Evelyn Reynolds

German-Australian studio Laboratory for Visionary Architecture has been appointed to lead the development of a concept masterplan and legacy designs for Expo 2030 Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Expo 2030 is a planned World Expo, a large-scale international exhibition showcasing innovation, culture and global collaboration. The winning concept was developed by a consortium including Lava, landscape design consultancy firm Land, major events and expo advisor Christine Losecaat, expo design strategic advisor Samantha Cotterell, Buro Happold, 9 E, Redas, and Montana.
According to a communique from Lava, the Riyadh edition of the expo will be held between King Salman International Airport and Riyadh City, with plans for the site to remain functional after the event as a mixed-use precinct incorporating retail, dining and community facilities.
In a statement, Expo 2030 Riyadh described the event as a celebration of “breakthroughs in science, technology and cultural understanding.” They commented that they were proud to be working with a global team of design specialists led by Lava, and described the concept masterplan as reflecting the spirit of technological and scientific innovation “by interpreting the theme of ‘Foresight’ as a vision for a new way of living for current and future generations.”

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Lava stated the plan incorporates fractal geometries – repeating natural patterns – into the design to improve environmental performance and spatial efficiency. According to the studio, this approach “enhances airflow, light distribution and energy efficiency,” while also enriching the experience of the space for visitors.
Co-founder of Lava Chris Bosse said the design is firmly grounded in nature. “The masterplan exemplifies how nature and technology, environmental restoration and urban innovation can effectively coexist. Expo 2030 Riyadh is a prototype for future cities – linking the microcosm of nature with the global digital realm and creating a new urbanism.
“The design draws from the elegant efficiency and brilliance of nature, using cellular structures as inspiration to shape a futuristic, human-centric city. It enhances walkability and connectivity while ensuring adaptability for a seamless transformation into a global village after the event.” More

A hotel proposal granted planning approval a few months ago at Darwin Convention Centre, situated nearby an Indigenous sacred site, is facing new-found scrutiny from Traditional Owners, after developers were recently granted a new power to proceed construction of the project without further First Nations consultation.
The 11-storey hotel proposal at Stokes Hill, designed by South Australian practice Pact Architects, is part of the broader redevelopment of Darwin’s waterfront.
Developer CEL Australia lodged an application for certification with the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) in August 2024. According to the AAPA, this process involves consultation with Aboriginal custodians to determine “the conditions for carrying out specific works on an area of land or water near sacred sites.” However, earlier this year, NT News reported that Larrakia custodians expressed concerns that the hotel would overlook a sacred site.
At the time of their application, CEL Australia executive director Robert Lee told NT News, “We’ve done as normal and now we’re waiting for certificates to be approved … If they [AAPA] say ‘no’ we would have to consider the reasons why TOs [Traditional Owners] said no … and [if] there are no solutions we will seriously have to consider the future of the project. We do have to respect the locals and we don’t want to upset anybody. We’re not here to make people upset, we’re here to do a project.”
However, former AAPA board member Rachel Perkins recently told ABC News that the developer withdrew this application shortly before the NT government amended sacred sites legislation in May to allow the addition of new parties to an existing authority certificate. This week, AAPA confirmed in a media release that it had revised the site’s existing 2004 authority certificate to recognise both SH Darwin Hotel – the project’s development company – and the Darwin Waterfront Corporation as recorded parties.
Perkins said, “It [the 2004 certificate] was for marina-orientated commercial activities. Now the certificate is being revived for an 11-storey building.”
Chair of the AAPA board Bobby Nunggumajbarr agreed that the certificate is out-of-date.
“The board has very serious concerns about the use of a 20-year-old certificate to progress the SH Darwin Hotel proposed hotel project,” he noted. “The old waterfront certificate does not detail a high-rise hotel next to the Convention Centre or alongside the registered sacred site. Plans for a tower in that location were not part of the original Larrakia consultation.”
According to Nunggumajbarr, “More recent certificates for development around Stokes Hill, including for the Larrakia Cultural Centre, set strict height limits to protect the sacred site. Larrakia custodians have been very clear that the current SH Darwin Hotel design will impact the site.”

