Evelyn Reynolds

A house designed for one of Australia’s most famous historians which itself became an important part of the history of modernist domestic architecture in this country can now be toured virtually.
The Robin Boyd Foundation has released a 3D tour of Manning Clark House, designed by Boyd and built in Forrest, Canberra for the late historian Manning Clark and his wife Dymphna in 1952.
Clark is best known for his six-volume A History of Australia, a controversial work published between 1962 and 1987, which painted Australian history as a tragedy, but which viewed Australians as “more than second-rate Europeans.”
Philip Goad, chair of architecture at the University of Melbourne, noted the similarities between Boyd and Clark, as two thinkers who tried to carve out a unique identity for Australia.
“The house represents in many respects the point in time at which Boyd was trying to map out an architectural identity for Australia – and was doing so at the same time that Clark was trying to map out an Australian historical identity for the nation,” he said.

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Sebastian Clark, son of Manning and Dymphna and president of the not-for-profit Manning Clark House Inc. Image:

Robin Boyd Foundation

The house was captured for the 3D tour in April 2021, when Robin Boyd Foundation volunteers Jonathan Russell and Tim Isaacson travelled to Canberra, immersing themselves in the Clark family home for a week.
Russell and Isaacson scanned the house with a specialized 3D space capture tool known as a Matterport, provided by engineering firm Arup. They also conducted more than 20 hours of video interviews with Clark family members, academics, historians, architecture and heritage experts, volunteers and visitors. Back in Melbourne, augmented reality specialist Phoria provided user interface support to bring the home to life.
Robin Boyd Foundation chair Tony Isaacson said the tour explores the design of the house and its contents, as well as the life of the family who lived there, telling an important story of Australia’s post-war social history and development. “As you navigate through the home, thirty interviews with family, friends, and commentators help you to enjoy and interpret it,” he said. “We love exploring how we can use contemporary technology to reach more people and the Alistair Swayn Foundation, our partners and volunteers have enabled us to go the extra mile, to Canberra, with our third digital tour.”
The tour follows digital explorations of Boyd House II/Walsh Street and the Greg Burgess Studio Archive.
Launched 3 March 2022, on what would have been Clark’s 107th birthday, the Manning Clark House 3D tour is available to view here. More

The Moreton Bay Regional Council has approved the expansion of the University of Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus with three proposed buildings designed by Kirk.
The buildings will accommodate teaching and research spaces, administrative offices, a car park and sports facilities.
In planning documents, the architect said the design is a continuation of the original masterplan for the campus produced by Hassell. The proposed buildings will also sit opposite the foundation building designed by Hassell, around a landscaped area to be dubbed “the knowledge spine.” Wild Studio is the landscape architect for the project.
Kirk’s indicative design for the masterplan imagines the campus as a series of courtyards with built form placed at the road interface to define an urban grid. The buildings will provide activating frontages to a “knowledge spine.”
“The proposed USC buildings provide engagement ‘hub’ facilities at the ground plane, connecting with the landscaped ‘knowledge spine’ to showcase USC’s growing and active campus,” the architect said. “These flexible facilities provide a plethora of potential uses and for private (internal) and public (external) interactions.”

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The University of Sunshine Coast’s stage two expansion designed by Kirk. Image:

Courtesy University of Sunshine Coast

Kirk director Richard Kirk said, “Most of the proposed building structure will be built from prefabricated engineered timber, providing a fast construction process and sustainable building solution.” The three buildings are expected to be complete in time for the first semester of 2023.
“Other environmental features will include areas of mixed-mode ventilation and high-performance facade designed with the aid of advanced digital tools,” Kirk said.
The University of Sunshine Coast revealed the design of the expansion in November 2021.
“The campus expansion is another step towards creating a thriving innovation ecosystem at The Mill at Moreton Bay in partnership with the Moreton Bay Regional Council and industry,” Helen Bartlett, vice-chancellor and president of USC said at the time.
“These buildings will significantly increase the space available for our teaching and research, as well as provide our students with sporting facilities and more areas for them to study, collaborate and socialize.
“The development will help accommodate the growing student population at USC Moreton Bay, which has exceeded expectations during the campus’s first two years. The strong demand for university education in the region is clearly evident.”
USC Moreton Bay campus is built on the site of a 10.5-hectare former paper mill at Petrie near the railway station. The campus’s first building, designed by Hassell, opened in March 2020, with more than 1,200 students enrolled across 50 undergraduate degrees. The campus is expected to accommodate a student population of 10,000 by 2030. More

The late Bulgarian-born architect Iwan Iwanoff is, according to architect and TV presenter Stuart Harrison, “to Perth what Gaudi is to Barcelona – a figure inseparable from the place [he] worked [in] and helped give identity to.”
An exhibition and book titled Catching Light by Jack Lovel is celebrating his work and seeking to solidify his place as a figure of national importance.
Architectural photographer Jack Lovel, has a long association with the architect’s work, having spent his formative years in a family home designed by Iwanoff, the Jordanoff House (1954) in Perth.

