Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory has received a $24.5 million grant from the federal government to establish a medical program, which will be housed in a new building designed by DWP Australia and Ashford Group Architects. The university first announced plans for a medical school in 2021. In 2023, construction began on the […] More
Heritage Victoria has inducted a brutalist beauty – Geelong’s State Government Offices building – onto the state heritage register. The six-storey building, located on the corner of Fenwick and Little Malop streets, is of the brutalist architectural style, constructed from robust materials like steel and reinforced concrete that are synonymous with the genre. The building […] More
Applications are now open for the 2024 Melbourne Awards, with the program set to celebrate those leaving a positive and enduring mark on the city. The 2024 Melbourne Awards will include eight awards categories, two of which focus on rewarding good design. The City Design category will celebrate the work of organisations that have helped […] More
Several architecture and landscape architecture practices have been recognised in the 2024 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards for their efforts in prioritising heritage conservation in redevelopment projects.
Nineteen projects were awarded across nine categories, including Aboriginal Heritage; Advocacy; Architecture; Built Conservation; Interiors and Objects; Landscape; Education and Interpretation; Events, Exhibitions and Tours, and Resources and Publications, among other individual and special categories, including: New Young Achiever; Heritage Skills Lifetime Achievement; Cathy Donnelly Memorial; Judges’ Choice, and the President’s Prize.
Architect Matthew Devine chaired the awards jury, alongside jurors Ann Toy, Barrina South, Caitlin Allen, David Burdon, Kathryn Pitkin, Libby Gallagher and Peter John Cantrill.
The winners of the 2024 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards are:
Architecture
119 Redfern Street, Redfern – entered by Aileen Sage Architects
Built Conservation
The Glass House: Bill and Ruth Lucas, Castlecrag – entered by Cracknell and Lonergan Architects
The White Bay Power Station, Rozelle – entered by Placemaking NSW, Design 5 Architects, CBRE and FDC
Interiors and Objects
NSW Parliament Chambers Restoration Project, Sydney – entered by Department of Parliamentary Services
Restoration of D class Tramcar 117 of 1899, Loftus – entered by Sydney Tramway Museum
Landscape
West Head Lookout, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park – entered by Oculus and Bruce Mackenzie with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Judges’ Choice
The White Bay Power Station, Rozelle – entered by Placemaking NSW, Design 5 Architects, CBRE and FDC
To see the shortlisted projects, visit here. More
A State Significant Development Application for the proposed establishment of a 22-storey mixed-use building on a five ways in North Sydney has been lodged.
Designed by Turner Studio, the proposed building would be located at 391/423 Pacific Highway in Crows Nest on a trilateral site known as the Five Ways Triangle.
The building – dubbed Fiveways Crows Nest – comprises three floors for retail and commercial use, 19 residential levels with 191 units (including 33 affordable units), and seven floors of basement car parking for residents and non-residents. The proposal also indicates that two-way vehicular access would be provided from Alexander Street, as well as pedestrian link.
The proposed building takes shape as a tower atop a podium, with communal open space at the podium level. The materiality of the facade includes metal cladding, brickwork, and glazing for the windows and balustrades.
According to Turner Studio, one of the primary design objectives was to extend the activated atmosphere of the nearby Crows Nest Village and its retail offerings, with the site providing yet another space for community connection.
“The development envisions a fine-grain experience supported by retail and active hubs that will play an important role in creating the character and identity for the development within the local urban framework,” Turner Studio states in the design report.
Land and Form Studios were engaged for landscaping design. The studio has prioritised biophilic design principles, community areas for social connection, safety, and a strong sense of place in the proposal.
“The pedestrian link act as the primary connectivity spines with finer grain permeability promoted throughout the ground plane maximising access and circulation,” Land and Form’s design statement specifies. “Trees are used to frame spaces and ensure clear visibility to and from the streetscape at all times. Regular congregation spaces and retail activation enables passive surveillance to all areas, discouraging undesired behaviour and possible blind spots.”
Land and Form Studios have proposed dividing the communal open space at the podium level to include a passive sun garden, a shade sculpture garden, and a social community hub with outdoor barbeque and dining area.
