou

rn

e

imag

e s

han

no

n m

cg

rath

:

girls on film

::

fas

hio

n

Fashion parades have long been the traditional

way of selling clothes. And given this method

is endlessly repeated around the world, it’s not

surprising that designers pull everything out

of their bag of tricks to spice up the event. But

even with the most radical hairdos, makeup and

lighting, they are still just slight variations of the

same formula and it takes more than just talent

to get noticed. It is especially hard for younger,

less established designers so a number of these

have found alternative ways of getting their

name out there.

Sydney based Ruby Smallbone is one and

while she still uses traditional ways of marketing

her clothes with each collection designed around

a theme, it’s not necessarily played out on the

catwalk. Since re-branding her label in 2005, from

‘Ruby Ruby’ to ‘Ruby Smallbone’, she’s moved

into other mediums to promote her collections.

‘Before the switch I was attracting quite

a young audience. I just felt I’d outgrown

that market,’ says Smallbone, who has been

designing her clothes since graduating in

fashion from East Sydney Tech in 2001.

While the fashion magazines were a great

support in establishing Smallbone’s label, she

was keen to further develop the central themes

in each collection. In Smallbone’s Winter

2007 collection, there were references to the

character ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. For Spring/

Summer 2007, there’s a folk-like quality, with

designs finding inspiration from Heidi as well

as the archetypal Russian Doll.

‘This collection is a little more moodier than

previous collections. There’s a lot more black,’

says Smallbone, who was also inspired by the

waitresses serving in American diners during

the 1950s. ‘Service uniforms with a twist,’ says

Smallbone, picking up a black jersey dress

inserted with a stripe panel.

To convey the darker, more moody side of

Smallbone’s latest collection, she made a film.

Shown at the Dendy Cinema at Circular Quay

in Sydney in July, the five-minute standalone

film replaced the usual fashion shows. Directed

by Fiona McGee and Paul Bruce and produced

by George MacKenzie of the company Open,

the film takes the game ‘hide and seek’ as its

for young fashion designers, getting a breaK onto the

australian or world stage is not an easy tasK with invites

into the regular catwalK shows often being a bit of a lottery.

but a number of innovative young designers are looKing in

other directions to help get their collections noticed. ruby

smallbone is an example of one of those designers having

decided to showcase her collection on film. but other

designers are also developing innovative ways of marKeting

themselves. StePhen crAfti investigates

starting point. Set in a rambling house in Darling

Point, Sydney, the pseudo horror film is shot

through the eyes of the seeker.

Eight models who wear Smallbone’s designs

are slowly discovered by an ‘intruder’. Antiques

in the house helped to create the ambience of

the film, as did the Peugeot cars used by the

models to arrive at the house.

‘With a film you have more control over the

detail. In parades, there’s usually one stylist

who gives the models a more generic feel,’

says Smallbone, who was able to hone in on the

fabrics and patterns used for her new collection.

‘Small details are often lost on the catwalk.

With the film, you can watch it several times.

And anyone in the media who misses it can be

sent a copy,’ she adds. Smallbone also plans

to use the film on her web site, My Space and

You Tube.

‘Ruby’s clothes are quite cinematic. You

really get a sense of movement in the clothes

watching the film,’ says director Fiona McGee,

who feels that producing fashion films will

become more prevalent.

: : d r i v e n 2�

‘Films are a great way of branding a product.

And it resonates with the audience well after

they’ve left the cinema. It has an extended life

with the Internet,’ says McGee.

While Smallbone still intends to produce look

books and feature in fashion parades, she’s keen

to explore other forms of media to expose her

collections. ‘My designs are concept driven, so

film was an obvious choice,’ says Smallbone.

Melbourne based fashion designers

Hoshika Oshimi and Tatsuyoshi Kawabata also

explore other ways to showcase their work, in

particular through collaborations with other

artists and designers operating in different

genres. Established in 2001, the couple now

have two labels Ess Hoshika Laboratory and

Ess Laboratory, the latter exclusive to the

Melbourne boutique Eastern Market as well

as stores overseas.

‘We’re always interested in collaborating with

other people,’ says Oshimi, who has designed

clothes for dance performances.

Oshimi and Kawabata’s most recent

collaboration is with Eastern Market. Together,

they staged an exhibition at the National

Design Centre, as part of the recent Melbourne

Design Festival. Brown paper, used for clothing

patterns, was transformed into a showcase for

their fashion concepts.

‘We washed and scrubbed the paper and

stitched it together like fabric. We wanted to

give it that leathery feel,’ says Oshimi.

Once the garments were complete, they

were suspended from the ceiling by weighted

springs. One garment, an evening dress, was

given more volume with concealed chicken wire.

‘We could have used mannequins, but we

wanted to create a more animated feel to our

designs,’ says Oshimi, whose dresses, skirts,

pants and jackets feature the signature layering

of paper, whether in the form of collars or cuffs.

While there were some finished garments from

Ess Hoshika Laboratory in the National Design

26 d r i v e n : :

Centre’s store, it was the installation in the

gallery space that drew in the audience.

Oshimi and Kawabata still participate in

fashion shows. But they feel there are benefits

in exploring other mediums to promote their

labels. ‘This exhibition is on for longer than a

fashion show and a broader audience, not just

those who normally buy our clothes, will also

see our designs. Even motorists driving along

Flinders Street will take in the exhibition,’ says

Kawabata while, ‘a story on the exhibition at the

National Design Centre has also just been sent

to a newspaper in Tokyo.’

The winners of this year’s Premier’s Design

Award, Susan Dimasi and Chantal McDonald,

regularly step outside the norms of the fashion

parade. While they did show their Material By

Product label at L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion

Festival, they regularly stage other events

to promote their designs.

In May Dimasi and McDonald teamed up

with architect Robert Simeoni. Staged at Assin,

: : d r i v e n 2�

a boutique in Melbourne’s Little Collins Street

which stocks Material By Product, their Spring

Summer collection for 2007 centred on a freight

box. One model was nailed into the rough

container by one of Simeoni’s tradesmen.

The box was then dismantled and transformed

into a catwalk, with models from behind

walking through the ‘arbour’ surrounded by

tissue paper that had been used to protect

the initial garment.

‘Spaces are important to us. It’s not just

the clothing. It’s about interacting with larger

spaces,’ says Dimasi, who, with McDonald,

trained in fashion at RMIT University. The tissue

paper that spread along the ‘catwalk’ was the

pattern paper, treated like blotting paper.

‘It’s a bit like the Japanese Chinoiserie seen

in France in the 18th and 19th century as well as

the wallpapers used in tea chests,’ says Dimasi,

whose collection included viscose georgette

skirts and dresses as well as tattooed kangaroo

leather waistbands and shoes.

‘We’re interested in

extending design beyond the

clothing racks. Our work is

about generating ideas. And

fashion parades aren’t always

the best way of achieving this,’

says Dimasi, who regularly

holds ‘backyard shows’ to

express her collections. Before

she and McDonald set off for

Paris with a collection, a local

crowd of friends and family

and those interested in design

are invited to see it. As Dimasi

says, ‘we put garments on the

hills-hoist and models parade

in the back garden. And there’s

no front row seats’. [.]

www.rubysmallbone.com.au

www.materialbyproduct.com

www.ess-hoshika.com

: m

ater

ial

by

pr

od

uc

t

: e

ss

la

bo

rat

or

y

mention design and people often thinK about exclusive products that have a very

definable and appealing aesthetic. but good design is about far more than looKs. in

today’s society, good design must be functional, sustainable and visually appealing.

trAcey cleMent taKes a looK at some of the innovative products that have been

recognised for their excellence in this year’s annual australian design awards

innovation nation

: : d r i v e n 2�

::

de

sig

necho panel

In many ways design has become associated

with a certain look, a sleek sort of styling that

is smooth, sophisticated and very much on

the surface. But design isn’t just a slick veneer,

applied to make a product sexy, streamlined and

desirable; a clever trick with smoke and mirrors

to bamboozle insatiable consumers into buying

more, more, more. Good design starts from the

inside out, it’s the nitty gritty, nuts and bolts stuff of

making things work, and making them work well.

The Australian Design Awards (ADA)

recognise that there is more to the design

industry than good looks and glamour.

Every year a panel of prestigious industry

professionals, including representatives of

international corporations, judge Australian

designs against a set of rigorous criteria, with

innovation at the top of the list.

The recognition of good Australian design is

not a new phenomenon. In 1958, the Industrial

Design Council of Australia (IDCA) was formed

to assess and promote the growing local industry.

