Federation square in Melbourne our attempt at a piazza, a meeting place for people to hang out in, meet friends and do whatever people do in town squares
It was meant to open in 2001 to celebrate the 100th year of the Federation of Australia (until then we had been a series of different colonies - which are now roughly our states, and I before the Europeans got her thousands of native tribes) Given the modernity of the squares it's perhaps not surprising how different the buildings look to the town squares of Europe.
And that angled futurist look has become the 'corporate' look of Melbourne, with various organisation using the look in logos.
Having said that there is still a organic quality to Fed square - most notably in the stone pavers that rise up and over the floor
Of course a square is for the people, whether it is in the theatres which are currently closed, the outdoor areas (some of which is given up to construction at the moment) but people were trying or in the atrium which I always found a great place to head if it is raining outside, or as is often the case, very hot - and yeah It's a great place to eat lunch, ever if you are the only person there.
