Architecture

For this month’s roundup, I’m feeling festive and doing things a little differently, selecting gifts for each of the seven members of Architecture Media’s editorial team. For the purposes of this story, I’m choosing to live in a world where the cost of living crisis doesn’t exist and the budget is infinite.
Dancer light by Coco Flip
This one goes out to our editorial director, team head honcho, Katelin Butler. She loves a neutral palette, a stripe and is fond of a minimalist ceramic number so I think I’ve nailed it with this one. This new collection of lighting from Coco Flip in collaboration with Melbourne ceramicist Belinda Wiltshire includes table lamps, wall lights and ceiling mounts. The collection takes inspiration from the Triadisches ballet developed by Oskar Schlemmer, who was part of the Bauhaus design movement in the 1920s. Each light is hand thrown by Belinda in her Preston studio using mid-fire clay. Three black iron oxide stripes are applied, giving the light its bold and classic look. I think a little table lamp would look right at home at Katelin’s place.

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La De Da candle holder by Nightworks
Houses editor and my desk buddy Alexa Kempton is the lucky recipient of this candle holder from Nightworks. If you’ve been paying attention, I featured the La De Da pendant light in the September product roundup and now the folks at Nightworks have used the rippled design to create a special stocking filler – a candle holder hand cast from bronze or zinc (and brass to come). I hope it brings a bit of zen to Alexa’s day.

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Tivoli Audio Songbook Max
Georgia Birks, our Design Speaks curator and my fellow Corinthians connoisseur, gets this one under her tree this year (metaphorically speaking). GB and I have the exact same taste in music (i.e. Beyonce Giselle Knowles Carter) so why not blast said music on one of Tivoli Audio’s new Songbox Max speakers. This Bluetooth speaker does all the things a top-of-the-line speaker does, but what I love most is its 70s/80s/90s retro-futuristic nostalgic boombox look. This would fit perfectly atop GB’s shoulder as she struts around the office.

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Hay Sobremesa tablecloth
Our office foodie and avant-garde diner is Emily Wong, editor of Landscape Architecture Australia. She knows of the very coolest restaurant openings and chef pop-ups long before we do. She’s also a great cook so I hope she’ll like the Hay Sobremesa tablecloth I have gifted her in this chimerical scenario. A collab between Hay and artist Laila Gohar, this tablecloth is joyful and playful featuring embroided motifs by Gohar. Since budget is no issue, I’ll also throw in some dinnerware from the collection too.

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Bruce Rowe Alter sculpture
The Alter collection by Bruce Rowe has been the talk of the office since we first caught wind of it and I can think of no better recipient than Lucia Amies, associate editor on ArchitectureAu, and an architect and ceramicist… just like Bruce! You can read my interview with Bruce here, and learn how the collection came about. I’m selecting one of the yellow ones from the collection, because Lucia is pure sunshine.

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Architecture Australia subscription
Jack Vening is Architecture Media’s managing editor, making sure all the publications (and their editors) are running on time and with no typoos … err, typos. A big part of his role is sub-editing Architecture Australia magazine, translating tens of thousands of words of archi-speak each issue and making architects sound comprehensible. And I’m certain, nothing would make Jack happier at the end of a long day at the office than coming home to a copy of the magazine, the very issue he slaved over a few weeks back, and reading it from cover to cover, over and over, again and again. You’re welcome, Jack!

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Melbourne Place gift voucher
I’ve saved the best for last – this one goes out to our team’s MVP, associate editor of ArchitectureAu, Adair Winder. You’re not supposed to have favourites in the team, but if I did, let’s just say it wouldn’t not be Adair. She’s hard-working, she cares about what she does and she’s got bucketloads of talent. So, to cap off a year of daily deadlines for Adair, I’m gifting her (again, figuratively and imaginatively; can you imagine how much money I’ve spent so far?) a gift voucher to stay at the new Melbourne Place hotel by Kennedy Nolan, where she can put her feet up in the exquisite rooms, dine at Marmelo and enjoy a few well-earned end-of-year drinks at Mid Air.
Merry Christmas, editorial team. You’re the best there is. More

