One hundred designers, artists and craftspeople will race the clock in an urban design challenge at Melbourne’s Docklands (27-30 July), building 10 new public space projects in just three days.

Supported by RMIT University, Urban Realities: Landscape Urbanism 3 Day Design Challenge is a competition bringing together creative minds from around Australia and the world as part of the 2011 State of Design Festival.

Spectators are invited to watch 10 teams working around-the-clock to design and construct thought-provoking public space interventions that best respond to this year’s festival theme, ‘Design That Moves’. There are also free guided tours (28-31 July) or visitors can see the projects on site until 7 August.

RMIT Landscape Architecture Program Director, Associate Professor Rosalea Monacella, said the event aimed to shed light on new and innovative ways for considering the future of public space.

“Urban Realities will use the Docklands area as a case study site for exploring ways to activate and transform the urban environment,” she said.

“It’s a unique opportunity for members of the public to see design in action. Creating new public space projects in just three days is an incredible challenge but there’s nothing like a deadline for inspiring adrenaline-fuelled design!”

Team members will upload daily diary videos to the Urban Realities YouTube channel (see below) showing their progress, capturing the highs and lows of their project.