Two years later, the IDCA introduced the Design

Selection Label, later known as the Good Design

Label. In 1977, the ADA took over and became

the most respected Australian design accolade

honouring such iconic Aussie products as the

Victa lawnmower, the Dolphin torch and the first

Holden ute, as well as recognising our world

class scientific achievements in such innovative

medical devices as the Bionic Ear and the

VentrAssist Artificial Heart.

Since 1991, the ADA has been a division of

Standards Australia, an organisation with a firm

belief that excellence in design can benefit

society and improve quality of life. Their highest

accolade, The Australian Design Award of

the Year, is reserved for a single product that

has the potential to do just that. In 2001, the

Australian Design Award-Dyson Student Award

was introduced to identify and encourage fresh

talent, and this year an Award for Excellence in

Sustainable Design was added. In addition to

these three individual categories, each year the

judges recognise excellent and good design

with multiple Australian Design Awards and

Australian Design Marks.

In 2008, the ADA is going global. Stephanie

Watson, Standards Australia’s manager of the

ADA, sees this as an exciting new chapter and a

positive step for the industry. By opening up the

competition to all professionally designed products

sold in Australia, regardless of where they were

conceived, the ADA hope to achieve the type of

recognition and prestige currently given to other

international awards like Red Dot, iF and the Good

Design Award. And even more importantly, Aussie

designers will be competing on the world stage.

Watson believes this is where they belong

and has confidence that our designers are

up for the challenge.

‘They’ve always been ready to compete I think!

At least for the last ten years,’ she says.

When asked if Aussie designers will be

competitive in the international arena, Hugo

Davidson, director of Catalyst Design Group

(who designed this year’s overall winner, the

super bright Gator bike light) replies with an

enthusiastic ‘Without a doubt!’

�0 d r i v e n : :

Australian Design Award of the Year

Gator by catalyst Design Group and Knog

Gator is a bike light with attitude. Its creators,

Catalyst Design Group, describe it as ‘visually

simple, compact and obnoxiously bright.’ It

sounds like something only a mother could love,

but actually Gator is clever, sexy and gets the

job done. The ADA judges were completely

won over. Together they agreed that Gator is:

‘an extremely exciting and innovative product

and a stand-out example of what good design

can do. Overall, a complete package.’

As winner of the Australian Design Award

of the Year, Gator joins an exclusive list that

includes a Cochlear implant and a cancer

detection system. And while at first an LED bike

light may seem trivial in this company, Catalyst’s

director Hugo Davidson concedes that Gator’s

win may reflect a growing realisation that small

individual actions, like cycling as a primary

source of transport, can be practical solutions

to massive problems like climate change.

In fact Gator, like all Knog bike products

designed by Catalyst, has impressive ecological

credentials. The product’s entire life cycle

is designed to minimise harm. As Davidson

explains: ‘On every level we choose the

environmental route.’ It’s a win/win philosophy,

giving Knog a marketing edge, but more

importantly allowing the customer to ‘feel

good about the product when they get home.’

Award for Excellence in Sustainable Design

Caroma H2Zero Cube Urinal by caroma Dorf

In a drought stricken continent like Australia, we

need to think twice before flushing clean water

down the toilet. Caroma have done just that.

The result is an innovative, completely waterless

solution, the H2Zero Cube Urinal, which took

out the inaugural Award for Excellence in

Sustainable Design.

H2Zero Cube Urinal which uses a waterless

cartridge with an integrated deodoriser, is

the latest in a long line of forward thinking

initiatives by Caroma, a company that has

pioneered solutions to minimise water usage.

In 1982 they introduced the dual flush toilet,

a world first. Their new Smart Flush saves an

additional 70% more than the 1982 system.

As Dr Steve Cummings, manager of research

and development at Caroma explains: ‘We are

continually looking at ways to reduce bathroom

water usage. We are pretty proud of that.’

And so they should be, for by using no water

at all, the H2Zero Cube Urinal could save a typical

CBD office tower 2.3 million litres of desperately

needed clean water every year. This critical local

issue was a source of inspiration for Cummings

and his team as he says: ‘We’ve moved

with the water crisis and taken an

Australian approach to dealing

with it.’ Once again necessity

is the mother of invention.

: : d r i v e n �1

ga

to

r

po

we

rc

lea

t

‘We win jobs in Europe and the USA over

their local designers regularly’, he explains.

Citing Australia’s flexibility, alternative time zone

and regional proximity to Asian manufacturers,

Davidson says we have plenty of advantages.

‘Opening up to the world will allow them

to see the benefits of what we have to offer.’

If the 2007 crop of ADA products is anything

to go by, part of what Aussie designers have

to offer is a seemingly endless capacity for

innovation and problem solving. Just when you

think something is already perfect, distilled

to its most basic and efficient form, like the

standard spring-loaded clothes peg, someone

like Rimm Industries comes along and improves

it with their double-ended Clever Peg. In the

hands of these creative people even something

as dire as Australia’s prolonged drought can

become a source of inspiration, as seen in

Caroma’s waterless H2Zero Cube Urinal, which

took out the inaugural Award for Excellence in

Sustainable Design. Most of us may operate

day to day with an ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix

it’ attitude, but Aussie designers never stop

looking for ways to make things better. These

are the people who reinvent the wheel.

Australian Design Award-Dyson

Student Award: Gold Winner

Powercleat by paul owen

The ADA-Dyson Student Award is a chance for

student designers to present their ideas and

prototypes to a panel of industry professionals.

This year’s Gold Winner was University of NSW

student, Paul Owen’s Powercleat, an innovative

solution to yachting rope tangles.

Stephanie Watson, Manager of the Australian

Design Awards, says of Owen’s winning design:

‘It is a representation of form and function working

together to produce a market ready design.

With thorough research and a professional

presentation, the Powercleat is an example of

the potential within young Australian designers.’

Powercleat was born out of Owen’s own

experiences sailing and he hopes to make it

available soon to other enthusiasts by putting

it into production.

H2Zero

Australian Design Award

Candelabra by charles wilson and Menu

Charles Wilson’s Candelabra is the antitheses

of disposable consumerism – it’s designed

to last. As the Sydney based independent

industrial designer says: ‘The sort of design I

am interested in is creating artefacts…I like to

design things that in all probability won’t be

thrown out, to design objects that will become

ambassadors of their own time, which is what

happens when they are valued.’

Wilson’s Candelabra certainly has the potential

to become a family heirloom or design icon. Its

pared back, modernist lines have an elegant,

almost timeless quality. The two parts of its sleek,

three-dimensional form are cleverly held together

by industrial strength magnets. Disassembled,

it flat-packs for easy storage and transportation.

In this way, Candelabra unites the sometimes

separate design concerns of the decorative and

the functional, something Wilson aspires to. As

he says: ‘It’s good to bridge that gap.’

MENU, the Scandinavian firm which

manufacture and market Candelabra

internationally, clearly think Wilson’s Australian

design has universal appeal. The ADA judges

concurred describing it as an ‘example of world

class styling though superb detail resolution.’

Australian Design Award

Echo Panel by woven Image

According to Tony Sutton, managing director

of Woven Image, in 1997 when the company

began investigating the use of recyclable

materials like Polyethylene Terephthalate

(PET), they were well ahead of the ground

swell in consumer demand for environmentally

sustainable office solutions. But now, with their

ADA winning Echo Panel (and other products in

the Echo Textiles range), he says: ‘The market

has come to us in a big way.’

Echo Panel has multiple applications, but it

is used primarily as a vertical surface in offices.

As a 100% recyclable product, it reflects Woven

Image’s environmental policy of ‘stewardship’.

As Sutton explains: ‘We will take back anything

we’ve sold for recycling, as long as it is

uncontaminated and we actively do that.’

With Echo Panel, it has been particularly easy

to close this ‘cradle to cradle’ loop. Version

three, due for release near the end of 2007,

will be made from recycled material, as well as

remaining 100% recyclable.

On winning an ADA, Sutton was both thrilled

and modestly surprised saying: ‘How can a

flat surface win a design award?’ Yet there is

no denying that Echo Panel is an attractive,

innovative, functional and environmentally

responsible product; a perfect example of

design at its best.

Australian Design Award

The Rode Podcaster by rode Microphones

It comes as no surprise that the Rode Podcaster

has won an ADA, it’s a case of the right product

at the right time. Rode Microphones have

channelled their extensive professional industry

experience into their Podcaster, the world’s first

broadcast quality, USB output microphone with

zero latency headphone monitoring, designed

for recording at home. As the ADA judges put

it, ‘This is a potentially revolutionary product for

a booming market.’

