Evelyn Reynolds

The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) has officially opened their Woden campus, approximately 10 kilometers south of Canberra’s CBD.
Designed by architecture practice Gray Puksand in collaboration with Infrastructure Canberra, CIT and Lendlease, the 22,500-square-metre facility will accommodate up to 6,500 students a year. Concept designs for the project were released in August 2022, three months after the architects were appointed.
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A press release from the architects notes that “the campus is designed to embed education within the public life of the local community.” At ground floor, activated street frontages, publicly accessible spaces and direct links to transport – including a public transport interchange currently in construction – are designed to dissolve “the boundaries between learning and civic participation.”
Partner at Gray Puksand Barry Hackett commented, “CIT Woden speaks to a broader evolution in institutional interiors, where civic buildings are designed not only for access, but also for comfort, dignity, and engagement. It is a campus designed not just to serve a curriculum, but to support how people live, learn and gather.
“In doing so, it reflects the evolving role of vocational education in Australian cities, where institutions are increasingly seen as a driver of community connection, urban renewal and economic opportunity,” said Hackett.

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According to their communique, Gray Puksand’s design for CIT Woden responds also to the identity of the campus’s setting on Ngunnawal Country. The architectural form draws from the surrounding landscape, with facade geometries referencing the Brindabella Ranges. At roof level, a circular oculus featuring a wedge-tailed eagle, or Mulleun, is intended to represent a totem of the Ngunnawal people.
The design process included consultation with Yerrabingin on the integration and expression of Country throughout the campus. The collaboration informed spatial strategies, cultural references and materials used across the public realm and interior design.
CEO and co-founder of Yerrabingin Christian Hampson said, “We applied our designing with Country practice Wanganni Dhayar, that brings together First Nations communities and built environment professionals to guide a Country centred approach to CIT Woden. This approach informed spatial planning to the expression of landscape and light.”
Each floor of the five-level building is distinguished by colour, with muted earth tones at ground level and lighter sky tones above encouraging clear wayfinding.
Smart classrooms, specialist labs and open collaboration areas are distributed throughout to support various work, training and study modes in industries such as business and management, creative industries, cyber and IT, hair and beauty, and hospitality, culinary and tourism.

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The campus design integrates sustainability as a core framework, with CIT Woden being declared by Gray Puksand as one of the first institutions of its kind to combine mass timber construction with fully electric systems.
The 6-Star Green Star campus incorporates approximately 1,200 cubic metres of engineered timber across both the exterior and interior, and is supported by 100 percent renewable energy from the ACT grid, rooftop planting, water harvesting and solar photovoltaic infrastructure.
Reflecting on Gray Puksand’s approach, Hackett noted, “Designing an educational precinct of this scale without fossil fuels pushed us to rethink every system and assumption. CIT Woden demonstrates that large, high-performance education buildings can meet ambitious sustainability targets without compromising functionality or long-term public value.”

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The architecture firm claims that the major investment into the campus and surrounding infrastructure will deliver broad and long-term civic and economic value, improving “pathways into training and employment across critical industries to support the territory’s future.”
Former acting CEO of CIT Christine Robertson added that the campus “gives our students a place they can feel proud of, one that reflects the quality of training provided and the vital role vocational education plays in the community. The campus will strengthen our ability to attract and retain learners, foster meaningful educational outcomes, and build workforce capability across the region.” More

Woods Bagot has announced the implementation of two regional hubs in South-East Asia, which extend the firm’s “hub model” already established in North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
According to a release from Woods Bagot, Shanghai and Hong Kong have been chosen as regional hubs given their access to great design talent and ideal locations to service clients across China and South-East Asia. These hubs will be supported by on-the-ground teams in Shenzhen, Beijing and Singapore.
Principal and Hong Kong hub leader Christopher Lye commented, “This nested model strengthens our delivery and expands our design bandwidth. It also gives clients access to our 7C enterprises – including placemaking experts ERA-co, sustainability consultancy Impact Futures, and ultra-luxury specialists Customs Bureau – enabling a total design solution that makes our regional hubs both local and global.”
The wholly owned 7C model, launched in March this year, is formulated to provide an integrated approach to “total place design,” by drawing on specialist and international expertise.
Director and mixed-use sector leader in China Jean Weng added, “Our focus remains steadfast on creating vibrant cityscapes and driving urban renewal, ensuring our projects meaningfully contribute to the dynamic evolution of cities across China.” More

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has announced a new August exhibition that will bring together the work of more than 50 Australian and international designers to spotlight products and systems designed to improve the health and wellbeing of people and the environment.
Exhibition curator, and curator of contemporary architecture and design at the NGV Gemma Savio said that the exhibited designers challenge entrenched systems of extraction, production and waste, with products that present innovative approaches to repair and rethink the everyday.
“Making Good: Redesigning the Everyday highlights a global shift in design practice – from minimising harm to actively generating positive impact,” she said.
“The exhibition presents tangible examples of how small design decisions applied at scale can transform entire industries and improve everyday life. It’s about seeing design not only as a problem-solving tool, but as a way of reconfiguring relationships between people, materials, and the environment.”

