Evelyn Reynolds

To celebrate our 150th issue, we sifted through the archives to reminisce about how Houses has evolved in its 34-year history – because it’s not a proper milestone birthday without a “when they were young” flick through the photo album.

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The first issue of Houses – or Architect Designed Houses, as it was then known – was published in 1989 and cost readers $5.90. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

The first issue of Houses – or Architect Designed Houses , as it was then known – was published in 1989 and cost readers $5.90. The publication offered a rare insight into contemporary residential design, complete with plans and product information. The introduction to issue 2 declared: “Architecture is about more than just building – it’s about the quality of living.” Initially an annual publication, its frequency increased gradually and, by 1998, Houses was published quarterly.

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Cover of issue 34 (2003): John Wardle Architects, Anglesea Residence. Photograph: Shannon McGrath. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

As the magazine evolved, its title became simply Houses and, in 2001, its tagline was “the residential architecture magazine.” The content was also evolving: articles increased in length; “In Focus” features offered detailed coverage of specialist areas, from flooring and glazing to kitchen and bathroom design; and the “In Profile” series gave readers insight into practice life, featuring candid conversations with leading residential architects.

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Cover of issue 74 (2010): BKK Architects, Beached House. Photograph: Peter Bennetts. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

A 2010 update revealed a new tagline: “Australian residential architecture and design.” This refresh coincided with new art direction by Ken Leung, who had previously worked on Monocle and Vanity Fair , and a reinvigorated content focus. The editorial team initiated new sections including the First House and Revisited series, both of which continue today.

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Fern Tree House, Hobart by McGlashan and Everist (1969). Published in issue 92 (2013). Image:

Jonathan Wherrett.

Acknowledging the enduring appeal of architect-designed houses from past eras, Revisited recounts personal stories of the architects and clients behind these celebrated homes. The series has included houses from the 1950s to the 1980s, including work by Bill and Ruth Lucas, Roy Grounds, Robin Boyd, Harry Seidler, and Edmond and Corrigan, among many others. Revisited is a tribute to the rich legacy of residential architecture in Australia, and to the dedicated custodians who are committed to its preservation.

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Image: Katelin Butler introduces Poppy Taylor, Mat Hinds and their clients James and Cassandra Stoddart at Our Houses Hobart (2017), hosted at Brickworks Design Studio. Image:

Nina Hamilton

The conversations came off the pages of the magazine and into a live event when Houses launched a talk series in 2010, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the architect–client relationship. The Our Houses series continues around the country today, with architects and clients sharing stories of their collaboration with honesty, humility and humour.

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Houses Awards 2015 at NGV International. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

Houses honours the pinnacle of Australian residential design through the Houses Awards, an annual program that recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary work produced by the country’s leading architects. Held since 2011, the awards are an integral part of Houses’ commitment to bringing great residential architecture to the attention of a wide audience.

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Cover of issue 1 (1989): Overman and Zuideveld, Mosman Park House. Photograph: Richard Woldendorp. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

The first commissions for young practices are often residential projects – and a story in Houses can be the first time their work is published. Many architects who have experienced this have gone on to direct widely respected and awarded practices, and to feature regularly in the pages of Houses.

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Cover of issue 124 (2018): Clare Cousins Architects, Garden Room House. Photograph: Tess Kelly. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

A fresh-faced Houses was unveiled in issue 124, with a subtle and elegant design by Janine Wurfel of Studio Metrik, who has been carefully guiding the magazine’s art direction since 2018. The refresh ensured the layers of detail in every story were legible, and its refined aesthetic emphasized the print magazine’s longevity in a fast-moving world of digital and social media.

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Image: May’s Point by Tanner Architects. Photograph: Adam Gibson. Image:

Image courtesy Architecture Media

A dedicated Houses newsletter delivers a weekly dose of curated, inspiring residential design to readers’ inboxes. The newsletter includes additional, digital-only content that has not been published in print, enriching the breadth of residential design covered across the Houses brand. More

The NSW government has allocated $78.5 million to establish an Indigenous Centre of Excellence at Western Sydney University.
Slated to be built at the university’s Parramatta South campus on Darug land, the centre will be a place for research and inquiry, forming and key part of the university’s ambitions to become a national leader in Indigenous education.
The university plans to conduct a national design competition for the building, which will have purpose-built facilities and spaces to support the sharing and preservation of Indigenous Australian culture. The centre will celebrate the Indigenous culture and heritage of the region, with arts and cultural collections, performances, talks and screenings, which will be accessible to local residents, schools and businesses.
“Western Sydney is home to the largest Indigenous population in the country, so it is only fitting that we create a place for Indigenous people to celebrate culture and connection to Country,” said professor Michelle Trudgett, deputy vice-chancellor for Indigenous leadership.
“It will be an iconic destination where the community can come together to acknowledge the region’s deep connection with Indigenous people as well as lead global discourse on Indigenous knowledges steeped in the principles of reciprocity, generosity, and respect.”
The university is seeking a design that emphasises environmental sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connection to country.