As a market, domestic use of new media is

more than booming, it’s on an exponentially

expanding trajectory and Rode is keen to go along

for the ride. Their Podcaster offers affordable,

professional quality to novice audio technicians.

They even offer free microphone technique

tutorials online, and host a free podcasting site.

And since the Rode Podcaster is both designed

and manufactured in Australia; we can be proud

that our homegrown technology is leading the

charge in the personal media revolution. Let’s

make some noise! [.]

www.designawards.com.au

: : d r i v e n ��

ca

nd

ela

br

a

rode podcaster

ec

ho

pa

ne

l

�4 d r i v e n : :

:winter can be a hectic

and busy time for the

victorian high country with

the snowfields drawing

plenty of crowds but the

little bucKland valley near

bright provides a respite

of peace and tranquillity.

and as ruSSell williAMSon

discovers there could be

few better places to spend

a couple of days of r&r

than the bucKland studio

retreat where luxury and

style meld perfectly with

the local landscape in a

small selection of villas

that leave a very light

environmental footprint

:: d

es

tin

ati

on

When you have spent your life travelling the world as part of corporate

culture it might seem like a difficult task to stop and settle and be

satisfied. But much of that depends upon where you settle and for Sabine

Helsper and Eddie Dufrenne, the Buckland Valley in the heart of the

high country of northwestern Victoria provided the perfect destination.

It’s a pretty little valley that is lined with huge granite cliff faces that

draw ever closer together until the valley peters out and gives way to

the mountains. Just the one road runs its length off the main highway

near Bright but that too is eventually overcome by the surrounding

environment and finishes up being swallowed in a dead end.

Being off the main road, the valley is incredibly quiet too with little

other than the prolific birdlife and the gentle whisper of the wind that

wafts through the natural forest to disturb the silence.

Peaceful is probably the most common word you would use to express

what makes for life in the valley but for Sabine and Eddie, it was a life

that they still wanted to share with others.

So having found their perfect hideaway, they set about creating a luxury

studio retreat to enable others to enjoy the stunning setting and its solitude.

‘We wanted to do something different and both of us come from a

corporate background in transport but we couldn’t do it where we were

living before in St Andrews because of planning restrictions and also

it was too close to Melbourne,’ Sabine says.

‘So we looked around and then came across this area. It is so appealing

because it is so pretty, and you have the four seasons which we like and

it is also an area that people come to all year round.’

Their philosophy in developing The Buckland was a simple one – to

create a place that they themselves would like to stay and build it with

as little impact on the natural environment as possible.

‘We had been travelling all over the world previously for business

and had to stay in some really hideous places sometimes but also very

nice ones and over the years something forms in your mind. So what

we created was a place that we would really like to stay.’

And there is no doubt that Sabine and Eddie have very good taste.

The four studio villas and separate café that make up The Buckland could

easily be missed driving along the road such is their design and the nature

of the materials used.

Plantation timber, local stone, corrugated iron and rusted steel are

combined to form contemporary structures with an aesthetic that melds

seamlessly into the tree line of forest that borders the property.

: : d r i v e n ��

mountain magic

�6 d r i v e n : :

And this vista was definitely no accident. For Sabine and Eddie were

determined to ensure their retreat had a very light footprint.

As such, the four very separate studios sit at different elevations across

the hillside with no excavation having been carried out. Should the time

come, they could be dismantled and removed without leaving a trace while

it also does wonders for ensuring your own private view across the valley.

They are also sited and designed specifically to take advantage of

the winter sun while keeping the hotter summer radiation to a minimum

to help reduce the need for heating and cooling. The windows are

positioned to benefit from cross-breezes that flow along the valley and

the entire studio – walls, ceiling and floors – is wrapped in insulation.

The buildings were designed by local architect Andrew McCoubrie,

whose own Odd Frog studios near Bright are a highly regarded measure

of sustainable architecture and eco-tourism. But as Sabine points out they

also wanted a place that exuded luxury and style and as soon as you step

inside The Buckland studios, the evidence is there before you.

Tastefully decorated in natural tones, there is little left wanting for a

quiet relaxing weekend away. A small cooktop, discrete dishwasher, fridge,

sink and a real coffee machine in the galley kitchen ensure that should

you want to, you could easily cook a romantic dinner for two.

The lounge area is open plan with a wood heater for ambience and

warmth and a flat-screen TV, DVD player – with a selection of movies – and

CD player while the big king-size bed on the bush-side of the villa offers

plenty of privacy if you don’t mind the odd bit of wildlife wandering by.

The bathroom too, with its ceiling to floor windows offers a chance to

view the local wildlife as it meanders along but you won’t do it sitting in a

large tub. For although spa baths are considered a luxury essential, Sabine

was adamant they wouldn’t be part of The Buckland and instead guests

are offered a large double shower to wash away the rigours of the day.

‘I am absolutely against spas. We made the conscious decision not to

have spas because we have all these water and energy saving measures

and then all that can be undone with a spa.’

Not that you need a spa to relax here for just sitting on the balcony,

enjoying a local wine and cheese, and letting the world drift by is enough

to shake off the city stresses.

And there is no shortage of places in the area to find good wine and

cheese, or any number of gourmet treats for that matter.

While Sabine and Eddie added a café to the retreat last year, it really

only serves as a place for guests to enjoy breakfast or in the warmer

months for locals and those in the know to sit down to a café style lunch.

For dinners, Sabine directs guests to the vast array of very good quality

restaurants in the area, one of which, Villa Gusto, lies just about 500m

away on the other side of the road.

With its faux Tuscan architecture and rich surrounds filled with art and

tapestries, Villa Gusto offers an Italian-inspired degustation dinner that is crafted

under the guiding hands of New Zealand born head chef Neal Gregory. It shares

its Italian cuisine with another standout local restaurant the legendary Simones

of Bright that like Villa Gusto is an Age Good Food Guide hat recipient.

In fact, it is the growing gourmet food producers and vast array of

quality wineries that Sabine says are the biggest attractions that draw

visitors to The Buckland.

Using the villas as a base, the region offers a tempting taste trail that

apart from the quality restaurants includes such gems as the Bright Berry

Farm and Plump Harvest Produce in nearby Myrtleford while you can wash

down tasty snacks with MountainCrafted beer from the Bright Brewery or

wines from the likes of Boyntons, Gapstead or Michelini.

Despite its close proximity to the ski resorts of Mount Hotham and Falls

Creek, Sabine says that most people heading for the snow, tend to stay

on the mountain but with the surrounding mountains comes some great

driving roads – whatever the time of year. So for Driven’s weekend away at

The Buckland, we chose a very appropriate vehicle.

The Peugeot 207 GTi is the latest model to join the new 207 range that

was launched earlier this year and priced from $34,490, it sits at the top of

the hatchback range.

Under the bonnet is a potent direct injection1.6-litre turbocharged

petrol four-cylinder engine that was developed in conjunction with BMW

that generates a maximum output of 128kW of power at 6000rpm and

240Nm of torque, with the latter on tap from just 1600rpm. Fitted with an

‘overboost’ function, the engine can temporarily boost torque to 260Nm

in the top three gears for very impressive acceleration while drive to the

front wheels is via a five-speed manual gearbox.

From the outside, the GTi shares the same distinctive silhouette with its

siblings with its bold front end, long cats eye headlights and solid squat

stance but there are a number of highlights that point to the specific

performance potential of the GTi. Sitting on big 17-inch alloys shod with low

profile 205/45 rubber that fill the wheel arches, the car is also distinguished

by its rear spoiler, twin chrome sports exhaust and chrome side mirrors.

Slipping inside into the body hugging Alcantara-lined seats, there is more

sports appeal with a number of alloy and carbon-fibre look trim highlights and

a sporty leather wrapped three-spoke steering wheel sitting in front of you.

The driver’s seat is adjustable in a multitude of directions ensuring you

can achieve a perfect position and there is plenty of room for the front

passenger. As a car that is primarily sports-focussed, the rear seats are also

heavily sculpted with just two outboard positions but the GTi remains a

practical hatch with the rear seatback split 60/40 to fold and expand the

good sized boot.

But this a car that was designed to be driven and as we headed north

out of Melbourne on the Hume Freeway it showed what it was made of.