Plans have been released for the third stage of the Hobart Showground redevelopment, led by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania (RAST). Having celebrated the site’s 200th anniversary of showing in 2021, RAST engaged local architecture practice Bush Parkes Shugg and Moon (BPSM) the following year to develop an earlier masterplan prepared by Partners Hill.
Located 7km from Hobart’s CBD, the current site has been occupied by the RAST since 1904. CEO of RAST Scott Gadd noted that in recent years, maintenance costs for the showgrounds’ ageing infrastructure had become overbearing, prompting RAST to undertake an overhaul. “We decided we’d come up with a masterplan and think about how we can make better use of the 18 hectares that we had,” he explained.
Over the past decade, land parcels along the site’s commercial frontage on Howards Road have been leased and sold with the intention of securing funding for the estimated $32 million showground redevelopment – a figure which, Gadd explained, had increased due to supply chain and construction cost pressures from the pandemic.
In a joint statement, BPSM director and managing principal Damian Rogers and senior project leader Sam Henderson noted that their ambition was to “reimagine the original concept for the showgrounds site, incorporating the strategies laid out in the client’s future vision for the site, whilst engaging with new economic and societal priorities. Critically, to provide financial sustainability, the release of land for a new public road, flanked by a vibrant mix of contemporary dwellings with varying private, communal, and public spaces was essential to create a residential community alongside the newly proposed showgrounds precinct.”
“[…] Our brief from RAST included terms such as flexibility, futureproofing, to create a place that was ‘all things to all people and to the unique topographical environments,’ for the area to be meaningful, tactile, protective, expansive and robust,” they added.

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On the south side of the proposed road, the new showground development includes three large pavilions, built in a U shape around a courtyard, and a brand new arena with a track around its perimeter. The extensive precinct of individual buildings is connected by a continuous roof form, and united by an expanse of stained precast concrete and prefinished fibre-cement panels. The architects commented that “touches of weathered metal and reclaimed timber will provide an honest, robust, and simple palette of materials. The varying built-form scales and detail create a rhythm to the concrete, FC sheeting and glazing.”
Inside, the three pavilions accommodate a clubhouse, exhibition and function centre, 1500-seat theatre for community meetings and public entertainment, RAST offices, a cafe, a bar, warehouse storage and a backpackers’ hostel. These internal functions are complemented by several outdoor recreation areas, sports grounds and a central plaza for up to 100 market stalls. The plans currently on exhibition include a temporary motorhome park to the north, in the location of the future medium-density housing development.

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Gadd said that while the showground application has been back and forth with council for 18 months, RAST “don’t anticipate too many problems with that,” given that no change to the site’s permitted use is proposed. Gadd anticipated approval early 2025 and hoped to start construction of the showground development in March.
A second development application for the site’s medium density housing is currently held up in planning due to concerns on the potential impacts to surrounding road network. Gadd noted, “We’re working with the state government to resolve before we put that forward.” Rogers and Henderson noted that the rezoning of the northern portion of the site for housing “is targeted to be completed in late 2025.” BPSM’s concept plans for this residential component propose up to 493 dwellings in buildings ranging between three and six storeys in height.
Speaking on behalf of the RAST, Gadd said, “Our model is to use commercial income to subsidise community use. We have commercial tenants and operations, and the money we generate from that goes into supporting various clubs and community groups to use our site.”
Rogers and Henderson observed that “BPSM Architects share RAST’s vision […] [of] a future where the precinct can be used by the wider community: cultural, business, agricultural and sporting; adapt quickly to changing needs now and into the future; and that the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania will continue for another 200 years with a beloved community asset.”
The showground plans are on exhibition with Glenorchy City Council until 3 January 2025. More