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Savio notes that the exhibition’s focus, which spans fashion, construction, food, wellbeing and social design, extends to innovative building materials and to projects that move the conversation beyond efficiency and toward regenerative and inclusive solutions.
She cites the example of Oyster Terrazzo, developed by Sydney-based architecture practice Besley and Spresser, which combines Sydney Rock Oyster shell waste from local restaurants with white cement, ochres and recycled marble. Savio explains that the new material “intercept[s] local waste streams while also providing ornamentation and narrative.”
Other products featured in the exhibition include a concrete mix made from coffee waste, developed by researchers from RMIT University; Pelagic’s POI Brick, which repurposes ocean plastics into blocks and pavers produced via mobile, decentralised factories; and a paint formula developed by Singaporean brand Gush that rids the air of pollutants.
Hotel Optimismo – a project from Melbourne-based Finding Infinity – is also included in the lineup. The project conceives of a high-rise, built from carbon sequestering materials, which generates energy, recycles waste and supports community life. In a similar vein, RetroFITting by RMIT Floppy Lab uses solar textiles to retrofit existing buildings for energy production, shade and support urban habitat.

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Deputy vice-chancellor of design and social context, and vice president at RMIT University, professor  Tim Marshall said, “Making Good showcases forward-thinking design that will inspire creativity, spark conversations and most importantly, drive change towards a more regenerative future.”
“We hope visitors leave with a renewed sense of optimism about the role design can play in shaping a better future,” Savio added.
The exhibition is set open from 29 August until 1 February 2026 at NGV Australia. Presented in partnership with Futures Partner, RMIT, the NGV will host a full-day symposium on opening day, which will feature panel discussions between exhibitors and designers. More

South Australia’s State Planning Commission has approved a $400 million development from 1835 Property for a new student accommodation tower in Adelaide’s CBD.
Designed by local architecture practice Brown Falconer, the 33-storey tower is sited within a current carpark at 88 North Terrace, behind Trinity Church – the city’s oldest church.
According to a release from the SA government, the construction of the tower will be accompanied by heritage upgrades across the church’s landholding, including a new ministry and administration facilities.
The government’s communique notes that “the project has received the support of the Trinity Church Network, which sees the development as a generational opportunity to renew and enhance its historic site.”
“We see this partnership to develop our site as a wonderful opportunity to enhance our ministry to the people of the City of Adelaide,” said senior pastor of Trinity Church Adelaide Paul Harrington. “This development will place us at the heart of a vibrant university precinct.”
Located nearby the new Adelaide University, and Adelaide’s biomedical, cultural and transport links, the project is envisioned as a central hub for student life.
Adelaide University co-vice chancellor professor Peter Høj commented, “Adelaide University welcomes this development because it will offer students, in particular those who move here from interstate and overseas, an excellent chance to experience the heart of our city while they settle into university life.”
The scheme’s 1002 rooms, which include a mix of studio, shared, and premium apartments, are supported by “best in class” student amenity and experiences, including a cinema, gym, dedicated yoga studio, collaborative study zones, social lounges, communal kitchen and dining spaces, cafe, and a landscaped public piazza.
Brown Falconer released a statement noting that their design “forms a striking contemporary backdrop” to the Trinity Church precinct. “The project establishes a new gateway to the city, offering students an unbeatable location and exceptional amenity, including an expansive rooftop terrace with views towards Adelaide Oval,” the statement reads.
Deputy Premier of SA Susan Close commented, “This approval is a win for our economy, for our universities and for our city’s vibrancy. It will not only provide world-class living and learning spaces for students, but also create hundreds of local jobs and breathe new life into the west of the city.”
“This landmark development marks a transformative moment for Adelaide’s city centre and for the thousands of students who will call it home,” Close said.
Construction is scheduled to commence in January, with completion expected by April 2028. More