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According to ABC News, Treasurer Bill Yan “informed Larrakia stakeholders ‘of the NT government’s next steps to deliver the hotel’ and outlined its intention to use recent changes to the Sacred Sites Act to make that happen” in July. His letter stated that, “Importantly and in line with the new provisions, all recorded parties will be required to fully comply with these conditions under the 2004 certificate.”
However, AAPA’s communique notes that “the NT Government’s recent amendment to the Sacred Sites Act … compels the authority to process such applications without further consultation.”
Nunggumajbarr said, “This application has put the board in a difficult position but under the amended [Sacred Sites] Act we must add the recorded parties.”
The AAPA board will be escalating the matter to the federal government, in doing so expressing their support of Larrakia custodians and their objections to the hotel development.
“Sacred sites and development often coexist and the Darwin Waterfront Precinct is proof of that,” Nunggumajbarr commented. “The precinct demonstrates that with proper consultation and respect, development can proceed in a way that benefits all Territorians, whilst also protecting the cultural heritage of the Larrakia people.” More

In both Māori and Aboriginal cultures, there is a long and ancient history of architecture and building technologies. Before colonisation, buildings and structures weren’t labelled as “Indigenous architecture” – it was just architecture.
In this episode of Design Speaks Weekly, Carroll Go-Sam and Deidre Brown explore what, and who, is defining Indigenous architecture today. Along the way, they reflect on the progress of Indigenous recognition and representation in architecture across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Carroll (Dyirbal, Gumbilbara Bama) is a senior lecturer at the School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Queensland. Deidre (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) is a professor of architecture at the University of Auckland and the recipient of the 2023 Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal.
During their conversation, Carroll and Deidre share how Indigeneity in architectural education has changed over time, with each reflecting on how past curriculums offered little exposure to non-Western heritage nor Indigenous typologies.

Design Speaks Weekly is presented in partnership with the Australian Institute of Architects and with support from Lysaght. A fresh episode will be delivered every Tuesday. You can listen to it on major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. The full interview can also be read here. More

The City of Moreton Bay has awarded a tender to the Comiskey Group to deliver a $180 million, 5-star hotel precinct – which they describe as a “mini-James Street” – 35 kilometres north of Brisbane in North Lakes.
Designed by Brisbane architecture practice Bureau Proberts, the proposal features a 130 room-hotel, and a “high-end” retail and dining precinct. According to a media release from the City of Moreton Bay, it captures qualities of the award-winning Calile Hotel in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, designed by Richards and Spence.

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Mayor Peter Flannery said the project’s vision captures the council’s ambition to grow a strong visitor economy ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We put the call out in August last year for an iconic proposal that would elevate [the] City of Moreton Bay on the tourism map. Comiskey Group’s vision ticks every box with a world‑class design from architects Bureau Proberts, quality dining and genuine community benefit and serious economic horsepower for our city as we head into 2032,” he said.
In addition to targeting tourism attached to landmark sporting events, including the 2027 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Softball World Cup Finals, the hotel is designed to cater for business travellers through meeting and conference spaces.

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Comiskey Group director Rob Comiskey said, “The resort will blend luxury accommodation with premium food, boutique retail, generous green spaces and event experiences to create a destination locals will love, and visitors will travel for.”
Detailed design and approvals for the precinct are expected to progress this year, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. More