In honour of the United Kingdom’s longest-serving monarch, the British government has launched a design competition for the masterplan of a national memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee is working with Malcolm Reading Consultants to identify a multidisciplinary team of artists, architects, engineers, landscape architects and other specialists who would be interested in designing the project. The winning team will be required to include an architect registered in the UK.
For the first stage of the competition, the committee is urging interested creatives to submit an expression of interest online. No design work is required at stage one, only details of the team’s profile, composition and experience. In stage two, there will be a ten-week design period for a shortlist of five competitors.
Committee chair and private secretary to the late Queen Lord Janvrin noted, “The challenge at the second stage for the finalists will be to evoke memories of Queen Elizabeth II’s outstanding contribution to national life and to tell the story of Her Majesty’s long reign through an original masterplan that is sensitive to the unique setting.”
The memorial will be located in St James’s Park in London, the UK’s oldest Royal Park, close to Buckingham Palace. The competition brief sets out defining elements including a new bridge over the park’s lake and opportunities for artistic interventions and enhanced landscaping.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden noted, “This National Memorial will provide a permanent tribute to The Late Queen’s legacy, offering space for reflection as well as celebration. We want the very best architects and designers to come forward with their ideas for how this historic project should look.”
The shortlist is expected to be announced in the UK’s spring 2025 and the winner in early summer 2025. The final design is scheduled to be announced to coincide with what would have been the Queen’s 100th birthday year in 2026.
Details for EOIs can be found online, with this first stage of the competition closing 20 January 2025. More

Plans to transform the Port of Albany historic pilot cottages into a community precinct have progressed further, with H and H Architects awarded the contract for detailed design.
As the oldest port in Western Australia, the Port of Albany has a rich history. The port’s pilot cottages served as accommodation for marine officers, who guided vessels in and out of Princess Royal Harbour from as early as 1853 until 1936. The historical significance of these cottages was acknowledged when they were added to the WA State Register of Heritage Places in 2002.
In May 2024, the WA government pledged $8.3 million to redeveloping the historic Port of Albany Pilot Station and its cottages into a community precinct. At the time of the announcement, the state government asserted that the transformation would create “a major attraction for tourists and visitors, while also activating new spaces for the community to enjoy.”
Following a competitive tender process, H and H Architects were appointed to progress the project forward from concept to detailed design. As stated in a WA government communique, the firm was selected for its proven expertise in managing heritage projects throughout the state, including several in Albany.
The Member for Albany Rebecca Stephens echoed those sentiments, saying that the practice “has a tremendous reputation for heritage work across a variety of WA projects.”
Stephens added, “When restored, the pilot cottages will offer a rare insight to what it was like to live and work in these buildings between 1853 to 1936.”

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Early concepts of the Port of Albany pilot station precinct feature an interpretive centre, a small cafe, port-themed play areas, parking and open spaces, all linked to the existing Port to Point trail. Additionally, the precinct is set to feature an information centre for cultural and eco-tourism.
The architects will work with Southern Ports – an authority that oversees management of three ports: Albany, Bunbury and Esperance – to develop the design.
WA Ports Minister David Michael said the Albany Pilot Station precinct deserves to be on show. “The Port of Albany is intrinsically linked to WA’s rich history as our first and oldest port, so I think everyone should be excited to see this site transformed,” said Michael.
The detailed design is expected to be finalised in late 2025. More

The Victorian Department of Transport and Planning and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action have together outlined next steps to the state’s Gas Substitution Roadmap. It follows Victoria’s ban on gas connections to new dwellings, apartments and residential subdivisions requiring a planning permit that was implemented at the start of this year, and requirement for all new government buildings to be all-electric from July 2023.
According to the Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria has the highest use of gas for heating, hot water and cooking in Australia. Over two million (or around 76 percent) of homes, over 60,000 commercial buildings and over 800 large industrial users are connected to the gas network.
Having developed a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) outlining four possible pathways for the electrification of residential and commercial buildings across the state by 2026, the government is now seeking feedback from the community.
The options include:

Electrification of all new residential and new commercial buildings
Electrification of all new and existing residential buildings, and all new and existing commercial buildings (excluding existing commercial cooking)
Electrification of all new and existing residential buildings (excluding residential cooking), and all new commercial buildings
Electrification of all new and existing residential buildings.

