The team’s two-part ‘NOW and WHEN Australian Urbanism’ exhibition will highlight three of Australia’s most interesting urban regions as they are ‘now’, before dramatically representing futuristic urban environments as they may be ‘when’ we reach 2100.

Opening in September 2010, the exhibition will feature a range of dazzlingly visceral digital stereoscopic images*, which will fill the two-level Philip Cox-designed Australian Pavilion and represent both the NOW and WHEN components.

On the pavilion’s upper level, NOW will feature current urban environments in Sydney, Melbourne and Surfers Paradise. Stereoscopic visuals will show contrasting views of these cities from macro-scapes at 20,000 feet to ‘helicoptering’ views of urban and architectural icons at close range. All three cities will be filmed at dusk, when the ‘Australian urban spectacle becomes luminous and articulate in conveying the way our cities work’.

On the pavilion’s lower level, WHEN will dare to imagine Australian urban spaces in 91 years time, with the intent of ‘catapulting urban debate into eye-popping visceral entertainment set in a soundscape’. Australian architects will be asked to submit 3D entries for inclusion by entering an ‘Ideas for Australian Cities 2100’ national competition. A range of entries will then be chosen focusing on the creative potential of architecture.

Two stereo screens mounted back to back at the rear of the upper and lower exhibition spaces will be the focus of the installation. An urban themed black and white geometric matrix will be projected on the walls, floors and ceilings of both levels leading to two stereo screens, which will feature the urban environments in continuous three minute loop cycles.

*Stereoscopic imaging will form the basis of this exhibition. Stereoscopy, stereoscopic imaging or 3-D (three-dimensional) imaging is any technique capable of recording three-dimensional visual information or creating the illusion of depth in an image. This illusion of depth - in a photograph, movie, or other two-dimensional image - is created by presenting a slightly different image to each eye.