Evelyn Reynolds

“Embrace equity” is the 2023 International Women’s Day campaign theme, which seeks to draw attention to the critical differences between equity and equality, and examine “why equal opportunities aren’t enough.”
“When we embrace equity, we embrace diversity, and we embrace inclusion,” the campaign states.
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2023 on 8 March, we asked a diverse group of women practitioners to share their insights on how architects create more inclusive environments.
Sophie Dyring, director of Schored Projects

Sophie Dyring Image: Supplied

This year, Schored Projects is celebrating 10 years of working in the inclusive and diverse social housing sector. Director Sophie Dyring says, “Inclusivity and diversity in the built environment doesn’t have a tangible look, but you know when it’s been achieved, at least in our public spaces, because people from every walk of life are utilizing and enjoying the space.
“That’s not to say that every aspect of the project relates to or is relevant to everyone; what it means is that women feel secure to walk through the project at night. It means First Nations people feel connected to the place. It means the LGBTIQ+ community feel safe and secure to be themselves. It means neurodiverse people can easily navigate the space. In short, inclusivity and diversity in the built environment is welcoming.
“Architects can foster diversity and inclusively in the build environment through representation. Through our post occupancy research for A Design Guide for Older Women’s Housing, it became clear that the voices of lived experience through the design stages of a project are critical in the success of a project for the future users/occupants. The project typology would guide the necessary representation, but at a minimum, all projects should include the voices of First Nations people, women and people from the LGBTIQ+ community.
“I recently read the term ‘experts by experience,’ and I think there is something in that approach. Architects must listen to these experts. They can participate on a smaller scale through specific focus-groups or on a larger scale through advisory boards and panels.”
Samantha Rich, graduate of architecture and adjunct lecturer at the Yuwaya Ngarra-li Institute of Global Development

Samantha Rich Image: Supplied

“We need diversity in how we design because that’s what our communities look like,” says Samantha Rich, a Wiradjuri woman who is dedicated to embedding a First Nations worldview into the design of buildings and the broader built environment. “A cookie-cutter approach shouldn’t be implemented in any of our built environments. Often, we believe as designers that we know how to design well. But until the designers and the way we design involves a broad array of people, they will only support the people we see in our offices.
“Inclusivity is about a lot of things. It means being involved at all stages of a project; it’s about having a voice, and being in positions where decisions can be implemented meaningfully. As a woman, and as First Nations person, I am taught to fit into this world. Things like: be less emotional, be more passive, don’t be too angry, juggle two worlds.
“For me it is also about making sure that our qualities, experiences and characteristics as people are valued and not seen as burdens or problems to manage. The ability to be open about how we see and feel in the world and that perspective is not seen as a risk or negative. This to me is true inclusivity.”
Rich adds that built environment practitioners should embrace the “lived experience” of the people they are designing for and “allow the community to lead you [and] make the space adaptable and supportive to varying types of people.”
“Don’t make people bend or change to fit into spaces or environments.”
Simona Castricum, postdoctoral research fellow in architecture, musician and producer

Simona Castricum. Image:

Naomi Lee Beveridge

“Architects have a unique place at the design table, working across many sectors and professional silos,” says Simona Castricum, whose PhD research explored gender nonconforming and queer spatial production in the city, in architecture and in public space. “Marginalized groups can benefit from advocacy across these sectors and silos to advocate for change that will enrich civic life.
“Architecture should always interrogate the administrative systems that exclude or cause harm to people in the built environment. We need radical practice to imagine the very futures that will alleviate some of the barriers people face in the built environment.”
Nicole Kalms, founding director of XYX Lab/Gender and Place

Nicole Kalms Image: Supplied

Nicole Kalms, who leads a team of researchers exploring gender-sensitive design practices, says there is still much to be done to achieve true inclusion.
“It is the everyday commitment, accountability and advocacy that will move everyone forward and create radical change in the built environment.”
She says that architects should “look at best practice, engage experts in gender sensitive and intersectional design. Most importantly, [they shoud] listen to those with lived experience in the communities that will (presumably) benefit from the work that you do.” More

The South Australian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects has named the recipient of the 2023 Jack Hobbs McConnell Travelling Fellowship, awarded to a promising designer (usually South Australia-based) to undertake an independent research program or course to further study in architecture or a related field. Recent graduate of the University of South Australia […] More