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Reference design for Western Sydney University’s proposed Indigenous Centre of Excellence by Allen, Jack and Cottier. Image:

Allen, Jack and Cottier

“The University has always been located on Aboriginal land. As an anchor institution serving Western Sydney we value and nurture our relationships with the Indigenous community,” Trudgett said.
“By working together, we will increase Indigenous participation in higher education, pay tribute to the deep learning that has existed on these lands for tens of thousands of years, position Indigenous knowledge at the core of the University and strive towards a sustainable future that nurtures emerging generations for decades to come.”
Vice-chancellor and president of Western Sydney University, Barney Glover, said, “This is a generational opportunity for us to intensify our engagement with the community, at such a critical time for Indigenous Australians.”
The NSW government’s latest round of West Invest funding allocations also included $40 million for the redevelopment of Riverside Theatre, $52.4 million for the redevelopment of Enfield Aquatic Centre, and $20.3 million for Burwood Urban Park and Arts and Cultural Centre and $17.7 million to upgrade Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink. More

City of Kingston Council in Melbourne’s south-east has appointed a principal consultant architect to lead the design of a new local aquatic and leisure centre. Melbourne-based Co.Op Studio has been selected by council from a two-stage tender process and will lead the project from concept design phase through to detailed design and construction. The new […] More

A Melbourne submission has been selected as the overall winner of the Architectural Drawing Prize by the World Architecture Festival (WAF). The Architecture Drawing prize was established in 2017 to celebrate the art and skill of architectural drawing, awarding prizes in three categories: hand-drawn, hybrid and digital. “Fitzroy Food Institute”, by Samuel Wen and Michael […] More

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has unveiled the second round of murals adorning the 2022/23 architecture commission, a Parthenon look-alike structure by NWMN.
This most recent round of flourishes includes five new murals by Melbourne-based contemporary artists Aretha Brown, Creature Creature, Manda Lane, Chuck Mayfield, and Resio. Artworks have been inspired by “Greek mythology and diverse connections to culture and nature,” the NGV said.
For the installation, Brown, a Gumbaynggirr artist and screenwriter, created a monochromatic mural depicting young Aboriginal people imploring their Elders for guidance. Artistic duo Creature Creature have depicted five figures from Ancient Greek mythology, including Pegasus the winged horse and the serpent Amphisbaena.
Resio’s contribution celebrates the vibrancy of Mediterranean culture, evoking Greek food, dance and song. Mayfield invites audiences to consider the effect that individual and collective perceptions have on the experience of the commission structure. Finally, Lane continues her work from phase one of the murals, portraying the growth behaviours of plants and their interactions with human interventions.

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2022 NGV Architecture Commission: Temple of Boom, designed by Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang, on display at NGV. Image:

Sean Fennessy

NGV director Tony Elwood said the second stage of paintings “honour” the architects’ vision to create a work of architecture that evolves over time.
“In dialogue with the existing murals, these five works invite visitors to discover some of the visual languages shared through Melbourne’s diverse contemporary art scene,” said Elwood.
The first round of artworks, debuted at the commission’s opening in November 2022, included murals by Melbourne street artists Drez, Manda Lane and David Lee Pereira, exploring themes of gender and sexuality, and the interactions of the natural and manmade worlds.
Temple of Boom is on display until August 2023, and the third and final phase of artworks to adorn the structure will be revealed in May. More

A new building on the Campbelltown Hospital campus opened in February 2023 as part of the stage two $632 hospital redevelopment designed by Billard Leece Partnership (BLP).
The 12-storey, 450-bed project involves the refurbishment of the existing building and the addition of new facilities including an emergency department; an intensive care unit; women’s health services and maternity suites; a paediatric wing; operating theatres; and a mental health unit.
The redevelopments effectively double the size of the existing Campbelltown Hospital campus. The project has been instigated to suit the needs of Western Sydney’s growing population and increased need for more holistic health care.
BLP said the architectural response to the redevelopment involved creating a “calm and welcoming” atmosphere, making ready use of natural light, comfortable furnishings and designated recreation zones.
The new mental health unit covers seven storeys, providing care for patients of all ages, with sensory rooms, de-escalation spaces, and light-filled courtyards. In addition to the introduction of new facilities, the upgrades were designed to improve patient flow with intuitive wayfinding and navigation devices.
One key addition was the introduction of “Hospital Street” – a lofty indoor avenue lined with artworks, connecting the new and existing hospital facilities.

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Image:

Brett Boardman

BLP principal and health lead Tara Veldman said the height of Hospital Street helped to negotiate the level changes between the new and existing sites. Moreover, future additions can be plugged in along the spine, future-proofing the building to service generations to come.
“The central walkway scales three levels and it travels all the way through the centre of the site. This spine provides connection to future buildings so that you can extend the facilities in the coming decades,” said Veldman.
Hospital Street also serves as an “uplifting arrival point”, filled with considered design choices and artwork selections. BLP used organic materials, such as the timber cladding defining the main reception desk, and soothing colours to engender a sense of calm. Nature-inspired illustrations by Erica Seccombe depict native flora and fauna on the walls of Hospital Street, and a feather-like sculptural work by Indigenous artist Nicole Monks hangs suspended from the ceiling.

