The award winning House in the Sky sculpture is now floodlit at night to welcome visitors to Melbourne’s west.
The two dimensional model of a house hangs above the junction of the Westgate Freeway, Western Ring Road and Princes Freeway.
The House in the Sky was launched in May 2001 under a three year public art program called Images of the West.
The $64,000 program was funded over three years by the State Government and six western Councils — Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley, Wyndham and Melton.
Images of the West spokesperson, Wyndham Mayor Karen Roberts, said the sculpture in the sky represented ‘the great Australian dream’ of owing a home.
“It is this image that continues to attract many people to the west, where there is abundant and affordable land for people to build new homes,” she said.
“The region’s proximity to Melbourne, its parks, sporting facilities, shops and educational facilities and a world class road network are a boon for local residents.
“The west has got it all. It has become a sought after location for anyone looking for a good quality of life.”
Designed by Brearley Middleton Architects, the House in the Sky won an Urban Design Architecture Award from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 2002.
The sculpture is life sized, created from galvanised steel tubes around tension cables and supported by 35 metre masts.
The front facade of the house contains full architectural detail.
“Images of the West celebrates the people and achievements of Melbourne’s western suburbs, promoting the attractiveness, diversity, history and personality of the region,” Councillor Roberts said. “The project has now introduced six urban design initiatives to high profile, visible sites along one of the region’s extensive road network.”
