Evelyn Reynolds

The Tasmanian government has released preliminary documents in its plans to create an arts, entertainment and sporting precinct at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
In April 2023, the federal government announced it would contribute $240 million towards the project, which will transform the last remaining waterfront and urban development site in Hobart.
The Tasmanian government will develop a refreshed precinct plan for the area, which spans from Macquarie Point to crown land at Regatta Point.
A multipurpose, 23,000-seat stadium will be the centrepiece of the project. It will have the capacity to host a range of activities such as major concerts, conferences, exhibitions and sporting events.
“The Urban Renewal project has a multipurpose stadium at its core, which will inspire economic activity around it and strengthen our economy for decades to come,” said Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff.
The project will include a focus on transport connections, housing and upgrade to Hobart port.
Regatta Point will be developed through a public-private partnership and include affordable homes and housing for critical workers and veterans.
“This exciting precinct plan will provide real affordable housing for Tasmanians, real jobs and new transport solutions,” said prime minister Anthony Albanese.
“This sets up Macquarie Point as the future jewel in the crown for Hobart. A place where people can live, work and come together.”
Documents released by the Tasmanian government include a business case for the project, as well as a site selection report produced by MCS Management and Consulting in conjunction with Philip Leighton Architects and an initial stadium views analysis undertaken by Liminal Architecture.
An architect has not been appointed for the design of the stadium. The design process will begin after consultation with key stakeholders has concluded.
The total funding requirement for the urban renewal project is $715 million. The Tasmanian government has committed $375 million, the AFL will contribute $15 million, and the remaining $85 million will be funded through borrowings. More

The first building at Flinders University’s proposed Flinders Village site has topped out.
The $280 million Health and Medical Research Building (HMRB), designed by Architectus, will be the centrepiece and flagship building of the Flinders Village development at the university’s Bedford Park campus on Adelaide’s southern outskirts.
The building is located adjacent to Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders Private Hospital and will accommodate staff and researchers of the colleges of medicine, public health, nursing and health sciences.
“Housing more than 600 basic, clinical and allied health research scientists together with data scientists and digital health experts, the 10-storey HMRB with its amazing state-of-the-art facilities provides exciting new collaborative research opportunities that will help us to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of people everywhere,” said professor and Matthew Flinders Fellow Claire Roberts.

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Flinders University Health and Medical Research Building by Architectus. Image: Architectus

Informed by the university’s Cultural Narrative and Indigenous Art Advisory Panel, the design’s colours reference the natural pigments of the Kaurna Yarta coastline.
The ochre-coloured facade will also draw attention to significant Indigenous landmarks.
The building has been designed to integrate with surrounding landscape. Bush medicine plants are part of an Indigenous garden with landscaping that extends to the rest of the campus, the adjacent hospital and railway station.
“This project has been a benchmark in collaboration. Our national team of experts has engaged the community in hundreds of workshops, particularly with First Nations elders, to design a hub for innovation inspired by its place on Rainbow Country,” said Architectus principal Andrew Schunke.
Flinders University’s vice-chancellor said the HMRB is a “$280 million gift to the people of South Australia.”
South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas said, “Flinders’ Health and Medical Research Building will utterly transform the south and this biomedical precinct.”
The building is due to open in 2024. More

The Australian Institute of Architects has called on the federal government to prioritize funds for housing First Nations communities and improving buildings’ energy efficiency in the 2023 budget, which will be delivered on 9 May. The Institute made a pre-budget submission to Treasury that included a number of recommendations, including allocating $4 billion over four […] More

Sustainability Victoria is inviting architects and designers to submit to the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards. The more than 20-year-old awards program celebrates advancements and achievements in sustainability across six categories aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Sustainable Places and Destinations and Thriving Environments. Two awards will be presented in each category: a […] More

Researchers are inviting architectural workers to participate in a second survey about the impact of workplace culture and professional identity on wellbeing. The landmark Wellbeing of Architects survey was first conducted in 2021 and had more than 2,000 participants, the majority of whom were registered architects or undertaking registration. The results of the first survey […] More

Archisource has announced the winners of its 2022 Drawing of the Year contest. Yichen Sheng of Melbourne School of Design received the Architectural Award 2022 for a drawing, Vessel of Machine. The judges lauded the mix of traditional drawing methods and creative flair, as well as the selective use of colour. “The strong composition and […] More

Major construction has begun at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Theatres Building, which will receive upgrades designed by NH Architecture and Snøhetta. The project marks the Theatres Building’s first upgrades since its 1984 opening. Works include refurbishing the auditorium, bringing sound and staging technologies up to international standards and improving accessibility with new lifts, seats and floors. […] More

Architect and former national president of the Australian Institute of Architects Helen Lochhead has been appointed to the board of the National Capital Authority, where she will serve a five-year term. Lochhead is currently a board member of the Australian Heritage Council, a non-executive director of the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Australia, […] More