Plant the right foot and the little turbo engine delivers with a very

smooth and rapid progression in speed. From just off idle, you have the

full force of the 240Nm pushing you gently into the seat back. At the same

time, the engine will keep on pulling right through past 6000rpm before

you need to upshift. The five-speed gearshift is slick and smooth making

it very easy to quickly slip through the gears and before you know it, you

are stretching the bounds of legality.

With our route taking in the Hume Highway and its notorious endless

stream of speed cameras, the cruise control – which can be adjusted in

single kilometre increments with a digital readout – was greatly appreciated.

With an excellent sound system and dash mounted five-disc CD

changer, it was a simple case of locking on the cruise control and sitting

back to enjoy the ride.

: : d r i v e n ��

Heading off the Hume near Glenrowan, you first pass through the King

Valley with Milawa as its centrepiece and again, if you enjoy gourmet

delicacies and fine wines, then there are plenty to whet the appetite here.

Milawa cheese, mustards, olives and baked goodies are all on offer

and the local wineries include the massive Brown Brothers complex and

a number of smaller boutique producers including Chrismont, whose

latest ventures into Italian varietals are superb, and John Gehrig Wines.

With Driven’s weekend away coinciding with one of the best snow seasons

Victoria has seen for some years, we couldn’t resist the urge to spend a day

up at Falls Creek and getting there was half the fun. From The Buckland we

headed east over the Tawonga Gap Road towards Mt Beauty and if ever

there was a car made for enjoying this high mountain pass, it was the GTi.

With the gearbox locked down to second and third, you can simply

use the vast breadth of torque to push along at a very rapid rate while

the firm suspension proved itself with the car sitting flat and solid through

the corners. There is an abundance of grip from the wide low profile

rubber and the steering is responsive and direct with plenty of feedback

to let you know what is happening at the road surface.

This really is a fun little car to drive enthusiastically rewarding the driver

with very solid dynamics engendering a degree of confidence to push

on even further.

Back at The Buckland, our time was spent somewhat more leisurely

with a vast array of trails through the forest that abuts the property – of

which about 25 hectares are leased by Sabine to ensure it remains in its

natural state – just made for a quiet wander through the bush. If you are

feeling more energetic, they would make perfect mountain bike trails and

for those who like to live on the edge, the surrounding mountain ranges

offer plenty of climbing and abseiling opportunities.

But for Driven, we were happy to simply sit on the balcony, with a fine

local wine and cheese and take in the spectacular views and extraordinary

peace and quiet.

For that is truly what this place excels at. Sabine and Eddie didn’t

call it a retreat for nothing. [.]

www.thebuckland.com.au

:

::

win

e

In France, they lay ripe grapes out to dry on the ground on straw mats

and call the concentrated finished wine, vin de paille or ‘straw wine.’

At Mitchelton in central Victoria, winemakers prefer black polythene

plastic – the thick ugly kind that builders use – to dry their marsanne

grapes in the sun. And the name for the honeyed wine? Vin de Poly.

Well, Vin de Poly is actually the winemakers’ little inside joke, but the

Airstrip marsanne is a serious wine with a European-style underlying

dryness to offset the concentrated golden honeysuckle flavours.

Straw mats, polythene plastic, string, plastic trays and freeze-drying

– these are some of the traditional and not-so-traditional winemaking

methods used by Aussie winemakers today to produce wines with a

touch of sweetness about them.

In evolutionary wine terms, we’ve well and truly moved on from the

spatlese (late-picked) period and the ‘sticky’ botrytis (mould-affected)

period to find ourselves at the dawn of a new, creative ‘hell, let’s-give-it-

a-go’ expressionist era. The fact that it happens to apply to sweet wines

is a bonus for the down-at-heel wine category. If any wine style needed a

jump-start it’s sweet wines. And in the new world order, sweet wines are

not just for dessert. No sir, they are an anytime kind of wine.

Take the inspired decision by Graeme ‘Charlie’ Melton of Charles

Melton Wines to make a vin santo style wine, the kind of semi-sweet

indulgence that can be taken anytime, perhaps as a chaser to a quick

afternoon espresso or solo with an accompanying amaretto biscuit.

Beats a cup of tea and a Bex every time.

Melton, a Barossa Valley winemaker more accustomed to hearty Rhone-

style reds than sweet wines, was influenced by the vin santo made by his

friend Paolo de Marchi of Tuscany’s Isole e Olena.

‘When you see a really good Italian vin santo they have this lovely

nuttiness to them,’ he enthuses. ‘It’s not an aldehydic or oxidised nuttiness

but it’s like great old oloroso sherry, it’s nutty but still perfumed and

aromatic.’

The traditional Italian approach to vin santo is to hang trebbiano and

malvasia white grapes on string under the rafters of a barn or house where

: : d r i v e n ��

winter warmers

STICKY USED TO BE A GENERIC

TERM FOR DESERT WINE OF

WHICH BOTRYTISED RIESLINGS

AND SEMILLONS WERE ABOUT

THE ExTENT OF IT. BUT TAKE A

LOOK AT A WINE LIST TODAY AND

THE RANGE OF DESERT WINES

ExTENDS FROM FIZZY MOSCATOS

THROUGH TO ICED RIESLINGS

WITH AN EVER-INCREASING

NUMBER OF AUSTRALIAN

WINEMAKERS ExPERIMENTING

WITH OBSCURE STYLES, VARIETIES

AND PROCESSES. JENI PorT TALKS

TO THE WINEMAKERS THAT ARE

PRODUCING SOME OF THE MORE

INNOVATIVE DESERT WINES BEING

MADE AROUND THE COUNTRY

the warmth helps with the dehydration process

in the grapes, making them incredibly sweet.

So that’s what Melton did in 1995, except the

grapes he used were the more readily available

pedro ximenez and muscat.

The first year, rats in his father-in-law’s shed

attacked the grapes. The second year Melton

ran out of time to get his staff mobilised but in

1998 the planets were in alignment. The wine,

called Sotto di Ferro (meaning ‘under the iron’

roof) is an extraordinary and complex wine but

the expense and time involved in its making

(it takes a gang of six a week to pick and hang

five tonne of grapes on strings to make just 600

litres of wine) means few other producers will be

following in his exact footsteps any time soon.

This is not the case with moscato, one of the

fastest growing wine styles in Australia.

How fast? In 2006, Hunter Valley winemaker

Tempus Two made its first moscato, producing

600 six-packs of wine. The wine flew out the cellar

door and was fully sold out in just two months.

‘I have never seen anything like it in my

life,’ says awe-struck Tempus Two winemaker

Liz Jackson. In 2007, the winery upped

production…to 8000 six-packs!

Another Italian-inspired drink, moscato was

pioneered by Brown Brothers as an alternative

to serious (and more expensive) sparkling

40 d r i v e n : : : : d r i v e n 41

VICTORIA

Yarra Valley Domaine chandon cuvee riche, $29.99

After Moet et Chandon’s successful foray into the sweeter-style of

champagne with its Nectar Imperial, its Australian off-shoot has followed

suit. Domaine Chandon’s Cuvee Riche, a blend of chardonnay and

pinot noir, gives an almost feather-light impression of sweetness. Shows

complex aromas of biscuit, vanilla cream and confection. In the mouth,

it’s smooth, very textural, rich and velvety with a clean bite of acidity.

Take a glass with a selection of cheeses, blue cheese especially.

www.greenpointwines.com.au

NEW SOUTH WALES

Hunter Valley Tempus Two Moscato $25

Here, winemaker Liz Jackson has gone to Italy’s northern region of

Piedmont for her inspiration and the gently fizzy (‘fizzante’) style of sweet

wines from Asti. The ‘moscato’ style combines low alcohol (seven per cent)

and the frontignac grape’s naturally sweet, simple fruitiness. Like sucking

on ripe sultanas, this pale wine has a super grapey intensity. Sometimes

served as an aperitivo, moscato is really more at home at the end of

the meal with a zabaglione, cassata, fruit salad (steeped in moscato for

something different) or soft cheeses.

www.tempustwo.com.au

TASMANIA

Hobart wellington Iced riesling, $25 (375ml)

In Germany, riesling grapes are left out through to early winter where

natural freezing helps concentrate fruit flavour and produces so-

called Eisweins. In Hobart, it’s a different story but the effect is similar.

Winemaker Andrew Hood artificially freezes riesling grape juice to

produce a sweet wine with striking purity of fruit. The key here is taut

acidity that keeps the spicy citrus sweet fruity intensity from becoming

cloying. This is one of the few Australian attempts at the European style.

