The Roundtable is an NGV Architectural Commission-shortlisted project temporarily installed at Errol Street Reserve, North Melbourne. It comprises a seven-metre diameter table surrounding a circular garden of edible plants. The project’s designers, landscape architects Enlocus and architects Common, describe the project as a response to COVID and a longing for social interactions during times of lockdown and social distancing.
“A table is the original common space, it is an object that celebrates coming together, seeing each other, and sharing food.”
In collaboration with Enlocus and Common, Cultivate opened a discussion around the themes and topics the Roundtable raises, such as repurpose, reinvention, and the ability of small, adaptive projects to act as catalytic armatures and form connections between communities and public space.
The event was hosted around a shared meal at the Enlocus studio, featuring an exhibition of the project and a discussion with invited guests including the project designers, local community members and specialists from across disciplines. The menu was be project-responsive, drawing from the edible plants featured in the project.