The Australian Institute of Architects has issued feedback on the NSW government’s Building Legislation Amendment Regulation 2023, held on 27 February, describing the government amendments to the building classes regulation as a “missed opportunity.”
“While we have been encouraged by the quality and the nation-leading volume of work which has been undertaken by the NSW government on these reforms to date, we believe the new Amendment Regulation is a backward step in the protection of consumers in NSW,” a spokesperson for the Institute said.
The regulation applies to Class 3 buildings – which the building authority defines as buildings that are “a common place of long term or transient living for a number of unrelated people,” including “care-type” facilities such as accommodation buildings for children, the elderly and people with disability – and Class 9c buildings, which are residential care buildings that contain 10 percent or more residents in need of physical assistance in conducting their daily activities.
The Institute said that endorsing an unrestricted class of building designer to document these classes of building will have negative outcomes for the community’s most vulnerable residents accommodated by these buildings.
“The Institute believes an unrestricted class of building designer may result in unintended consequences; will reduce consumer protection; and will impair international recognition of our skills base by indicating that an Architect and Building Designer (Level 1) are equivalent in terms of their education, skills, experience, ongoing professional development, regulation, and expertise,” a spokesperson for the Institute said.
The Institute said that the skills of an architect and a building designer (level 1) are “clearly not the same” and that conflating these two professions is signalling to the market, misleadingly, that the product delivered by the two will be of the same quality.
“Registration as an architect requires five years of full-time study to masters level, meeting a National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA), 3300 hours of logged, verified and supervised practice which can take up to five years to achieve, and then completing an architectural practice exam administered nationally by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia,” the Institute continued.
“Alternatively, building designers do not need to meet all these stringent requirements. It is critical to note that under the current DBP [Design and Building Practitioners] Act and Regulation, some fully registered and experienced architects are restricted from operating as Design Practitioners – Architectural due to the stringent new experience parameters.”
NSW Chapter president Adam Haddow said consumers should feel confident that the designing of complex buildings for the most vulnerable will always be put in the hands of those with the highest level of qualification and expertise. More

The New South Wales government’s Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) has submitted a development application for the demolition of existing buildings at 82 Wentworth Park Road, Glebe, for the construction of an SJB-designed, four-storey affordable residential building.
The site covers an area of around 1,600 square metres, bound by Wentworth Park Road to the east, Bellevue Street to the west, Cardigan Street on the south side, and the Glebe and Wentworth Park railway viaducts to the north. It currently contains a block of 17 semi-detached apartments and townhouses, comprising two- and three-storey masonry dwellings from the 1970s and ’80s designed by NSW Housing Commission.
Estimated to cost around $22 million, the multiresidential building is designed for older social housing residents, and would include lifts and other amenities to enable accessibility. The proposed architectural designs have been prepared by SJB for a four-storey building that would contain 43 affordable dwellings, made up of one- and two-bedroom apartments.

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The proposed design uses a palette of terracotta and white brick to complement the materiality of the existing heritage buildings in the neighbourhood. Image:

SJB Architects

According to LAHC, the residential building will be “modern and energy-efficient” to reduce residents’ bills and energy consumption. The design incorporates a green roof, intended to improve the outlook and extend the local ecological function. The planting selection aims to support a diversity of wildlife by incorporating a “living roof” into the urban environment. SJB said a diversity of wildflowers across all seasons would ensure that the native landscape would not go dormant for local pollinators.
Two communal gardens have been proposed, with edible and native perennials for base planting, to connect the future residents through landscape. The design uses a palette of terracotta and white brick to complement the materiality of the neighbourhood’s existing heritage buildings.
“The much-loved suburb of Glebe has a rich history and strong street character,” a LAHC spokesperson said. “Because of this, all plans for the future of our sites are designed to achieve the greatest benefit for social housing residents as well as the wider community.”
82 Wentworth Park Road is one of three Glebe sites proposed for revitalization, to deliver new social housing that meets the needs of contemporary tenants. These include a site at Franklyn Street and the renewal of Cowper Street.
The development application was lodged with the City of Sydney on 14 February and will be on exhibition until 15 March 2023. More

Round one of the Alastair Swayn Foundation grants program has launched, offering funding opportunities to individuals and organizations in the architecture and design community. The Alastair Swayn Foundation is a not-for-profit intended to advance Australian architecture and design culture. The late Alastair Swayn, one of Canberra’s leading architects, bequeathed his estate to establish the foundation. […] More

The Sutherland Shire’s principal performing arts venue has officially reopened following a major redevelopment of the existing arts and cultural centre.
The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland reimagines the previous Sutherland Entertainment Centre, preserving aspects of the former building while creating a contemporary new public venue with ameliorated functions to cater for a diversity of cultural and technical needs.
The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre held a soft launch for the completed project on 28 January with a performance by Bangarra Dance Theatre as part of the 2023 Sydney Festival, while the building was officially opened with a gala concert on 4 March.
Designed by Chrofi and NBRS Architecture, the structure is composed of a grid of mass laminated timber, mirroring the geometry of the existing masonry building. The original building was designed and built in the 1970s as a music venue for the local community, and the architects retained the bones of the existing centre in the redevelopment.