The Queensland government has announced the joint winners of the Minister’s Award for Urban Design. Sponsored by the Queensland Government Architect, the annual award recognises outstanding contributions to urban design across the state.
This year, the state’s top urban design honour was bestowed upon two projects: Brisbane’s newest landmark – the 470-metre Kangaroo Point Bridge, and Mary’s Place in Dalby – a new public park that transformed the site of a fire-damaged regional pub.
Kangaroo Point Bridge, which also claimed the Minister’s Movement and Place Award as well as a spot in the recently announced National Architecture Awards shortlist, was praised by the jury “as a masterful balancing of complex functional and structural priorities with a deeply generous program of urban experiences, incorporating activated plazas, historic elements, a 100-seat dining pavilion, and sweeping views of both riverbanks.
Housing and Public Works Minister Sam O’Connor noted, “The Kangaroo Point Bridge is not just a way to cross the river, it’s a destination in itself that offers spectacular views, places to dine, and a new way to connect with the city.”
The project’s architecture and design was led by Blight Rayner Architecture with Dissing and Weitling, based upon a concept and reference design by Brisbane City Council with Arup and Cox Architecture.
Civic Cabinet Chair for Infrastructure Councillor Ryan Murphy said the Kangaroo Point Bridge had quickly become an icon of the city, with more than two million trips taken since its opening in December 2024.
“When we designed the bridge, we went for a bold and striking design that would set it apart from all the other bridges in the city. While it was a challenging and meticulous construction process, the Kangaroo Point Bridge has become a must-visit destination,” Murphy commented. More

The 2025 Vivid Emerging Designer Awards were announced on 16 July at Decor & Design in Melbourne. The awards, curated by Latitude Group, are the longest running design competition in Australia, now in its third decade, and celebrates the work of emerging and early career designers in furniture, lighting and object.
“This year’s Vivid finalists have demonstrated a remarkable blend of social consciousness, material innovation and imaginative thinking. Their work embodies a commitment to sustainability and longevity, while also embracing playfulness, optimism and a high level of design resolution. It’s a powerful reminder that the future of Australian design is not only responsible and forward-looking but also deeply creative and full of promise,” said Cassie Hansen, Vivid judge and editor of InteriorsAu.
From more than 60 finalists, the judges selected winners and commendations across eight categories.
The Judge’s Choice Award went to Maryam Modhadam for her piece “Gnawing [Knowing]” an ashtray that invited conversation and reflection, embodying “the paradox between message and function, a cautionary object that also enables the very behaviour it critiques.”
“This object stands out as a deeply thought-provoking object—one that confronts the viewer with the contradiction at the heart of its function. The jury was struck by its ability to distill complex human behaviours into a single, visceral form—holding space for discomfort, reflection, and conversation. It’s a compelling example of how design can embody tension without offering resolution, and in doing so, leave a lasting impact,” said Hansen.
The 2025 jury consisted of: Cassie Hansen (InteriorsAu), Anne-Maree Sergeant (Authentic Design Alliance), Andrea Lucena-Orr (Dulux), Georgina Greenland (Design Institute of Australia), Rosa Coy (Coy Yiontis), Ruby Shields (Ruby Shields Design), Lucy Bishop (Redacted), Suzanne McNeice (Circa), Byron George (Russell and George), Mark Bailey (Thirteen Architectural Timber), John Bastiras (In Good Company) and Filip Bjazevic (Latitude Group).

The winners are:
Judges Choice

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Gnawing [Knowing] (Maryam Moghadam)
Furniture Design

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Winner:
Folding chair (Jacob de Dassel)
Commendations: Key Stool (Jordan Conlan ) Knitted Chair (Curtis Bloxsidge)
Lighting Design

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Winner: Kukeri Floor Lamp (Curtis Bloxsidge)
Commendations:Pipeflute box (Carl Broesen )In search of a limit (James Sulaiman)
Object Design

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Winner: Ridl (Lucy Callahan)
Commendation:
Fractured Earth (Miranda Burgess)
Concept Design

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Winner:
UV Colour Changing Drink Bottle (Azzurra Zappacosta)
Commendations:Vault (Jay Turno, Leigh Shapiro Ellis, Caleb Cummins, Mungo Moje-O’Brien)Kkokio (Gloria Kim)
Colour Award
Winner:
UV Colour Changing Drink Bottle (Azzurra Zappacosta)
Commendation:
Aeon Fox (Freddy Mata)
Student Design

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Winner:
Where two oceans meet (Savannah Kelly)
Commendations:Canopy Lamp (Lachlan Willix)Augi (Lenie Chin)
Authentic Design Alliance (ADA) Award of Merit
Folding chair (Jacob de Dassel)
To see all the finalists’ work, head to the Decor and Design website. More

An Australian-German team has been announced as the First Prize recipient in the initial phase of a competition to design the chancellery and residence for the German Embassy in Canberra, the site of which is home to a collection of buildings dating back to 1958.
The first stage in the three-phase competition, conducted by the German government, has been won by Richter Musikowski, a Berlin-based firm, and Lahznimmo Architects with Spackman Mossop Michaels Landscape Architects, both based in Sydney. Specialist consultants ADP Consulting and Daniel Butterick Consulting were also involved.
In response to the competition brief, which called for “demolition and reconstruction of the chancellery, along with the renovation or partial preservation of the residence building,” the winning design proposes a new, three-storey chancellery building and extends the existing residence building with a two-storey pavilion to the east of the corner site.