Following the Australian Institute of Architects’ National Awards in November, industry leaders will gather to address the flaws in the design competition system today and what needs to happen for reform.
Read up on the provocateur and nine respondents below:
Camilla Block of Durbach Block Jaggers
As a founding director of Durbach Block Jaggers, Camilla Block brings decades of experience to the practice, with contributions across all project stages, from broad site strategies to detail resolution – and, crucially, design competitions. One of the firm’s recent competition wins is the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo (with Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay and Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup). Block is the provocateur for the ArchitectureAu Asks symposium, posing the question, “the competition system is under scrutiny – how could it be better?”
John Wardle of Wardle
John Wardle is a Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medallist and the founder of Wardle, an award-winning practice whose portfolio spans domestic dwellings, university and healthcare buildings, museums and large commercial offices. Among the firm’s competition-winning schemes are the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre and the Batman Avenue Bridge (with NADAAA and Oculus).
Felicity Stewart of Stewart Architecture
In 2013, architect and urban designer Felicity Stewart won an international competition for a new Green Square Library and Plaza (with Studio Hollenstein). She now leads the Sydney studio of Stewart Architecture as a director. Stewart prides herself on her commitment to inclusive city-making, and is dedicated to defending the public interest and creating innovative design solutions that enhance urban life.
Phil Harris of Troppo Architects
Phil Harris is a founding director of Troppo Architects, and has led the practice’s involvement in information and cultural centres, public realm, and village centre projects nationally. The practice received the Global Sustainable Architecture Award in 2010 and the Institute’s Gold Medal in 2014. Their competition-winning schemes include Henley Square (with TCL), affordable eco-housing at Whitmore Square, and a design for a new city in the NT’s Top End.
Kerry Clare of Clare Design
Along with her husband Lindsay, Kerry Clare co-founded Clare Design in 1979. The pair were together awarded the Institute’s Gold Medal in 2010. Their practice’s award-winning work includes diverse projects from self-sufficient houses to major urban and public buildings, including a competition-winning design for the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) (with Architectus).
Patrick Kosky of Kerry Hill Architects
Having joined Kerry Hill Architects (KHA) in 1999, Patrick Kosky has held the role of director since 2014 and currently jointly leads the Australian studio. Under his directorship, the firm has been successful in design competitions in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, including the Walyalup Civic Centre and EQ West development. Kosky was an inaugural member of Western Australia’s State Design Review Panel and has participated as a juror on multiple awards juries.
Kevin Lloyd of Hassell
With more than 30 years’ experience working as an architect abroad, Kevin Lloyd is one of the most experienced designers in Hassell’s Sydney studio. His award-winning portfolio includes the redevelopment of Herston Quarter, a mixed-use and health precinct in Brisbane. Hassell has won numerous design competitions across Australia and abroad.
Bradley Mapiva Brown of Bagariin Consulting
Bradley Mapiva Brown is the founder and managing director of Bagariin Consulting, a design-focused practice based in Ngunnawal Country in the ACT. He is currently leading the National First Nations Engagement Framework for the National Gallery of Australia’s competition project to revitalise the Sculpture Garden (with CO-AP), developing cultural design principles, FPIC/ICIP protocols and national yarning circles. He serves as deputy chair of the ACT Heritage Council and collaborates with government, cultural institutions and design studios to advance ethical, place-based practice.
Sue Dugdale of Susan Dugdale and Associates
As director of Susan Dugdale and Associates, Sue Dugdale is based in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, where she works with her team to create better outcomes for the community, the town and the environment. The firm’s work has won numerous awards and has been twice featured in the Venice Biennale – in one instance, as the result of a competition.
Marika Neustupny of NMBW Architecture Studio
Marika Neustupny is a founding director of NMBW Architecture Studio, whose projects have been awarded, widely published and exhibited in local, national and international contexts. NMBW’s designs been awarded first place in numerous design competitions, such as the recent NSW Pattern Book Design Competition (with Other Architects and Tarn) and Reimagining Where We Live design ideas competition (with BoardGrove Architects, BLOXAS and Glas Landscape Architects). In parallel with practice, Marika has been working in architectural design teaching and research for over 25 years, and holds a PhD from the University of Queensland.

Tickets are now on sale for the full-day ArchitectureAu Asks symposium on 7 November in Canberra. Architects can earn 3.5 formal CPD points. To find out more about the event and opportunity to purchase a ticket bundle with the National Architecture Awards, visit here.
ArchitectureAu Asks is a Design Speaks program organised by Architecture Media and supported by premium partners Bondor Metecno and Planned Cover, and hotel partner Ovolo Nishi. More

The South Australian government will commit $2.5 million over five years to support the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) in establishing a peak body to improve First Nations housing outcomes.
The funding will be delivered through the South Australian Housing Trust.
According to a communique from the state government, the peak body will:

“Recognise and empower Aboriginal leadership to drive Aboriginal-led decision making
Advocate for Aboriginal housing needs across South Australia
Support the development of an Aboriginal Community Controlled Housing Sector, which will provide both housing and housing support services, such as tenant management
Strengthen partnerships between Aboriginal communities and government
Drive innovation and accountability in housing outcomes.”

