Evelyn Reynolds

A $300 million seniors’ housing development has been approved for the site of the former TAFE in Charlestown, New South Wales.
Located at 27 Tiral Street, the seniors’ living complex will deliver one and two-bedroom independent living units, residential apartments, and assisted living options – with services provided by a non-profit organization, Uniting. Designed by Plus Architecture and Arcadia, the seniors’ compound will feature four individual buildings, with varying heights ranging from 5-14 storeys.
The complex will feature a suite of amenities to encourage interaction, enhance quality of life and improve physical and mental wellbeing. A hair salon, public open spaces, a pool, a clubhouse with function space, a landscaped rooftop with BBQ area, outdoor seating and dining, a cafe, walking trails, landscaped gardens, multi-faith spaces, a wellness centre and visiting rooms for general practitioners and allied health professionals have been included in the plans.

View gallery

View of the complex from James Street. Image:

Plus Architecture and Arcadia

On the facade, a combination of glazed and brick features will be integrated in a variety of brick configurations and shades. To ensure the structure harmonizes with the local context, a warm, white and terracotta colour palette has been selected for the exterior faces. Changes in the expression of each building will be evident across the site. The mass breakup and stepped form of the buildings has been designed to maximize exposure to sunlight.
Biophilic design principles have been integrated to improve resident well-being through the establishment of private and public open spaces, a dedicated and secure dementia garden, and a consistent visual connection to the outdoors through glazed openings.
Planning documents state residences have been designed to enable “aging in place,” meaning that the “dwelling can be gradually adapted and retrofitted to suit the needs of the residents as they age.”
The development marks the first time the NSW Government has granted State Significant Development Approval (SSDA) for a seniors’ living proposal under its recently amended – in November 2023 – Housing State Environmental Planning Policy, which enables certain developments to be fast-tracked through the planning process.
Uniting director of property and housing, Simon Furness said the demand for senior housing options is increasing rapidly in the Charlestown and Lake Macquarie region. “Almost one in three people in Lake Macquarie is aged over 55, and the number of people aged 65 and over is expected to increase by almost 30 per cent over the next 20 years,” Furness said.
The development is located streets away from the forthcoming $30 million, four-storey health hub currently being constructed on Smith Street, which developer GPV Property announced will contain a GP clinic, pharmacy, private hospital beds, and other medical services.
The tender process for the seniors living precinct is anticipated to begin in early 2024, with the aim to appoint a construction company by late 2024. Construction is expected to commence in early 2025. More

The Green Building Council of Australia is in the process of updating its interiors rating tool, with Green Star Fitouts expected to replace the current Green Star – Interiors tool in 2025. The redevelopment process commenced in early 2023 with a consultation stage, which concentrated on establishing a clear vision and objectives for the revised […] More

Melbourne’s Brimbank Council has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Vietnamese Museum Australia (VMA), potentially leading to the establishment of its museum in the suburb of Sunshine. The MoU announcement comes after the museum rescinded its contract with Maribyrnong City Council.
In 2020, plans for the VMA to be established at 222 Barkly Street in Melbourne’s Footscray, Maribyrnong City Council, were unveiled. A four-storey building designed by Konzepte Melbourne had been proposed to house the museum, with plans revealing a lobby, exhibition space, multi-purpose events space, a shrine and memorial garden, and the creation of a pedestrian link connecting Donald Street to Hugh Street.
A planning permit was issued by the Maribyrnong City Council in mid-2022, before a subsequent amendment application was lodged by the VMA to remove a condition that required the VMA and the adjoining landowner to the south to reach agreement regarding the relocation of loading facilities. The amendment application was refused by council in mid-2023, which resulted in the VMA lodging an appeal with Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) against council’s refusal.
Plans for the museum to be sited at 222 Barkly Street were later abandoned. Today, the VMA is looking at Sunshine as the new destination for the cultural museum, with Brimbank Council now having entered a MOU with the museum.
In a communique released by the Brimbank Council, it stated the new museum “could potentially be located on part of the council-owned Durham Road car park site,” however, any decision to sell part of the land would be “subject to community engagement and a subsequent decision at a future council meeting.”