An excellent counterpoint to lemon or passionfruit tart.

www.hoodwines.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Barossa Valley charles Melton sotto di ferro, $55 (375ml)

This most traditional Barossa Valley winemaker goes Italian with an

extraordinary interpretation of Tuscany’s popular vin santo (‘holy wine’).

Pedro ximenez and muscadelle are dried and concentrated to produce a

seductive visceral sweet wine. Time in oak adds to the complexity. Nuts,

wild honey, candied peel and touches of vanilla define this unique Aussie

wine. In Italy you dunk amaretti biscuits into your vin santo, served in small

glasses, at the end of the meal. Ditto with your sotto di ferro. The 2001

vintage is sold out but 2002 will be available around Christmas.

www.charlesmeltonwines.com.au

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Margaret River stella Bella pink Muscat, $17 (375ml)

Stella Bella is definitely ‘out’ there with its marketing and its winemaking,

choosing a road that embraces drinkability and non-conformity. In pink

muscat, it chooses the muscat a petits grains grape made with a pale pink

hue and a perfume and flavour that is brilliantly over-the-top grapey and

juicy. One of the growing band of moscato-inspired sweeties that is just

so damn drinkable and only 7.5 per cent alcohol. Enjoy with fresh fruit or

grilled peaches.

www.stellabella.com.au

sweet starsall sweet wines aren’t the same…

driven picKs a stellar selection

wines. As a wine, it’s never complicated or

terribly complex. Simple and fruity with a gentle

fizziness that is said to be half way between

a sparkling and a still wine (what the Italian

call ‘fizzante’), moscato wines generally use a

member of the muscat grape family to heighten

the exaggerated fruitiness of the wine. Moscato

simply means muscat in Italian.

Tempus Two winemaker Liz Jackson senses

that the real appeal of the wine lies in what it

isn’t. It isn’t heavy and it’s never alcoholic. In fact,

most moscatos weigh in around six or seven per

cent alcohol.

‘I think our national palate is changing away

from heavy dessert wines,’ says Jackson. ‘We

have a Mediterranean climate after all.’

Or perhaps we’re just bored. For the last

decade our idea of a sweet wine (as opposed to

a fortified wine) was something starting with the

letter ‘b’ – botrytis.

We had botrytis semillon and botrytis riesling

and sometimes a blend of botrytis semillon and

sauvignon blanc (as they do in Sauternes) and

yes, we loved the honey richness, the citrus peel

and the candied peaches and pears but frankly,

it was becoming monotonous.

Now there is an alternative and the choices

are only restricted by the imagination of

winemakers.

Sweet wines can sometimes be fruit sweet,

sometimes savoury, sometimes nutty and

sometimes they’re just an imaginative take on

the old botrytis style. At Yalumba, winemaker

Louisa Rose makes a botrytis viognier.

‘When you think about the flavours of viognier

they are so synergistic with botrytis flavours: the

apricots, the lusciousness and the glycerol and

everything,’ she says.

Rose shows you don’t have to stick to the

usual suspects when it comes to botrytis.

It’s a freedom enjoyed by others who attain

a similar level of sweetness and flavour through

simply the cutting a grapevine’s fruit bearing

canes – the so-called cordon cut or cane cut

method. Foxeys Hangout on the Mornington

Peninsula uses the method to produce a

stunning and spicy pinot gris.

But whatever the process employed,

whether it’s drying fruit on straw (Turkey Flat

The Last Straw marsanne) or part-drying on

racks (Plantagenet Off The Rack chenin blanc)

or leaving the grapes out a little longer in the

growing season (T’Gallant Io Late Harvest

pinot gris) or even freezing grapes on the

vine naturally (Bloodwood ice riesling) or by

refrigeration (Wellington iced riesling), sweet

wines are making a welcome comeback.

:: t

rav

el

HOP ON BOARD THE WALLABY

ExPRESS. RUGBY WORLD CUP IS

UPON US AND PEUGEOT IS ONE

OF THE MAJOR SPONSORS BUT

IF YOU ARE MAKING THE TRIP ALL

THE WAY TO FRANCE TO SEE OUR

BOYS DO BATTLE ON THE FIELD,

THEN YOU MIGHT JUST WANT

TO TAKE IN A LITTLE MORE THAN

JUST THE RUGBY. WITH MATCHES

BEING HELD IN CITIES ACROSS

FRANCE, MArc LLEWELLYN TAKES

A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MORE

INTERESTING CULTURAL, EPICURAL

AND ARTISTIC ATTRACTIONS OF

THE HOST CITIES

: : d r i v e n 4�

Come September, France is set to be overcome

by rugby fever as the world cup kicks off its

regional tour with Australia playing Japan on

September 8 in Lyon, the country’s third largest

city after Paris and Marseilles.

Lyon is known to trivia buffs as the

headquarters of Interpol and the home of tripe

lyonnaise, quenelles (pureed fish and cream

dumplings), and white-skinned Lyon sausages

but the city’s gastronomic delights extend far

further than just the sausages that hang like

stalactites from the ceilings of local butchers

and restaurants.

There are dozens of bistros around town that

serve up regional food, but the best place to

eat is the world-famous Auberge du Pont de

Collonges, found just north of Lyon on the edge of

the Saone River. The chef here is the octogenarian

Paul Bocuse, credited with being one of the most

influential proponents of nouvelle cuisine.

Bocuse attained the ultimate three Michelin

stars in 1965, aged 39, after taking over the

restaurant from his father. He’s held on to

them ever since. In 1975 he was awarded the

Legion d’ Honneur by president Valery Giscard

d’Estaing at the Elysee Palace, and for the

occasion he created his most famous dish,

f r A n c e beyond the field

42 d r i v e n : :

La Soupe aux Truffes (truffle soup). This chicken

broth, flavoured with mushrooms, foie gras, and

a generous amount of truffles, is served in a

porcelain soup tureen, covered with puff pastry,

and baked in the oven.

You can start a meal at his restaurant with

this dish, and swap spoonfuls of frog soup with

cress dumplings with your partner. A fish course

could follow, maybe the lobster cassolette, or

the fresh-water pike. Otherwise you might like

to share a duckling roasted on a spit, or dig into

a plate of veal sweetbreads with crayfish tails.

Whatever you choose, it would be a meal that

you are not likely to forget.

Kicking off the same day with a match between

England and the US will be a game in Lens,

a depressed former mining town in northern

France. Although there’s not much to do in the

town itself, and the surrounding countryside is

scarred with slag heaps, you should certainly

make a trip to Notre Dame de Lorette.

This beautiful chapel stands on a slope above

a World War One cemetery, dedicated to soldiers

who fell in battle during a sustained German

assault between January and March 1915. By

holding the line, the French troops saved their

country from being overrun and defeated.

: lyo

n

: l

en

s

The movement gained so much news

coverage that the instigators plan to gather

thousands more protestors and march down the

Champs-Elysées in Paris on New Years Eve 2007.

Meanwhile, between Toulouse and Lyon is

St Etienne, the next rugby staging post. It’s

famed as the place where the first practical

sewing machine was invented, and was once

regarded as the bicycle capital of France (it’s

still a hub of bicycle wheel manufacture).

Nicknamed ‘The City of Design’, St Etienne

hosts the Biennale Internationale Du Design,

which attracts around 120,000 visitors, and

all the latest in fashion, urban innovation,

and architecture.

The highlight for art lovers though is the

Musée d’Art Moderne, one of the top three in

the world which ranks only below the equivalent

museum in Paris, and New York’s Museum of

Modern Art (MOMA).

There are around 15,000 artworks here,

including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and

installations covering impressionism, cubism,

surrealism, neo-expressionism, pop-art, new

realism, and minimal art.

Among those represented are Picasso,

Monet, Kandinsky, Miro, Max Ernst, and Warhol.

In addition, the museum displays around 1000

: : d r i v e n 4�

with six types of fish – a hearty meal perfect

for dinner – the second with just three, which

makes it a lighter alternative for lunch.

A scorpion fish is essential, while gurnard,

conger eel, turbot, weever and rainbow wrasse

can make an appearance too. Waiters present

the fish whole, on a platter, before whisking

them away to the kitchen. They reappear some

time later, boned and garnished with parsley,

after simmering in a heady stock that’s been

bubbling on the stove for hours.