The State Significant Development Application is on exhibition until 6 June. The project client is Deicorp. More
The Australian Institute of Architects has expressed concern over the federal government’s 2024-25 budget, which it says “falls short” in measures for decarbonising the built environment.
The budget, which was released on 14 May, included greater investment in a more resilient economy powered by clean energy, as well as more social and Indigenous housing.
The Institute said that while it commended the government’s pledge to grow the clean energy workforce, the budget lacks substantial investment “in low-carbon building materials, research, development and local manufacturing capabilities,” adding that the absence of guidelines for the adaptive reuse and retrofitting of existing buildings was “particularly concerning.”
“The Institute agrees with the treasurer that there is a golden opportunity to decarbonise and move towards a circular economy. Yet, vital investments in low carbon solutions and practical guidelines for existing infrastructures are missing,” said the national president of the Australian Institute of Architects, Jane Cassidy.
Also lacking, the Institute said, is enough funding to improve national datasets and maps for climate resilience, which it stated is a critical component of designing buildings capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change.
Although it welcomed the budget’s provisions for social housing and Indigenous housing in remote communities, the Institute said “more must be done to increase housing supply that is climate resilient, energy efficient, and durable.”
“As an industry and as a nation, we must adapt swiftly to deliver timely, affordable, resilient, and sustainable housing to meet the needs of the community and the planet,” said Cassidy.
“Every Australian deserves a home that is safe, comfortable, and enhances their quality of life. Architects are key to making this a reality. Inclusive, sustainable, and affordable housing is not just a dream, but a feasible reality with architects leading the design and construction of our homes. The housing crisis is not just a problem to solve, but an opportunity to build better communities. Architects are at the heart of this transformation.”
The Institute also urged for more investment in circular economy education and training, and more funding for making public buildings more accessible. It stated, “accessibility goes beyond mere compliance with standards; it involves creating environments that are usable and welcoming for everyone, regardless of physical ability. This requires a holistic approach that incorporates universal design principles at the core of all public infrastructure projects.” More
A $780 million redevelopment proposal to transform Richmond’s Victoria Gardens shopping centre precinct into more than 800 homes has been fast-tracked. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny jointly announced on 14 May that the state government had greenlighted the project, designed by Cox Architecture and NH Architecture. The redevelopment will see 827 […] More
The president of La Biennale di Venezia Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and exhibition curator Carlo Ratti have jointly announced the theme for the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
“Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.” will be the theme for the 19th edition of the International Architecture Exhibition. The curator of the 2025 exhibition, Carlo Ratti, explained the title of the theme is usually announced both in English and in Italian. However, this time it has been combined into a single word for both languages via the Latin phrase: intelligens.
“The title Intelligens is linked to the modern term “intelligence,” but it also evokes a wider set of associated meanings. In fact, the final syllable, “gens” is Latin for “people”. A new, fictional root emerges, suggesting a future of intelligence that is inclusive, multiple, and imaginative beyond today’s limiting focus on AI,” said Ratti.
As always, the built environment and the disciplines that shape it will be at the heart of the biennale program but it will not be the only field that is explored or presented. Various works and concepts related to the fields of art, engineering, biology, data science, social and political sciences, and planetary systems will also be exhibited – with each presentation linking to the materiality of urban space.
The objects, installations and plans to be displayed will be arranged into categories of natural, artificial, collective and combinations thereof.
A published communique announcing the 2025 theme states “The built environment is one of the largest contributors to atmospheric emissions, placing architecture among the main culprits in the degradation of our planet. As the climate crisis accelerates, must we resign ourselves to this role, or are we still able to offer solutions, substantial and non-cosmetic, effective and quick to achieve?”
“The exhibition will search for a path forward, proposing that intelligent solutions to pressing problems can take many forms. It will present a collection of design proposals and many other experiments, exploring a definition of “intelligence” as an ability to adapt to the environment with limited resources, knowledge, or power,” it adds.
The biennale will be held across various locations in Venice between 10 May and 23 November 2025, with a pre-opening preview scheduled for 8 and 9 May. To find out more, visit the La Biennale di Venezia website. More