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All acoustics, accessibility and back-of-house functions have been revitalized to provide a venue with broad appeal for audiences and performers alike. Image: Supplied

Features of the $41-million renovation include a 686-seat theatre, additional rehearsal spaces, a new entry court and foyer, and upgrades to the surrounding Peace Park. The reimagined internal space includes a glass foyer, conceived as a “park pavilion” with abundant natural light and park views, serving as a gathering place before performance times and doubling as a performance space in its own right.
A new verandah along the northern edge of the building is designed as an interface and a “connective threshold” to help mediate the level of change between park and building. The architects have provided a new through-connection between Merton and Eton streets, which was previously only available through the centre itself. The centre features a more open outlook than the former, inward-oriented auditorium and narrow public address to Eton Street.
Chrofi said that the new centre “reaffirms Peace Park as the civic heart of Sutherland,” fostering stronger connections to the established civic institutions, with additional connections to future developments within the Sutherland town centre.
The northern side of the existing building has been adapted to form a cafe and administrative spaces. The auditorium has also retained much of the existing envelope, but the original flat floor has been transformed into tiered seating, with refurbishments carried out for acoustics, accessibility and back-of-house functions. More

Designs by Plus Architecture for Ballarat Station Southside Precinct have been unveiled. The project is set to deliver a new community destination for hospitality, retail, childcare, work and leisure.
The 22,000-square-metre precinct will form a link between Ballarat Station and the Ballarat CBD via Lydiard Street and Coffee Palace Lane. The developer said the precinct will “stitch together” a previously disconnected section of the city with new pedestrian pathways, arcades, and a proposed bridge from the South Station Plaza.
“Conceptually we aspired to physically bridge this arm of the city to the CBD, and to visually link the nuances of Ballarat’s historic chapters in a considerate way, that would provoke thought to its potential future,” a spokesperson for Plus Architecture said.
Plus Architecture director Ian Briggs said the development would be underpinned by principles of community, sustainability, and First Nations histories, acting as a community conduit for the translation and a destination in its own right.
“With such a pivotal site location, we saw this as an opportunity to create a progressive design that is truly tailored for the needs of the growing and increasingly diverse population of Ballarat,” Briggs said.

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Curved archways are repeated throughout the precinct. Image:

Plus Architecture

“Referencing heritage while delivering a 21st-century transport gateway and ‘destination station,’ the project will act as a gateway to Ballarat – a place that celebrates coming together, encouraging people to visit, stay, and engage with what the city has to offer.”
Plus Architecture said the development will create a “visual tapestry” of Ballarat’s diverse history, with a sloping form inspired by the surrounding Victorian silhouettes. Reviving some of the existing renaissance-style buildings will acknowledge the site’s Victorian heritage, with added references to the area’s industrial history through its relationship to the historic train station.
Plans include the restoration of a renaissance revival bluestone building on Lydiard Street, as well as the adjacent triple-front commercial terrace row, with each reimagined as hospitality and wellness amenity.
The architects consulted local Wadawurrung Traditional Owners through the design phase, and plans include the integration of local history through interactive learning opportunities on the future site.

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The project will regenerate some existing renaissance-style bluestone buildings. Image:

Plus Architecture

A 104-room hotel will be built facing Coffee Palace Lane, south of which a 600-square-metre commercial building will cater for new workspaces.
The project coincides with the regional city’s preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, anticipated to provide a $3 million boost to the Victorian economy.
The development is targeting a 5-star NABERS rating for the hotel, as well as a 4-star Green Star rating along with carbon neutral and fossil fuel free certifications. The project will be achieved using locally sourced materials and high-performing glazing, with integrated photovoltaic and solar panels to generate green power.
Plans have been submitted to the City of Ballarat for assessment. More

Construction has begun on a new 14-storey paediatric services building at the Children’s Hospital in Westmead, western Sydney.
Designed by architects Billard Leece Partnership (BLP), the new 14-storey building is part of the $619-million stage two redevelopment of the Westmead Children’s Hospital. The new facility will house the largest critical care unit for children in the country, housing cancer services, operating theatres, intensive care, inpatient units and more, all within one building.
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is located on the corner of Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, around 3 kilometres northwest of the Parramatta CBD. The hospital is currently the main paediatric referral hospital for the west, providing care for around 80,000 sick children each year.
The new facility will be located adjacent to the Central Acute Services Building on the site of a decommissioned carpark. The paediatric services building will connect with the new emergency department, medical imaging, and short stay unit delivered through stage one of the redevelopment. Stage two entails the construction of the facility.

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The design of the Paediatric Services Building by Billard Leece Partnership uses biophilic design principles to create a stress-free, non-threatening environment for patients. Image:

Billard Leece Partnership

BLP’s designs were unveiled in 2022, showcasing a calming hospital environment, incorporating biophilic design and interactive play areas.
NSW premier Dominic Perrottet marked the construction milestone on 22 February, describing it as a “vital” and “world-class” health facility promised to care for the country’s sick children.
“This project will future-proof health care in Western Sydney and help staff treat, care and support children and their families from across the state and around the country,” Perrottet said.
Health minister Brad Hazzard added the expanded hospital will also increase the capacity of neonatal intensive care units, and enable parents and carers to stay with their children and babies “when they need them most,” he said.
The redevelopment also includes a multi-storey car park; more access to redeveloped green spaces; improved spaces for families, and new and accessible playgrounds. The project is slated for completion in 2025. More