Evelyn Reynolds

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s case against ARM Architecture and its former managing director Anthony Allen will be heard in the Federal Court of Australia, Victoria Registry, on 13 April.
In September 2022, the ACCC launched civil proceedings against the practice for allegedly attempting to rig bids for principal design services for Charles Darwin University’s education and community precinct.
Initial court documents submitted by the ACCC detail email correspondence Allen sent to eight rival firms during the tender process for the project, requesting them not to submit tenders for the second stage.
The ACCC alleged that the conduct contravened section 45AJ of the Competition and Consumer Act of 2010.
“ARM Architecture, through the conduct of Mr Allen, attempted to rig or induce other competitors to agree to rig the tender for principal design consultant services. The ACCC also alleges that Mr Allen attempted to induce other competitors to agree to rig this tender,” ACCC said.
“Cartel conduct is one of the most serious violations of competition law, and attempts to engage in cartel conduct in public procurement have the potential to cause significant detriment to governments, taxpayers, consumers and businesses,” it continued.
Following the publication of the ACCC’s allegations, the Australian Institute of Architects said in an email to its members, “The Institute is committed to ensuring that its members compete fairly and not engage in anti-competitive behaviour. The Institute does not condone any anti-competitive engagement between members or members using the Institute for commercial or personal purposes.”
The Architects Registration Board of Victoria also said it would be following the proceedings closely. “The ARBV will gather information to assess whether there has been any non-compliance by architects involved in this matter,” the board said in a statement. “If an architect is found to have breached the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, they could be in breach of the Victorian Architects Code of Professional Conduct.”
“We strongly encourage all architects to regularly review their compliance obligations as outlined in the Architects Act 1991 and the Architects Regulation 2015 (which incorporates the Victorian Architects Code of Professional Conduct). Architects should also be aware of their other legal obligations, such as those under competition and procurement laws,” the ARBV statement said.
The hearing is estimated for half a day. More

City of Melbourne has released new design ideas for its four-kilometre-long Greenline project, which will transform the north bank of Birrarung/Yarra River.
Designed by TCL and Aspect Studios, the ideas are drawn from international waterfront transformation projects including Brooklyn Bridge in New York, Parc des Docks in Paris, the Seattle waterfront in the United States and the Auckland waterfront in New Zealand.
The ideas include interconnected promenades, parks, open spaces, native plantings, cultural activations and environmental renewal. The project will comprise five distinct precincts between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.

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Flinders Walk at Birrarung Marr in City of Melbourne’s Greenline project. Image:

TCL and Aspect Studios

The Birrarung Marr precinct will host seasonal cultural events and feature a performance space with terraced steps and enhanced riverside dining experiences.
The Falls precinct will create a linear park next to Sandridge Bridge and an ecological river edge with floating pontoons. It will also include upgrades to Enterprize Park and a new wetland habitat.
The River Park precinct will have expanded open spaces and lawns, a new activity space under the Flinders Street viaduct, an ecological wetland and a nature play area.
The Maritime precinct will offer enhanced boating access and amenities, increased activation of Crowne Plaza’s riverfront, and artistic installations of maritime history at Seafarers Shed.
The Saltwater Wharf precinct will include a new park as well as improved boating and fishing access, raised waterfront platforms and an enlarged promenade.

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The Saltwater precinct in City of Melbourne’s Greenline project. Image:

TCL and Aspect Studios

The council is seeking feedback, which will then inform a project masterplan.
“The Greenline Project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a new internationally recognizable destination in the heart of our city,” said councillor Davydd Griffiths, City Transport, Infrastructure and Operations portfolio deputy lead.
Lord mayor Sally Capp added, “Our landscape architecture and design experts have crafted an incredible vision for what the Greenline Project could look like – with stunning boardwalks, event spaces, native vegetation and outdoor dining.” More

The Victorian government has appointed Cox Architecture and Ballarat firm Morton and Co Architects to design the $150 million upgrade to Eureka Stadium for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The redevelopment works will include an additional 5,000 permanent seats, as well as 18,000 temporary seats for the games, improved accessibility, and a competition-standard track on the […] More

FJC Studio (formerly FJMT Studio) and New Zealand firms Evatt Martin Architects and Design Tribe have been appointed to design a new art museum in Invercargill at the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. The $39.4 million project will create a new 3,550-square-metre facility to replace the existing Southland Museum and Art Gallery Niho […] More

A 1980s office building in Perth’s CBD will be transformed into a vibrant education campus, with City of Perth approving the proposed design at a meeting of its Local Development Assessment Panel on 3 April.
Designed by Hassell, the project will accommodate a new campus for St George’s Anglican Grammar School and offices for the Anglican Schools Commission and ASC International.
St George’s Anglican Grammar School currently leases a building at nearby 50 William Street, and the redevelopment of its new site will allow the school to raise its enrolment capacity. Currently limited to 450 students, the school will have space for 600 students in 2025 (after the first stage of redevelopment) and 800 students when the second stage is completed in 2032.
Stage one involves the adaptive re-use of the existing seven-storey office building, while stage two adds eight new storeys.

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Proposed campus for St George’s Anglican Grammar School by Hassell. Image: Hassell

“This development hopes to be [a] showcase for vertical schooling and a beacon for sustainable design through a positive adaptive re-use of existing building and vertical expansion to reflect [the] growing needs of the community,” proponents said in the development application.
“The re-use and upgrading of the existing, slightly tired office building is a very good sustainability story and a good way of displaying different and unanticipated community activity in the CBD.”
The design proposes a series of terraces and balconies on the northern facade of the building.
“The cascading outdoor spaces creat[e] a series of habitable, north-facing landscapes that are fixed in and out of the frame, for breakout, informal learning, affordable non-airconditioned major circulation space and greenery – a city garden,” the proponents said.
“The northern orientation of [the] main facade allows for good natural light and views to the internal environments, while also creating a strong visual connection between inner workings of the school and public realm. This creates articulation and visual interest along the elevation, while allowing for sun shading to be integrated within additional elements.”

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Proposed campus for St George’s Anglican Grammar School by Hassell. Image: Hassell

A striking red “ribbon stair” will connect the outdoor breakout spaces, express student movement patterns and enhance wayfinding.
“The red colour for the ‘ribbon’ was chosen as a nod to the distinctive red blazers worn by the students of St George’s Anglican School [who] can be seen walking around the Perth CBD. This distinctive element creates a connection between the students, city and school,” the proponents said.
City of Perth Design Review Panel found the proposal to be “a valuable benchmark example for the adaptive reuse of an aging and vacant low-grade commercial office building.” More

Plans to transform Melbourne’s prominent Hotel Lindrum into a high-rise office tower have been submitted to the City of Melbourne for assessment. Designed by FJC Studio (formerly FJMT Studio), the proposal revises a previous scheme by Bates Smart that would have added a slender tower above the existing turn-of-the-century building. The original building was designed […] More

The Australian Institute of Architects is inviting submissions for oral presentations at the 2023 Australian Architecture Conference (formerly National Architecture Conference). Themed “precedent,” the conference will explore the idea of “how looking back will help us face forward.” “After decades of dire predictions, the 2020s have arrived with rolling crises – health, climate, security. We […] More

Powerhouse Museum has opened entries for a new annual award that recognizes innovation and excellence in the built environment. Australian architects, engineers, urban designers and planners are invited to submit projects for the $10,000 prize, which will be announced during the 2023 Sydney Design Week. Eligible projects must have been completed in the 2022 calendar […] More