Crace is a new development in Canberra, Australia, designed as a ‘mini-city’, which will accommodate around 4,000 residents in 1,500 homes when completed in 2015. Key aspects of the design of Crace were based on best practice to create an attractive and safe neighbourhood and sustainable living. Crace is built to a ‘walkable’ grid with 25% of total land for common use; these design features will also have long-term benefits for the health and wellbeing of Crace residents. But is this true? The Crace Study run by the University of Canberra, aims to test this idea and will form an important source of information for this Field Study.

The artwork in this exhibition would be drawn from early stages of production of the Crace Field Study. This work responds to a number of influences: (i) The University of Canberra's 'The Crace Study' and briefings from associated researchers; (ii) Expert briefings, delivered during the Crace Field Study Field Trip 1, from social scientists, landscape architects, developers, planners, conservationists and representatives from companies that are investing in the suburb; and (iii) Artist observations in Crace undertaken during Field Study Field Trips 1 and 2.