Traditionally, you eat the fish separately from

the broth, with some potatoes (sometimes

sliced, and always buttered). Your meal usually

comes with two bowls of mayonnaise too, one

laced with garlic, the other with pimento and

saffron. You rub some croutons with cloves of

garlic, dip a few in each of the bowls, then float

them in the soup. Bon appetit!

As Rugby World Cup continues its regional

tour to rugby-mad Nantes, you might want to

There are 20,000 white crosses in the

cemetery, and it’s an unnerving experience

walking along the lines and noting the ages

of the men who fell here. A nearby museum

holds a collection of 2000 objects that recall the

soldiers’ life in the trenches. The Diorama 1914-

18 display offers 400 views of the war in 3D, and

there’s also a reconstructed battlefield, with

trenches and tunnels to explore.

All Blacks fans should head south on

September 8 when New Zealand takes on

Italy in Marseilles, a city renowned for its

bouillabaisse. Pervading the streets of this

southern port is the intoxicating aroma of local

seafood, cooked in a broth made from olive

oil, fennel, garlic, onion, and tomato that

emanates from the many cafes that line the

streets of the old city.

There are two types of bouillabaisse served

in Marseilles: Bouillabaisse du Ravi and

Bouillabaisse du Pêcheur. The first comes

take in a little sci-fi and fantasy and visit the

Jules Verne Museum.

One of France’s most famous authors, Verne

was born in Nantes in 1828. He wrote reams

of poetry and verse, as well as 54 novels. Of

these, Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864),

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea

(1870), and Around the World in Eighty Days

(1873), became international bestsellers.

The museum is entombed in what the local

tourism office calls a ‘great bourgeois mansion.’

There are models and manuscripts and a multimedia

offering too, which all work quite nicely to sum up

the author’s penchant for extraordinary journeys.

Verne is a fitting symbol for this city that is not

shy of displaying its eccentricities from time to

time. Most notable was New Year’s Eve 2006,

when some 600 people protested with banners

reading ‘No to 2007’ and ‘Now is better’. When

the clock ticked past midnight, they began to

cheer ‘No to 2008’ – before moving happily on.

of the most significant design pieces in France,

including creations by Eames, Le Corbusier,

Perriand, and Prouvé.

The gallery also features one of the most

important photography collections in France,

with some 2300 images from Nadar to the

present, as well as one of the most important

libraries for the study of modern art in the

country.

Enthusiasts will be delighted by the gallery’s

bookshop, which offers thousands of titles

covering aesthetics, painting, sculpture, design,

architecture, photography and fashion.

Fans of good reds should next head to

Bordeaux, the urban heart of one of the largest

wine-growing regions in the world – after the

Languedoc wine region, that is.

Scattered around the city are some 900

wineries, supplied by about 13,000 grape growers.

Napoleon III demanded a classification process

for Bordeaux wines be put in place in time for the

1855 Exposition a Universelle de Paris. Only four

reds were assigned the highest rank of Premier

Cru – Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschild,

Château Margaux, and Château Haut-Brion.

This prestigious list remained unchanged until

1973, when Mouton Rothschild was promoted

to Premier Cru status too. Unofficially, Château

Pétrus and Château Le Pin are just as good,

and often sell for more.

As for the whites, nine wines were classed

as Premier Cru in 1855. Château d’Yquem was

considered so great it was granted a special

Premier Cru Supérieur classification. Last year,

an American collector bought a bottle of this

wine dating from 1787, for US$90,000. The price

made it the second most expensive wine ever.

The most expensive though remains a bottle

of undrinkable Chateau Lafite, also from 1787,

which sold at Christie’s London in December

1985 for £105,00. That’s roughly A$246,000

dollars in today’s prices.

A few smaller chateaux open their doors for

tasting, but if you want to visit a great one then

forget it unless you are a wine professional with

very good contacts. Still, you can see the vines

and the signs and of course drink the wines…

The game they play in heaven rolls on next

to Montpellier, where you’ll find a futuristic city

within a city that’s well worth exploring. A short

stroll from the beautiful main city square, the Place

de la Comedie, is Antigone. Created by Ricardo

Bofill, a Spanish architect born in Barcelona,

Antigone is a linear neoclassical whimsy that

spans the grounds of a former barracks between

the old city centre and the River Lez.

44 d r i v e n : :

: m

ar

seil

les

: s

t eti

en

ne

: b

or

dea

ux

The concept came about in the 1970s,

when it became clear there needed to be a

comprehensive plan for connecting the old

town centre to the largely undeveloped far

side of the river.

Bofill was hired to develop a master plan for

a new town center, to be named after Antigone,

the youngest daughter of Oedipus, and the

heroine of a tragedy written by the Greek

playwright Sophocles. The name’s classical

implications fitted well with Bofill’s vision.

It was an enormous project, which included

around 4000 new dwellings, as well as shops,

offices, the regional government headquarters

(built in the form of a 15-storey-high triumphal

arch), restaurants, cafes, housing for students

and artists, schools, sports facilities, and an

amphitheatre.

The plan hinges on a monumental west-

east axis consisting of a landscaped public

promenade, which connects a series of plazas

enclosed by residential blocks. This axis is

buttressed by more developments and tree-

lined boulevards.

Buildings are constructed from prefabricated

concrete panels rendered with a veneer of

classical detail, including giant Doric columns,

and exaggerated pediments, plinths, capitols,

friezes, balustrades, projecting cornices,

casement windows and other details.

Next on the score sheet is Toulouse. With

the largest commercial passenger jet, the A380,

about to become a feature in our skies, why not

come here just to see some of these monsters

being built?

The Airbus Factory is located to the east

of the city in a huge industrial zone known as

‘aérospace valley’. Also here are rocket and

satellite manufacturers, the CNES (Europe’s

equivalent to ‘NASA’), a number of Aerospace

universities, and le Cité de l’Espace space centre.

The Airbus Factory is Europe’s largest

aeronautical plant. It’s made up of giant hangers

and assembly lines, where all the parts for the

various Airbus planes are pieced together.

Complete sections of aircraft, from different

production sites around Europe, are transported

to Toulouse by enormous Beluga aircraft. You

can often see these super-transporters arriving

or taking off from the site. If you’re lucky you

might even see a brand new A380 take off from

the test strip, which is located between the

factory and the civil airport.

A tour of the factory needs to be organised

two weeks in advance, and the highlight is a visit

to the giant A380 hanger. You get to stand on

a 30-metre-high balcony, with panoramic view

of the action below.

The site of the semi finals and final, is

St-Denis, an outer Parisian suburb and home

to the futuristic, 80,000-seat Stade de France.

This incredible stadium was built for the 1988

soccer World Cup and, if the sport doesn’t get you

in then you should really join a daily architectural

tour to witness the genius of this place.

Otherwise, you may be fortunate enough to

secure a ticket for a major rock concert during

your stay – when the stadium transforms into

a throbbing, 100,000-seat cauldron.

The arena’s elliptical form supports a high-

tech, luminous, halo-shaped roof that weighs

as much as two Eiffel towers. It seems to float

above the stadium, suspended by 18 steel

needles. It houses all the lighting and acoustical

mechanisms and still manages to protect the

spectators from the elements.

What’s more, the lowest of the three stands,

consisting of 25,000 seats, can be rolled back on

a cushion of air supported by steel and Teflon

rollers. This makes it the largest transformable

stadium in the world.

Whether you are venturing north south east or

west to watch the Wallabies and their co-horts

get down and dirty on the rugby field, it is worth

taking a little time out to experience France’s

remarkable and sometimes rather left of

centre attractions. [.]

www.rugbyworldcup.com

46 d r i v e n : :

: m

on

tpell

ier

: t

ou

lou

se

:: t

ec

hn

olo

gy

:

If the fact that diesel-engined cars have been

less visible in our automotive landscape than

they are in Europe seems somewhat bemusing,

then there will be less puzzlement over the

next few years as Australians, with a mixture

of enthusiasm and pragmatism, embrace this

environmentally-friendly technology.

For diesel cars are on the way up in Australia

and are expected to account for around 10 per

cent of our new car market within the next three

years. It’s still a far cry from the 50 percent share

enjoyed in Europe but this growing trend is not

happening for nothing.

With passenger-car diesel technology now

developing at an impressively rapid pace, we

are seeing all the inherent advantages being

augmented by operational characteristics that

equal, or better, petrol engines.

And Peugeot is out there at the forefront,

achieving things that stun diesel disbelievers

and merely confirm what the better informed

knew all along.

