Students in the Communication Design and Culinary Arts departments have come together to explore the history of the area in a public event, entitled ''Reclaim - Visions of Vogel Street''. Running from 10am to 4pm this Saturday in Vogel St, between Water St and Jetty St, the event will feature more than a dozen interactive displays.
The displays will offer insights into the history through a range of techniques, including pop-up characters and scenes, to games and activities, and several food carts presenting food from different eras. These range from early Maori settlement and the days before reclamation, when Vogel St was still under water, to the present day.
There will be a projection display focusing on the 1980s and 1990s, when many Dunedin bands would use buildings in Vogel St for practice rooms.
Otago Polytechnic Communication Design student and project organising group member Melissa Hooper said the 30 students involved in the project had been fascinated by the extraordinary history of the warehouse precinct area.
''It has been amazing to learn about the area - from the reclamation through to its place in the cultural life of the city,'' Miss Hooper said.
''There are so many stories to tell.''
The students had also gathered their research into a ''newspaper'', which would also act as a catalogue for the Reclaim - Visions of Vogel St event.
Along with exploring the history of Vogel St and the warehouse precinct, the event would also highlight the redevelopment work that was going on in the historic buildings and their potential, Miss Hooper said.