View gallery

The building’s design incorporates elements to reference both Vietnamese and Australian culture. Image:

Konzepte Melbourne

If the land is approved for sale, Konzepte Melbourne’s original plans will once again be proposed. The building’s design incorporates elements from both Vietnamese and Australian culture, with a wave-like facade representing the journey overseas, and bamboo exterior details symbolizing the use of bamboo as a main construction material in Vietnam. A warm and earthy colour palette has been proposed to reference Australia’s red-coloured soil.
The VMA is anticipated to be Australia’s first museum dedicated to preserving and telling the story of the Vietnamese refugee settlement in Australia.
Brimbank Mayor Ranka Rasic said Sunshine has strong ties to Vietnamese community and history, with about 32,000 of Brimbank’s residents or about 17 per cent of the total population being of Vietnamese descent.
“The longstanding and vibrant Vietnamese community that makes up the Sunshine CBD of today has helped make it a regional destination to experience authentic Vietnamese food, street life and culture,” Rasic said.
The VMA has acquired a total of $18 million in funding, including $10 million in federal funding, $7 million in state funding, and $1 million in community funding.
Council will be seeking community feedback on the proposed sale of council land between Monday 22 January and Monday 19 February 2024. More

Plans to transform Sydney’s Bank Street Park in Pyrmont, beneath the ANZAC Bridge, into a green, harbourside public domain have been unveiled.
Designed by landscape architect Oculus with Collins and Turner, Greenshoot Consulting and Greenaway Architects, a highlight of the park’s design is better access to Blackwattle Bay through the establishment of a new public pontoon and several other water ingress points.

View gallery

Kayak launch, paddle craft storage and ramp. Image:

Oculus with Collins and Turner, Greenshoot Consulting and Greenaway Architects

A 15-kilometre harbourside walk between Woolloomooloo and Rozelle Bay has been proposed for the 1-hectare site, along with a new cycleway, a playground, a multipurpose sporting court, fitness equipment, a storage area for personal paddle craft, a new community building with a cafe and marina office, a viewing deck, and public art displays to honour the First Nations custodians of the land.

View gallery

The intepretation garden in adaptively reused building ruins. Image:

Oculus with Collins and Turner, Greenshoot Consulting and Greenaway Architects

Plans state that the planting strategy will involve “species that would once have occurred naturally on the Pyrmont peninsula,” with plants of a self-sustaining nature selected for minimum maintenance. A green roof has been proposed for the community building, as well as the adaptive reuse of existing building ruins to form an “intepretation garden.”
The proposed park is part of a wider mixed-use precinct to be developed in Blackwattle Bay, which will see the construction of more than 1,200 new homes and the relocation of the Sydney Fish Market, designed by Danish practice 3XN and its innovation arm GXN, in partnership with BVN and Aspect Studios. The precinct was rezoned in December 2022 to facilitate the new mixed-use community.
The NSW minister for lands and property, Steve Kamper, said that the waterfront park will be a wonderful asset to the community. “I am proud to reveal the design of Bank Street Park today, which involved close collaboration with First Nations representatives, the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, and Black Diggers, which is of special significance given its connection to the ANZAC Bridge,” Kamper said.

View gallery

Facing toward the playground and lookout deck. Image:

Oculus with Collins and Turner, Greenshoot Consulting and Greenaway Architects

Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich said the Bank Street Park will ensure that Sydney Harbour is more accessible for leisure activities, including private paddle craft, walking and cycling.
“The community will be able to kayak or paddleboard right up to the park, where they can enjoy a coffee from the cafe and walk along the foreshore before visiting the new Sydney Fish Market,” Greenwich said.
The Bank Street Park development application is on exhibition until 1 February 2024. More

Plans to restore the South Australian town of Strathalbyn’s 1849 Angas Flour Mill and transform it into a lively mixed-use venue have been released.
Designed by Topology Studio, the proposal seeks to reactivate the existing buildings at 27 Commercial Road, with a refurbishment of the original structure, as well as the establishment of an addition on Mill Street. Proposed for the site is a mixed-use hub comprising a shop, cafe, gallery, community and event function area, accommodation, a restaurant and an upper-level terrace.

