City of Yarra initiated a process to enhance the identity of one of its busiest retail districts, engaging Greg Burgess to design sculptural elements at the busy Hoddle St intersection. This proposal included a number of logistical challenges including preserving roadway use and access, and allowing for traffic impact scenarios in the design of the footings and column bases. The nearly 12m tall sculpture, inspired by boats and birds in commemoration of the contribution of Vietnamese immigrants to the local area's development, is complemented by a series of colorful "hats" suspended above the roadway. All works had to be carefully designed to avoid clashing with the innumerable existing services on the site, including power lines overhead, traffic signs, and underground gas and wastewater lines. The installation of the sculpture was completed in 2014.