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The architects note that the separation of the embassy’s structures maintains the site’s urban proportions and preserves views of Black Mountain in the city’s north-west, while at the scale of the plot, the scheme is “characterised by the landscape and topography of the site, the oval of the lawn, and the surrounding treetops to the west and south,” which “naturally describe a gently sloping, space-forming arch.”
“The new pergola roof complements this emerging space and connects both the buildings and the natural space with each other to create a representative yet intimate, poetic garden,” the designers note.
Being ovular in shape, the garden is intended to serve as “a metaphor for the relationship between Germany and Australia, and the aspirations of both countries for equality and openness, democracy and inclusion.”
“The inhabited spaces under the curved canopy, the grassland and the landscaped path that surrounds it will encourage the sharing of experiences, the exchange of ideas and the strengthening of existing relationships between Germany and Australia,” the architects observe.

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Led by Spackman Mossop Michaels, the landscape design draws conceptually on the “genius loci” of place, adopting species of the Monaro Grasslands, such as snow gum eucalyptus trees, as well as native grasses and wildflowers – which, the designers note, offer the opportunity to propagate the seeds of endangered species.
The scheme also transforms the previous energy- and water-intensive landscape into a new, drought-resistant garden that requires minimal maintenance and irrigation.
Architecturally, the winning scheme adopts the motif of the “shady garden,” with a structured soffit and light openings designed to create a variety of intermediate spaces with informal facilities for meetings and gatherings, breaks and retreats. With its shaded canopy, the chancellery roof terrace is imagined as a special gathering space. Likewise, covered outdoor areas and an enlarged roof are proposed for the upper floor of the residence.
On the ground level, guests are directed to a garden reception outside the renovated residence. A split level within the new office building responds to the natural terrain of the site, with the half-height floor offset creating short sight lines and pathways within the building. According to the architects, the “efficient use of height allows for an optimal building volume.”
The German government’s policy goal of achieving net-zero emissions across their building stock by 2045 was a key requirement of the brief – as was a targeting a 6-star Green Star rating. Furthermore, the government required that the project adopt “low-tech” principles, with the building’s design and selection of materials based on locally available products.
In response, the covered terrace areas are designed to be paved with a reddish terrazzo concrete made from recycled bricks, and certain parts of the landscape’s informal paths are envisioned as constructed from recycled concrete slabs.
Rainwater collected on the scheme’s flat roofs is designed to be diverted to tanks or filtered on site.

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Second prize for the competition has also been awarded to an Australian-German team, comprising Berlin-based firm Buero Hacke, along with Melbourne-based practice Kerstin Thompson Architects and landscape architecture studio Openwork. The winners of the first, second and third prizes will progress to the second stage before the project is awarded.
The full list of competition winners can be viewed online. More

Plans for a residential tower in Chatswood are currently on exhibition on the NSW government’s major projects planning portal.
The state significant development proposal, designed by Sydney-based Fuse Architects, is located on the southern extremity of Chatswood CBD within a mixed context of two-storey townhouses, and mid-rise and high-rise apartment buildings.
The proposed 28-storey residential tower includes associated amenities, two floors of commercial office space, double-height retail spaces, and ground-floor food and beverage tenancies.
Of the project’s 125 dwellings, 28 are designated as affordable dwellings. The mix includes 55 two-bed apartments, 30 three-bed and 29 one-bed apartments, and 11 four-bed apartments.

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According to their statement, the architect’s design has been guided by four principles for an interconnected, intergenerational, intercultural and interactive place.
On the scheme’s north facade, a thickened, hollow structural wall “acts as a living element with custom joinery for benches, storage, and study areas,” and “directs northern light into apartments.”
Also on the north side of the site, a publicly accessible through-site link is proposed to provide a direct, east-west connection between Archer and Bertram Streets, and allow for outdoor dining and passive recreation opportunities.

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A verandah wraps the base of the building on three sides with the intention of creating a sheltered transition zone between inside and out, an interface between public and semi-public zones across the site and a space for casual social interaction.
Materially, the scheme draws upon the natural phenomena of folding tree trunks and peeling tree bark through precast concrete patterning and texturing, which is complemented by perforated metal screens.
The proposal can be viewed online and is open for public comment until 21 July. More