View gallery

Proposed for the site is a mixed-use hub comprising a shop, cafe, gallery, community and event function area, accommodation, a restaurant and an upper-level terrace. Image:

Topology Studio

Plans indicate a strong focus for preserving the existing buildings’ character, with the red brick addition clearly referencing the sandstone and red brick materiality of the historical facade, and an angled brick clad lift within the extension a nod to the mill’s original chimney.
The restoration of the existing mill will require fortification by way of internal and external infrastructures to enable the adaptive reuse of the unreinforced stone buildings, including an internal portal frame that will distribute seismic loads through the main mill building and an external concrete stair, which will serve as a buttress.

View gallery

Designed by Topology Studio, the proposal seeks to reactivate the existing buildings at 27 Commercial Road. Image:

Topology Studio

The cultural hub features a glazed double-height connection between the existing mill and the new addition, offering views to landscaped gardens. The glazed connection houses a ground level entrance and an elevated passageway directly above, which links the upper building wings. Transparent glazing was selected for the link to ensure the stone facade would remain the focal point.
Original fenestration will be reconstructed where possible, with “distinct” yet “discrete” new insertions to be integrated into the original fabric.
Plans are now on exhibition with comments able to be made until 11 January 2024. More

Bates Smart has been announced as the winner of the City of Sydney Council’s Design Excellence Competition for Buildings F and I of the Erskineville Village project.
Buildings F and I form part of a wider proposal for a mixed-use precinct at a former industrial site at 155 Mitchell Road, Erskineville. The overarching vision for the project is to supply 1,000 build-to-rent residences, retail and dining offerings, and a 7,500-square-metre park known as McPherson Park. A 20-metre-wide pedestrian trail called the Kooka Walk will weave throughout the precinct.
Buildings F and I will house 360 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with balconies, an outdoor cinema and bar, a yoga studio, a swimming pool, a sauna, workspaces, and landscaped outdoor areas with barbeque and cooking amenities for communal use.
Bates Smart was announced the winner by the project developer, Coronation Property, following a design excellence panel and detailed evaluation process.
Bates Smart director Matthew Allen said that the practice approached the competition by creating contextually responsive buildings that reflect the local landscape and heritage.
“Our aim is to craft a contextually responsive collection of buildings that weave together interpretations of country, industrial heritage and established built character,” Allen said. “In this urban setting, we have embraced solidity, with embossed precast concrete panels used as a civic canvas to tell stories of Country. Colour has been used carefully, with masonry tones recalling colours of the Indigenous landscape. The angled geometry of the building forms is interpreted in finer-scale details such as balconies and sun shading.”
Joseph Nahas, Coronation Property’s managing director, said the development marks the company’s first collaboration with Bates Smart.
“We are thrilled to partner with Bates Smart on their winning design, which captures the essence of Erskineville, while transforming it into a contemporary, inviting space for living, shopping, working, socializing, or simply enjoying the surroundings,” Nahas said.
“It’s rare to find a development of this size that offers an opportunity to balance high-end, design-led BTR residences with retail, green space, and culture all in one location. We are particularly pleased that the appointed team, renowned and award-winning, comprises local Australian architects who bring a deep understanding and passion for our neighbourhoods.
“As we move forward with the Erskineville Village project, our goal is to rejuvenate this site into a dynamic destination that will not only enhance the lives of its residents and visitors but also contribute positively to the wider community. This comes at a critical time, as we strive to provide affordable rental solutions in the midst of Sydney’s intensifying housing crisis.”
In addition to Bates Smart’s appointment, Architecture And (formerly Andrew Burns Architecture) has been engaged for Building D and Silvester Fuller for Building E. There is also a design competition underway for Buildings G and H, with an announcement of the winning firm expected shortly.
The build-to-rent residences will be managed by Coronation’s new subsidiary, Nation.
The entire Erskineville precinct is slated for completion by 2026. More