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Marsala House, or the “Dianella Disco House” (1976). Image:

Jack Lovel

Lovel said that the émigré architect’s “revolutionary work” had left an impression at a young age. Around two years ago he set out to capture the few remaining relics of the architect’s career, hoping to give Iwanoff national prominence.
The book captures more than 20 remaining works designed by Iwanoff between his arrival to Perth in 1950 and his death in 1986.
Having studied architecture in Europe, Iwanoff set up his practice, then called The Studio of Iwanoff, in 1963 and became known for its idiosyncratic use of concrete blocks in residential projects. While his work is sometimes referred to as brutalist, he did not subscribe to that school’s prioritizing of the structural and utilitarian over aesthetics.
Lovel’s photographs were previously exhibited in Perth in 2019 at This Is gallery. In a piece written for the 2019 exhibition, Stuart Harrison noted that Iwanoff understood the harsh sun and particular light of Perth.

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Architectural photographer Jack Lovel.

“His layering of concrete block screens in the later work is both artistic expression and also a way of dealing with the Perth summer sun – catching it on the outside and playing with it, shadows and reveals, giant fretwork made from simple cut concrete blocks,” he wrote.
Catching Light is on exhibition at Est Lighting until 31 March. The limited edition hard-cover book includes a foreword by Stuart Harrison and an introduction by Iwanoff’s son Nicolai. More

The Alastair Swayn Foundation has announced that the first round of its 2022 architecture and design grants program is now open for applications. The submission period will close on 11 April 2022. In an expanded program, individuals, groups and organizations may apply for the foundation’s grants, which are available in two categories: Design Strategy ($10,000) […] More

The Tasmanian government announced that it will build a new $750 million multi-purpose stadium at Hobart’s Regatta Point as part of its ten-year strategic stadium plan. The stadium is contingent on the island state achieving an AFL license, and will be designed to AFL specifications, while also accommodating the A-League (soccer). A new stadium was […] More

The Surf Coast Shire Council in Victoria’s west has approved concept plans and business case for development of a “four-in-one” cultural centre.
The proposed Surf Coast Cultural Centre will be located at 77 Beach Road in Torquay. The council owned site is currently home to Surf Coast Art Space, Torquay Visitor Information Centre and Australian National Surfing Museum with the Torquay Library in a neighbouring building.
The new building will accommodate all four community facilities in one, which will be developed over two stages.
The concept design for the project has been produced by Williams Ross Architects. A spokesperson for the council said the appointment of an architect for the detailed design phase is subject to a future tender process.

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Concept design design for Surf Coast Cultural Centre by Williams Ross Architects.

Stage one of the project will consist of new building that will house an expansion of Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay Library and Torquay Visitor Information Centre, which will adjoin the existing arts space. In the second stage, the arts space will be redeveloped into a Multi Arts Centre with a 250-seat theatre, gallery, artist-in-residence studio and backstage areas for performers.
The design of the building will incorporate elements that reflect the Wadawurrung Aboriginal cultural, visual, environmental heritage.
“Many members of the arts community, surf industry and users of the current buildings shared with us what they think are the needs for this facility and this has very much informed the concept design we have now,” said Surf Coast mayor Libby Stapleton.
“We will continue to seek their advice as we progress to detailed stages of planning and design.
“We are particularly excited by the prospect of creating a purpose-built space enabling us to better display the 12,000 items from our Australian National Surfing Museum. Our collection is recognised as being of national and international significance and illustrates such a vivid and important part of our story on the Surf Coast.”
The council has committed $8.06 million for the first stage and is seeking an additional $28.8 million through state and federal grants and philanthropic contributions.
Stage one of the project is anticipated to be delivered in 2024 while stage two is anticipated for 2030. More

Construction has begun on the $225 million upgrade to Docklands Stadium in Melbourne designed by Grimshaw and Smartform.
The project is set to improve connectivity between Docklands and the CBD, as well as enhance accessibility for visitors.
A primary feature of the redevelopment will be a new plaza, dubbed Town Square, on the southern side of the stadium at gates one to three, which will create a year-round, all-weather public space for sports fans to gather, as well as accommodate community events and markets.

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The proposed Town Square in the redeveloped Docklands Stadium designed by Grimshaw and Smartform.

On the eastern side of the stadium, at gate five which faces the city, the existing stadium walls will be partially removed to create a new entry, dubbed City Edge, with an enhanced concourse space that will integrate ticketing, merchandising and food and beverage outlets.
The opening up of the eastern edge will create a better connection between the stadium and city.

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Upgrade to the southern entrance of Docklands Stadium designed by Grimshaw and Smartform.

Other stadium upgrades include the refurbishment of existing function rooms to make them more versatile for events, change room upgrades with increased disability access, the refurbishment of facilities fro professional women’s sport, a multi-faith room and a sensory room which will provide a quiet space for children and adults with autism, dementia, PTSD or other similar conditions.
“These upgrades will provide a vibrant hub for the Docklands community and will attract more visitors to Melbourne’s waterfront,” said minister for tourism, sports and major events Martin Pakula.
Docklands Stadium opened in 2000 and was originally designed by Populous in association with Bligh Lobb Sports Architecture and Daryl Jackson. The upgrade is due to be complete in 2023. More

The City of Swan in Perth’s north-east is seeking up to 10 design professionals to form a new Design Review Panel. The panel will provide expert advice and recommendations on the architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and sustainability of certain planning proposals. The council is looking for expressions of interest from qualified professionals in architecture, […] More