Perhaps the most spectacular example is

the performance of the new Peugeot 908 HDi

FAP Le Mans series racecar. At the infamous

Nürburgring 1000km race in Germany this

year, the car claimed first and second places.

Earlier in June, the diesel Peugeot also scored

a podium finish at the classic Le Mans 24-hour

endurance race, just a year after a mock-up had

been revealed to the press at the French circuit.

Prior to that, the car also won at Valencia and in

its first ever outing with outright victory at the

1000km of Monza earlier in the year.

The 908 HDi FAP’s 5.5-litre, 100-degree V12

turbodiesel engine produces more than 515 kW,

the

go

od

o

il

DIesel Is no lonGer A DIrTy sMelly fuel for TrucKs AnD few

cArMAKers hAve Done As Much As peuGeoT To prove ITs versATIlITy,

econoMy AnD envIronMenTAl frIenDlIness. froM ITs AwesoMe

power poTenTIAl evIDenceD By The poDIuM fInIsh of The 908 hDI fAp

AT le MAns ThrouGh To recorD BreAKInG econoMy runs, peuGeoT

Is provInG ThAT DIesel cAn Be A fuel for The fuTure. TIM BrITTEN

GeTs Down BuT noT DIrTy To DIscover The french cArMAKer’s role

As An InnovATor In DevelopInG DIesel TechnoloGy ThAT MAKes IT

cleAner, Greener AnD More effIcIenT

: : d r i v e n 4�

�0 d r i v e n : :

:

: : d r i v e n �1

along with a locomotive-like 1200 Nm of torque

that endows it with the power-to-weight ratio

needed to reach the top speed of 339 km/h

recorded on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans.

So, while most of us are aware that a turbo-diesel

engine is capable of massive torque outputs,

Peugeot has proven with the 908 HDi FAP that top-

end performance can also be quite spectacular.

Yet much of the 908 HDi’s technology,

including the high-pressure pumps for the

common-rail fuel injection, and the exhaust

particulate filters, is no stranger to regular,

road-going turbo-diesel Peugeots.

As a matter of interest, stratospherically

potent turbo-diesel power could be put to use

on the road, if the 908 RC Peugeot concept

car is any indication. Described by Peugeot

as ‘a luxury four-door limousine concept

car equipped with the 5.5L V12 HDi diesel

from the 908 sports car installed centrally

and transversely’ the 908 RC may preview

an upcoming large Peugeot luxury sedan.

If sheer power is something that a modern

turbo-diesel can churn out reliably enough to

win some of the world’s toughest races, another

thing that has become an accepted benefit is

the extraordinary fuel economy.

As an example, fuel economy experts Helen

and John Taylor recently completed a round trip

from Melbourne to Palm Beach in Queensland

while on holidays in Australia in an automatic

transmission 307 HDi. Covering 1409km of the

1700km distance on just one tank, they recorded

a phenomenal average on the return leg of 3.9

litres/100km driving at realistic highway speeds.

A Peugeot 406 HDi also figured, years earlier,

in a one-tank marathon that took the Taylors on

what ended up being the world’s longest drive

on one tank of diesel, travelling 2348.3 km from

Melbourne to Rockhampton with some fuel still

in reserve. The frugal duo also holds a round-

Australia Fuel Economy record in a manual

Peugeot 307 that squeezed better than 1600km

out of each of the nine tanks used during the trip.

And, as if that was not enough, Peugeot is

now on the brink of taking it all a step further

into the future with the forthcoming introduction

of a turbo-diesel hybrid engine that will topple

average fuel consumption and emission figures

to a level about 30 per cent lower than that

achieved by existing petrol hybrids.

With the aim of being the first manufacturer in

the world to introduce a diesel hybrid, Peugeot

engineers say the new powerplant will return

a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 litres per

100km, along with a carbon dioxide (CO2)

output of just 90 grams per km. The company

first foreshadowed its hybrid diesel intentions

with the 307Hybride HDi concept car that was

shown at the Geneva motor show last February

and followed that up with a 307 CC Hybride

at the British motor show in June proving that

extremely fuel efficient technology is not out

of place in a sporty lifestyle either.

Underlying all this is the increasing need to

minimise exhaust emissions – an area once

considered a significant problem for diesel

engines, but one that has been resoundingly

answered by Peugeot technology to the point that

today’s turbo-diesels not only equal petrol engines

in many aspects, but also outscore them in others.

This breakthrough in diesel emissions answers

increasingly stringent requirements mandated

by governments all around the world, and no

carmaker has been more focussed on delivering

clean diesel power than Peugeot.

As the first car-maker to fit particulate filters

to passenger cars in 2000, Peugeot ensures

that particle emissions are reduced to barely

detectable levels, even lower than the proposed

Euro 5 standards due to come into effect in

Europe in 2009.

Particulate filters are a major weapon in the

battle for clean diesel exhaust and are designed

to trap all unburned particles left after the

combustion process. So effective is the Peugeot

particle filter that it reduces particle emissions to

a barely measurable 0.004 g/km – equivalent to

a petrol engine and comfortably below the Euro

4 requirement of 0.025 g/km.

Peugeot HDi diesels easily meet Euro 4

nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission standards through

the use of such technologies as exhaust gas

recirculation and sophisticated electronic engine

management and most of the range already

satisfies the stricter Euro 5 proposed standard.

Peugeot is also a world leader in direct-

injection diesel engines, and has been involved

in research and development for more than 15

years. The result is the birth of new-generation

turbo-diesel engines that are not just 20 per

cent more economical than pre-chamber

injection engines, but also produce an

equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions.

An example of just how far Peugeot has come

with diesel emissions control is the new 207 HDi.

The brisk-performing, compact but spacious 207

uses just 4.8 litres per 100km on the combined

cycle and emits a convincingly low 126 grams

of CO2 per kilometre.

It is little surprise that Peugeot enjoys – for the

second year in a row – the number one ranking

in France for low emission vehicles. In fact

Peugeot’s new vehicle fleet average of 140g/

km equals the 2008 CO2 average output level

agreed to by both the European Automobile

Manufacturers Association and the EC.

While the company is still investing in research

and development into alternative technologies

such as fuel cells, in the short to medium term,

the good oil for Peugeot is definitely diesel. [.]

www.peugeot.com.au

�2 d r i v e n : :

::

in-g

ea

r

:

: : d r i v e n ��

tantalising tilesMosaic tiles can be an attractive and stylish addition to your bathroom,

kitchen or outdoor areas and now Spanish manufacturer Mosavit has

taken their appeal one step further introducing the Fosvit range of

luminescent glass tiles. Suitable for walls and floors, these hardwearing

tiles combine phosphorescent pigments incorporated into the tiles

in the manufacturing process to provide a glow-in-the-dark effect.

Exposure to both natural and artificial light sources activates the

luminescent properties in the tiles with greater exposure creating

a more intense glow. The Fosvit tiles are offered in a vast range

of colours to suit any décor and are available in Australia through

Queensland-based distributor Tilenet. [.]

www.mosavit.com

Often in the kitchen it seems

you never have enough hands

and chasing a bowl around on a

slippery benchtop while trying

to mix up a culinary delight is

one thing you can do without.

And that’s exactly what inspired

Australian chef, Mauro Felici to

invent the Sticky Bowl – a suction

device made from non porous high quality food grade silicone. You simply place

Sticky Bowl on any smooth surface and press in the centre so that it sticks to the

bench. Then place a bowl on top and press to secure the suction. When you are

finished, twist the lever to release the mixing bowl and Sticky Bowl can go straight

into the dishwasher. This ingenious invention is Australian-made and recently won

the People’s Choice Award on the ABC’s New Inventors program. [.]

www.stickybowl.com.au

handy helper

decorate it : :

: : stick it

mobile musicDownloadable digital music may be on the increase but it still has its limitations in the home with

generally less than perfect audio quality from PC speakers and the fact that it needs to be played

through the computer – which is probably not going to reside where you want to listen to music.

With these factors in mind, Sony has introduced the VAIO WA1 Wireless Digital Music Streamer.

