Plans to redevelop an arthouse cinema in Sydney’s Paddington have been released, with the charming movie theatre set to be redeveloped into an eight-storey, mixed-use building. Located on a 1,138-square-metre corner block at 17 Oxford Street, the building is brimming with history. Originally constructed in 1946 as an industrial facility, the premises was obtained by […] More
City of Melbourne councillors have voted unanimously in support of the development plan for a $1.7 billion precinct at the southern end of Queen Victoria Market.
Designed by NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, Searle × Waldron Architecture, Openwork, McGregor Coxall, Lovell Chen and Urbis, Gurrowa Place will comprise three towers, a Market Square, a cultural and civic building, new car parking and the restoration and revitalization of the Franklin Street Stores.
Tower One will be a 125-metre-tall commercial office tower with a stepped design that mimics the approved design for the neighbouring building at 388 Williams Street. Tower two will be a 162-metre-tall residential building with 15 percent of the net floor space allocated to affordable housing. Finally tower three will rise to 183 metres and will accommodate student housing.
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Under the plans, three towers would be constructed providing a mix of student accommodation, residential apartments, and work spaces. Image:
NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, and Searle × Waldron Architecture.
Addressing a meeting of the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee, NH Architecture director Nick Bourns said the project is about “bringing the city into the market, rather than [the existing] road system of car parks and roundabouts, all of which are a huge heat island problem.”
He also said the proposed Market Square would be “a more respectful use of the land that used to be cemetery” and that the development would be an exemplar of how large developments can integrate parkland with living and working environments.
In supporting the development plan, acting lord mayor Nicholas Reece said it was a “significant step forward on this project.”
“It will be one of the biggest [developments in Melbourne’s history,” he said. “It’s been nearly 30 years since we’ve seen a project of this scale on a single site in Melbourne.”
Reece also commented on the “exciting” architectural team working on the project.
“This needs to be world class and with a team like that coming together on the project, I feel very confident that it will be.”
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City of Melbourne councillors have unanimously supported the development plan for Gurrowa Place. Image:
NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, and Searle × Waldron Architecture.
Councillor Rohan Leppert said the development plan was “an extraordinary response to a constrained site with really intricate heritage constraints.”
He added that the plan had been through five separate sessions of the Office of Victorian Government Architect’s design review to ensure that the design strategies and principles for the project would “ensure that what is designed in this place meets the expectations that a design city would have for a very, very high quality outcome.”
The City of Melbourne endorsed Lendlease as the preferred development partner for the Queen Victoria Market Southern Precinct in 2023.
In December 2023, Heritage Victoria issued a heritage permit for the development.
The City of Melbourne resolved to advise the Victorian Department of Transport of Planning that it supports the development application. The Minister for Planning will make the final decision on the application.
If approved, the project will be delivered in seven stages, beginning with the basement construction below towers one and two, the restoration and revitalization of Franklin Street stores, followed by the construction of tower three, tower one and tower two in succession, with Market Square and the Queens Corner Building making up the final stages respectively.
Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and with the stages to be completed over the next five years. More
BVN has won the City of Sydney Council’s Design Excellence Competition for Buildings G and H of the Erskineville Village project. The buildings form part of a wider proposal for a $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct with 1,000 build-to-rent residences at 155 Mitchell Road, Erskineville. The announcement follows Bate Smart being awarded the design of Buildings […] More
The National Capital Authority has approved designs to transform the Lake Burley Griffin waterfront at Acton into a people-focused urban park by a consortium led by Aspect Studios. To be named Ngamawari after the Ngunnawal word meaning “cave place,” the park’s design will raise the visibility of the territory’s First Nations history. The name was […] More
The Australian Institute of Architects has urged the federal government to accelerate the progress of First Nations housing development by investing more funds into social housing. In a pre-budget submission to the federal government regarding the 2024 Australian Government Budget, the Institute proposed an additional $4 billion should be allocated to the Housing Australia Future […] More
Restoration and reconstruction works on the state heritage-listed White Bay Power Station (WBPS) in Sydney’s Rozelle are now complete, with the former industrial station set to reopen to the public for the first time in 40 years as an arts and culture hub.