The communique notes that the body will “consult with communities and Aboriginal housing and homelessness services to effectively support and advocate for the needs of Aboriginal South Australians. It will also advise the government on how it can better interact, consult with and serve communities.”
Deputy Premier of South Australia and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher commented, “Establishing a peak body led by Aboriginal people to support South Australian Aboriginal communities is a key initiative to help us meet the housing Closing the Gap target and I’m pleased we have taken this meaningful action to help tackle this vital issue.”
Co-convenor of SAACCON Christine Thyer said their organisation welcomes the partnership and investment. “It reflects the trust placed in Aboriginal organisations to lead solutions that meet the real needs of our people. The peak body will ensure our voices are heard and our rights respected.” More

A 20-year masterplan vision has been unveiled for Perth Markets in the city’s south, developed by local architecture practices With Studio and Place Fabric. A media release from Perth Markets notes that the plan is “designed to meet the evolving needs of the fresh produce and horticultural supply chain,” prioritising “modernisation, greater operational efficiency and enhanced access across the precinct.”
The 51-hectare Canning Vale site has been home to wholesale fresh produce in Western Australia since 1989. It currently supports more than 110 tenants across 93,000 square metres of gross lettable area and hosts more than 13,000 people each week, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, buyers and staff.

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According to their communique, Perth Markets anticipates that the market footprint will grow to approximately 160,000 square metres over the next two decades. They note that the “expansion will unlock new commercial opportunities, accommodate tenant growth, and ensure the precinct remains responsive to emerging market trends and consumer demand.”
The newly unveiled masterplan outlines a staged redevelopment of the site, with a strong focus on the first five years. The media release notes that “key upgrades include the expansion of cold-chain and logistics warehousing, enhancements to the Market City retail centre, and significant improvements to onsite infrastructure and amenities.”
According to Perth Markets, the vision has been developed through extensive consultation with tenants, the local council and key stakeholders.

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Perth Markets CEO Scott Gibson said, “The masterplan will support the fresh food and horticulture industry and those involved in the state’s fresh produce supply chain through continued investment in cold-chain infrastructure and facilities.
“The benefits for businesses associated with these industries are significant and will directly flow into the Western Australian economy and communities they are part of.” More

A boutique apartment project has been greenlit for development opposite Australia’s longest-running continuous food market in southeast Melbourne, Prahran.
Designed by local practice Cera Stribley for Melbourne-based developer Leeka, the mixed-use proposal at 182–194 Commercial Road, known as Comme Prahran, is set above a two-storey Old-English-style, Edwardian-era building. According to a media communique, the structure “will be preserved and woven into the contemporary design of the project.”
Leeka director Chek Ming Cheng said the site offers the opportunity to draw on Prahran’s rich history.
“Comme Prahran will create a contemporary place with a timeless character, blending heritage and modern design to foster creativity and inclusivity. With Cera Stribley’s deep understanding of the suburb’s urban fabric, we believe the project will resonate with people who value both Prahran’s cultural richness and the quality of design and amenities on offer,” he said.
Cera Stribley managing principal Domenic Cerantonio added, “What makes this brief special is its focus on creating a vibrant, integrated community hub that celebrates Prahran’s past while embracing its future.”

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The eight-storey proposal has been approved for 32 residences – a mix of one- to four-bedroom apartments, along with accompanying retail, dining and public amenities. Shared gardens and a public art mural are intended to connect the development to the local community.
Cera Stribley were previously engaged for an apartment complex on the same site by developer Beulah, who acquired the property in late 2021. Plans for the 39-dwelling proposal were lodged in mid-2022. More