The jury has been announced for the esteemed 2024 Australian Interior Design Awards, with the program set to honour the nation’s most exceptional and groundbreaking interiors.
Founded in 2004, the program is a partnership event of the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke magazine. Awards categories include Retail Design, Hospitality Design, Workplace Design, Public Design, Installation Design, Residential Design, Residential Decoration, Emerging Interior Design Practice, Award for Sustainability Advancement, Best of State Awards for Commercial Design, Best of State Awards for Residential Design, Best International Design Award, and Premier Award for Australian Design.
This year’s jury comprises eight industry-leading interior designers and architects, whose collective experience runs the gamut of contemporary Australian interior design application. The judges include director of Vittino Ashe, Katherine Ashe; director of Cox Architecture, Richard Coulson, principal and head of interior design for APAC at Populous, Paul Foskett; principal of Beatrix Rowe Interior Design, Beatrix Rowe; principal of Flack Studio, David Flack; director of houses at Breathe Architecture, Madeline Sewall; co-director and co-founder of Aileen Sage Architects, Isabelle Toland; and founder and design director of Foolscap Studio, Adele Winteridge.
Entries to the 2024 Australian Interior Design Awards are now able to be submitted until 16 February 2024. To find out more, visit the awards website.
The Australian Interior Design Awards are organized by Architecture Media (publisher of ArchitectureAU). The Australian Interior Design Awards are presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke magazine, with corporate supporters Dulux, Space, Laminex, Elton Group, Roca, Lightco, and GH Commercial. More

More than a dozen architectural projects have been named finalists in the 2023 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, which recognizes the state’s designers who are creating positive change for communities and businesses.
A record 118 projects have been selected across eight categories which also include product design, fashion design and service design.
Design industries contribute $6 billion to the Victorian economy, including $400 million worth of exports.
“Good design has the power to change our lives and these finalists showcase the diversity of Victoria’s design industry – from vital medical advancements to products and services that are more efficient, safe and sustainable,” said creative industries minister Colin Brooks
“The Victorian Premier’s Design Awards recognize the work and ingenuity of the designers, architects and design-led businesses that make our state a world-renowned leader in the field.”
The architectural finalists are:
Architectural Design
Aboriginal Housing Victoria – Breathe
Bendigo Law Courts – Wardle
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape – Cooper Scaife Architects, Look Ear with Mono
Darebin Intercultural Centre – Sibling Architecture
Delatite Cellar Door – Lucy Clemenger Architects
Dunlop Avenue, Ascot Vale – Big Housing Build – Hayball and Tract Consultants
Glenroy Station – Genton
James Makin Gallery – Tristan Wong
Lilydale and Mooroolbark Stations – BKK, Kyriacou Architects, Jacobs, and Aspect Studios
Melbourne Holocaust Museum – Kerstin Thompson Architects
Nightingale Village – Architecture Architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball, and Kennedy Nolan
Pitch Music and Arts Festival Main Stage – Ambrose Zacharakis, Henry Howson and Untitled Group
Queenscliff Terminal – F2 Architecture
Streat Pantry – KHID
The Roundtable – Common and Enlocus
Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership – Designinc Melbourne
Victorian Family Violence Memorial – Muir and Openwork
Victorian Heart Hospital – Conrad Gargett and Wardle
Warrnambool Library and Learning Centre – Kosloff Architecture
Wesley Place – Oculus, Cox Architecture and Lovell Chen
Wurun Senior Campus – GHD Design and Grimshaw
Yarra Ranges Council Civic Centre Redevelopment – H2O Architects
Student
Forces of Nature – He Huang and Zhengxi Xian, RMIT University
Ngulu Djeembana (The Gathering of Voices) – Shao Tian Teo, Taylor Ristevski, and Alexander Barr, RMIT University More