Constructed in 1917, WBPS holds the distinction of being Sydney’s longest serving metropolitan power station. Originally established to power the city’s tram network, the station later transitioned to powering the train system followed by the electricity grid in 1958. Forty years ago, in 1984, the site was decommissioned and has laid dormant ever since. The station earned a state heritage listing in 1999.
The restoration project was carried out jointly by heritage architecture firm Design 5 and FDC Construction and Fitout. Design 5 has been involved with the project for almost 16 years, demonstrating the rich, historical significance of the site.
During the project’s early stages, several historical findings were unearthed and discovered that had not been documented, such as rooms and spaces untouched for decades. The basement had collected 40 years worth of rainwater – equivalent to 1.2 million litres of contaminated water – that needed to be pumped out.
One of the key spaces preserved was the Boilerhouse, the largest structure on the WBPS site, standing 45 metres tall. As part of the preservation works, the building underwent extensive steel and metalwork repairs. 100-year-old bricks were retained where possible and reinforced with new bricks.
The conservation efforts undertaken included storing and cataloguing heritage items uncovered on site, reinstating heritage items, preserving machinery and structures from when the power station was operational, and providing urgent structural and conservation support to existing heritage protected fabrics.
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The restoration project was carried out jointly by heritage architecture firm Design 5 and FDC Construction and Fitout. Image:
Toby Peet
FDC operations manager, Ben Dircks, said the construction team required more than 3,600 tonnes of scaffolding to ensure the heritage-listed station was secure prior to commencing works. Furthermore, the scaffolding enabled the team to access areas that were not documented on plans.
“Every day was different. And we would discover new things about the building, adapt and have to be extremely innovative about how we would deal with many unforeseen structural challenges. It really gave us a sense of the people who built it 100 years ago – just admiration for their craftsmanship and ability to create such an impressive structure without modern day construction tools,” Dircks said.
The WBPS will house events for the upcoming 24th Biennale of Sydney starting on 9 March. More
The SA Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) is calling on students to submit applications for a grant of up to $15,000 as part of the Jack Hobbs McConnell Travelling Fellowship. The successful applicant must use the fellowship grant to undertake an independent program of research or course of further study in architecture […] More
Construction has begun on a $55 million medical research facility in Western Sydney.
Designed by a BVN-led team, the Lang Walker AO Medical Research Building – Macarthur will consist of a “series of twisted boxes” that break down the mass of the five-storey building to create an “undulating form”.
The facility will be home to the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research – Macarthur, focusing on the research areas of diabetes, mental health, Indigenous health, paediatrics and child wellbeing, and addiction medicine.
The building will be adjacent to the redeveloped Campbelltown Hospital, designed by Billard Leece Partnership, within the broader Campbelltown Health and Education Precinct. The design aims to achieve a five-star certification from the Green Building Council of Australia.
The facility will feature the latest research technologies, laboratories, and collaboration spaces, and give the community access to clinical trials, serve local health needs and lead research of national significance and global impact.
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The structure will consist of a “series of twisted boxes” that break down the mass of the five-storey building. Image: BVN
“This is an incredible facility which will promote greater scientific, clinical and industry collaboration, deliver leading-edge diagnostics and bring the best in medical research to south western Sydney,” said David Harris, NSW Minister for Medical Research and Aboriginal Affairs.
“Researchers in this facility will focus on complex health challenges, including mental illness, diabetes, paediatrics, and addiction medicine, as well as helping close the gap in health outcomes for our of our Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.”
NSW premier Chris Minns added, “I am proud that medical research done in NSW can help improve people’s lives in areas such as diabetes and paediatrics.
“This will not only translate into improved patient outcomes in NSW, but also across Australia and globally.”
The facility is a partnership between UNSW Sydney, Western Sydney University, South West Sydney Local Health District and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research with support of Walker Corporation.
The Lang Walker AO Medical Research Building – Macarthur is due to open in 2025. More