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Erica Seccombe’s drawings of Australian flora and fauna line the walls of the hospital. Image:

Anson Smart

“We did a lot of work with the local Indigenous Elders, going for walks in the bushland of Cumberland Plains,” said Veldman. “With Erica Seccombe, we worked with the community, the design team and the hospital, drawing flora and fauna from the Cumberland Plains that we’d seen and picked. Erica then used those images in the artworks through the building.”
“Art has a healing benefit of helping people to feel calmer when going into medical treatments,” she continued.
BLP worked extensively with local Elder and 2021 Campbelltown Citizen of the Year Uncle Ivan Wellington to help design a space that was culturally sensitive to Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients alike. A Welcoming Stone was included in the outdoor space, “a beacon of safety for First Nations People,” inspired by the sacred birthing stone, and a yarning circle has also been integrated into the landscape, said Veldman.
“It’s really important that people feel comfortable and included in the building,” said Veldman. The Campbelltown Art Centre was also instrumental in engaging the local Dharawal People, facilitated and initiated some the community workshops.
Stage one of the hospital redevelopment, which cost $134 million, was completed in 2016. Stage two will consolidate stage one developments, with completion expected late 2023. More

The Victorian government has opened expressions of interest for the design, construction and maintenance of a new hospital in Melton, to meet the growing healthcare demands of Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Located at 245–267 Ferris Road, Cobblebank, the project will be funded through a public-private partnership, with $900 million coming from the 2022/23 Victorian Budget. The hospital will be delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Western Health, which will operate the facility once it is constructed.
The successful consortium will deliver Victoria’s first hospital to be powered entirely by renewable energy, with a minimum of 274 beds, an intensive-care unit, maternity and neonatal services, mental health services, radiology services and outpatient care. The government is seeking candidates from “suitably qualified and experienced consortia,” with shortlisted practices invited to prepare detailed proposals later this year.
The 24-hour facility will have the capacity to treat 130,000 patients a year, the Victorian government said, and almost 60,000 in the emergency department alone. Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the hospital will help locals get better care closer to home. “Melton is one of the fastest-growing communities in Australia and that’s why we’re building a world-class hospital and finding the right consortium to get it done,” Thomas said.
Conveniently located close to the Western Freeway, Melton Hospital will service the communities of Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Melton and Bacchus Marsh. The community will be engaged to help shape the project, with a community consultative committee holding its first meeting in February.
Enabling construction works are now underway, with major construction expected to start in 2024 for completion in 2029.
For information on the EOI, visit the Buying for Victoria website. Applications close at 2 pm on 2 March. More

Last October, Danish design brand Hay opened its flagship Melbourne store courtesy of Australian partner Cult Design.
Since 2002, the Hay brand has been supplying the Danish market with aspirational, bespoke and contemporary designer products – including furniture, glassware, lighting, clothing and accessories – at an attainable price point.
Cult partnered with Hay in 2005 and lunched Hay Sydney in 2015 – the first fully-operating retail store under the Cult brand. The introduction of the first bricks-and-mortar store in Melbourne was slated to coincide with the Danish store’s 20th anniversary.
Cult founder and managing director Richard Munao was confident that the store’s Melbourne location – Fitzroy, an eclectic and bohemian suburb in the city’s inner-north – would fit with the Hay DNA, finding a kindred audience in the neighbourhood’s discerning locals.
Munao said Melbourne was already primed for Hay’s arrival, with many online sales from the Sydney store, once Hay’s sole Australian retail venue, shipped to local buyers. But were those sales indicative of a lasting appetite for the products, or were they “just” a temporary side effect of the city’s long lockdowns?

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The exterior is wrapped in a colourful mural by local artist Jasmine Mansbridge. Image:

Amy Hemmings

“Three months on, and the sales [are] continuing to give Sydney a run for its money,” Munao says.
While the store’s open-plan, apartment-like 160-square-metre layout emulates that of the Copenhagen flagship, Hay has incorporated Melbourne’s design culture into the venue. A vibrant, geometric mural by Jasmine Mansbridge treats passers-by to architectural shapes and vivid colours; those who walk in will spot a custom retail counter, made in collaboration between industrial designer Adam Goodrum and plastic recycling company Defy Design from old milk bottles.
Munao says these city-specific elements evoke the new location yet remain consistent with the Hay brand. “[The store] feels like it’s meant to be in Melbourne, if you know what I mean, versus taking this Danish store and trying to copy and paste,” he says.
Recent releases to the Hay showroom include the Apollo portable mushroom lamp by Studio 0405, the sleek Palissade range of outdoor furniture by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and the lush Mags soft modular sofa. More