Compatible with ATRAC, MP3, WMA and AAC music formats, the WA1 streams digital music from

your PC to virtually anywhere in the house via an existing wireless home network or a peer-to-peer

wireless connection with the included USB wireless network adaptor. It is compatible with all PCs

and various music applications such as SonicStage, iTunes and Windows Media Player while good

quality sound comes courtesy of 2 eight-watt, 8cm speakers, a six-band graphic equaliser and audio

sound amplifiers. Analogue and digital out ports mean you can also plug it into your stereo system

or if you prefer your music in private, there is a built-in headphone jack as well. [.]

www.sony.com.au

: : l isten to it

carry it : :

smart sacksHave you ever hiked into the middle of the bush and gotten lost only to find that

your mobile phone battery was dead? Or perhaps you have headed for the snow with

just the right music for a downhill run but your MP3 player was out of power? Well

maybe you need a Voltaic solar backpack. This innovative backpack is just one of 800

different products available from online bag and luggage retailer Rushfaster. The Voltaic

backpacks are mobile power generators, designed to charge your electronic devices

and come with a set of 11 standard adaptors for common mobile phones and other

units such as cameras, PDAs and MP3 players. Embedded in the outside of the bags are

three lightweight, tough, waterproof solar panels which generate up to 4 watts of power

while a Li Ion battery pack is also included to store any surplus power generated, so it

is available when you need it and not just when the sun is shining. The battery pack can

also be charged using an AC adapter or car charger. So pack up and power away. [.]

www.rushfaster.com.au

:

�4 d r i v e n : :

: : read it

portable picturesDigital photography may offer the advantage of being able to shoot

thousands of holiday snaps and not have to worry about processing costs

but you still need to store them and sometimes it can be a hassle to carry a

laptop or find an outlet to buy a new memory stick when you are ensconced

in the middle of the jungle in Vietnam. But Canon has a solution with its new

80GB M80 media storage unit. Equipped with a magnesium alloy body

and a rubber casing to protect the hard drive, the M80 offers an ultra bright

3.7-inch LCD screen and allows transferring, storing and viewing of still and

moving images. Its menu system, design and functions are similar to those

used on Canon digital cameras and it is capable of supporting the same

shooting information and RAW data as EOS digital cameras while it shares

the same battery as the Canon 30D, 5D and 20D. [.]

www.canon.com.au

: : wash it

: : d r i v e n ��

store it : :

bold buildingsAmong Australia’s iconic architects, the name of Neville Gruzman is not one

that readily comes to mind but the eclectic, bold and sometimes confronting

work of the late modernist Sydney-based architect has now been firmly put on

record in an award winning book entitled Gruzman: An architect and his city. Published by Craftsman House

and written by Gruzman himself and Professor Philip Goad, this 320-page monograph spans projects over

three decades (1950s – 1970s) with stunning photographs by Max Dupain and David Moore that bring to

life the many houses and buildings that he designed, largely for clients in Sydney. Guzman’s projects were

often hard to categorise, failing to follow particular distinctive movements, and the man himself has been

described as ‘colourful’ but what this book offers is an engaging survey of one of Australia’s finest and most

passionate architects. Designed by Kate Scott of Melbourne graphic design firm Italic Studio, the book

recently won the Best Designed Illustrated Book award from the Australian Publisher’s Association. [.]

steel art : :The design of appliances has come along way

in the past ten years or so to the point where

whitegoods are more often than not, white. But

the humble sink has largely been left behind with

designs that continued to favour function over

form. German manufacturer Blanco, however, is

one manufacturer that has a range of very stylish

sinks. Among the latest to join its extensive range

is the Claron line – a recent recipient of two of the

world’s most prestigious design awards with a Red

Dot Award and Gold iF Award. Part of Blanco’s

SteelArt collection, this new generation of sinks

combine impressive appearance with functionality.

With an ultra flat FinoTop rim, the sink has the

appearance of being flush mounted in the bench

top while corner radii of 10mm create a distinct

design language and allow optimal use of the bowl

volume. It’s almost enough to make doing the

dishes a pleasurable experience. Almost. [.]

www.meaappliances.com.au

safe and soundApple and its iPod may have revolutionised music on the move but as

with music players in the past, you still need to carry them with care.

So for those who like to be seriously active while listening to their latest

downloads, H2O Audio has come to the party with a range of housings

to suit all iPods and iPod nanos that offer protection from the elements.

The Outdoor series housings are impact and water-resistant and are

designed to keep out the mud, dust and occasional precipitation.

The commander scroll wheel lets you use all the iPod’s functions,

even while wearing gloves, and it comes with an arm strap or belt

clip. The outdoor housing can also be matched with a set of outdoor

headphones that combine a durable neckwrap and coiled cable to

ensure they stay on and don’t get tangled in the handlebars of your

mountain bike as you are about to tackle a 40-degree downhill. [.]

www.nextdestination.com.au

secure it : :

�6 d r i v e n : :

::

the

na

vig

ato

rtrends : : outlook : : vision

professor leon van schaikSenior Professor of Architecture (Innovation chair) at rMIT

from his base in Melbourne where he is

innovation professor of architecture at rMIT,

leon van schaik has long promoted local and

international architectural culture through

practice-based research. his passion for the

built environment and educating others in

the development of sustainable and practical

architecture has resulted in his being awarded

various accolades. The latest of these was in

2006 when he was made an officer (Ao) in

the General Division of the order of Australia,

for service to architecture as an academic,

practitioner and educator, and to the

community through involvement with a wide

range of boards and organisations related to

architecture, culture and the arts. he is also a

widely published author with his latest books

being Mastering Architecture: Becoming a

Creative Innovator in Practice (2005) and

Design City Melbourne (2006).

I am asked what innovations in architecture

are helping people make green buildings,

and my response is that most of what people

can do has been known for centuries, and the

real issue is abjuring from using technology

to support irresponsible design.

A house should face north, it should have

overhangs that shade walls and windows in

summer and let the sun in in winter, it should be

very well insulated, have enough mass to store

the heat (or cool), should collect its rainwater

runoff, and be able to exhaust heat build up from

human activity by cross ventilating when that

heat is not needed. To this other devices can be

added, many also well known for a very long time

such as ‘Trombe’ walls – a kind of green house

filled with stones that stores heat for use inside

in winter – for example. (An under floor example

can be seen in Kerstin Thompson’s visitor centre

at the royal Botanic Gardens at cranbourne.)

solar hot water has been available for a

very long time. new-ish, but not a cutting

edge innovation, is the prospect that houses

will be autonomous, generating their own

electricity with windmills or solar cells, and

harvesting their own water.

students at the Architectural Association

(uK) in 1970 built and ran an autonomous

house that did all of the above, and they

were only pioneers in the sense that they

applied these well-established principles. Air-

conditioning in dwellings is only needed when

buildings fail to do these basic things. we do

however know a lot more about embodied

energy costs of materials now – the hidden

costs of making and disposing of them, and

we can be far more sensitive to these.

so where is the innovation in architecture

today? Architecture is the exercise of the

human capability of spatial intelligence, it is

this capacity that the profession takes care

of for society, honing it and advancing it. It is

through spatial composition that we achieve

ease and comfort, and find contentment in

simpler, less resource-consuming joys.

And young architects today are finding new

modes of space making, notably Minifie nixon,

who are applying the new mathematics to space

making. At the victorian college of the Arts,

their centre for Ideas is a world first in applying

voronoi cells to the devising of a façade

to wrap a difficult extension to the library.

And at healesville sanctuary their Australian

wildlife health centre uses a costa surface to

create the most interesting public space in an

institutional building that you will encounter

anywhere in the world today. [.]

www.leonvanschaik.com

A collection of lovingly blended, natural body care products.Soothing Lavender & Acacia to calm the senses.

Nourishing Honey & Shea to hydrate and nourish.Revitalising Verbena & Lemon to awaken the mind.

Available at David Jones and MyerFor more information, please telephone (02) 9315 9354

178_LCdM_Driven_FPC 17/8/07 4:45 PM Page 1

freedom207

*Recommended Retail Price for 207 CC 1.6 litre manual model, excluding dealer delivery and statutory charges, subject to change without notice. Optional metallic paint (as shown) available for an additional $680. This is a manufacturer’s advertisement. Please contact your local dealer for exact dealer delivery and statutory charges which are additional to the RRP. PEU6211/DRIVEN

The new 207 CC combines the freedom of open air driving with the luxury and refinement of a European sports coupé. In only 25 seconds, its automatic folding steel roof transforms the 207 CC from sun seeking cabriolet to stylishly appointed 2+2 coupé. With a choice of two advanced engines including the 110 kW 1.6-litre direct injection turbo, combined with rally bred handling, 4-airbags, self deploying roll-over protection and ABS, the 207 CC balances exhilaration and function. Experience freedom to the power of 207 from $34,990*.

peugeot.com.au

PEU6211_275x230_Driven.indd 1 14/8/07 1:57:35 PM