In the RIS, the state government note their preference as the third option. In this option, all existing residential gas hot water and heating appliances would need to be electrified at their end-of life. However, if those appliances can be retained during a renovation, then they would not be required to be replaced with electric appliances.
Gas cooktops in existing homes as well as all gas appliances in existing commercial buildings are excluded from this preferred option, so there are no impacts, for example, on existing commercial kitchens.
The proposed regulations for residential buildings make exemptions in instances where there is insufficient space to install electric systems, there are conflicting laws (such as those dictated by a heritage overlay), or where “costs of upgrading the connection are disproportionately high.”
The current period of consultation on the RIS and proposed draft regulations presents the final opportunity for stakeholders and the community to comment on proposed reforms before they are finalised.
The public are invited to have their say on the proposed options until 28 February 2025. More

Entries are now open for the 2025 ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact, a program that recognises the profoundly transformative impact that built works can have on the communities that occupy them.
The award criteria focuses on demonstrable social benefit, and the quality and originality of the design thinking that delivered it. Eligible projects may relate to social cohesion, racial justice, inclusive housing, accessibility, equity, social sustainability or other areas where design can make a difference to society.
Wangaratta District Specialist School by Sibling Architecture won the 2024 Award for Social Impact, praised by the jury for being “[…] an exemplar of spatial and tactile design for numerous learning (or even workplace) environments across the country.” The inaugural 2023 program saw joint projects being awarded: The Fulcrum Agency and Kaunitz Yeung Architecture for the Groote Archipelago Housing Programme and Puntukurnu AMS Healthcare Hub, respectively.
The 2025 jury comprises Helen Barrie of the University of South Australia; Amelia Borg of Sibling Architecture; architect and researcher Shaneen Fantin; Philip Thalis of Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects; and Katelin Butler, the editorial director of Architecture Media. Rory Hyde of the Melbourne School of Design is the jury convener.
Hyde mentioned that architecture has always, at its core, been about social impact, “yet this aspect of architecture is too often overshadowed by the aesthetic and the visual.” He added that the ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact is “a way to recognise and celebrate the outstanding projects that make a difference to the public, to local communities and underrepresented groups.”
Entries close 7 March 2025 and entered projects must be completed (built). A cash prize of $5,000 is offered to the winning recipient. See previous winning and commended projects here and entry requirements here.
The ArchitectureAu Award for Social Impact is organised by Architecture Media, and supported by presenting partner Melbourne School of Design, and supporting partners Latitude Group and Pepto Lab. More

Melbourne architecture practice Kennon have unveiled their project at 550 Spencer in the city’s inner west, which is, according to the firm’s release, “Australia’s first building to generate its own onsite electricity through a solar panel facade.”
With 1,182 solar panels comprising the facade, the building generates 142 kilowatts of electricity at its peak – 50 times the capacity of a typical residential rooftop solar panel system. Without the need for a rooftop system, this space is transformed into a terrace and garden space for occupants to inhabit.

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Kennon worked with local and international suppliers to realise the integration of photovoltaic cells into the building’s facade, whose pleated configuration incorporates solid solar panels on the north and clear glazing on the south. According to the architect, their approach balances the need for solar capture and energy generation with indoor thermal comfort, earning the project 5.5-star Green Star and 5-star NABERS ratings.

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The electricity generated by the facade is used immediately, eliminating the requirement for battery storage. As the building is self-sufficient in its energy use, any surplus energy is fed back into the electricity grid.
The absence of gas within the project means that the building’s energy use is entirely fossil-free. The architect estimates that the building’s design reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 70 tonnes annually, thus achieving carbon neutrality within its lifespan.

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According to Kennon, 550 Spencer reimagines how the built environment can be a positive force, rather than a contributor to, the climate crisis. “By harnessing the power of sunlight, this development challenges traditional approaches to energy use, offering a glimpse of sustainable architecture where innovation and aesthetics can coexist and unite,” the architect noted. More

Concept designs for the new $558 million Albury Wodonga Regional Hospital have been released, with planning approval currently being sought for the project.

The proposed project is anticipated to deliver a mix of new and refurbished facilities. An upgraded and expanded Albury Wodonga hospital has long-been proferred as a critical component of the Murray River region’s broader healthcare system, as it would support the rapid growth of communities along the NSW and Victorian border.

As stated by the NSW government, the proposed project includes a new seven-storey Clinical Services Building; more than 80 additional beds across three new inpatient units; an additional at-grade and multi-storey car parking and a new hospital main entrance and public drop-off zone at Keene Street.
The updated hospital would also accommodate a new Aboriginal family lounge, a new multi-faith centre, new surgical and operating theatres, a 32-bed mental health inpatient unit to replace and expand the existing Nolan House 24-bed service, a new intensive care unit, and upgraded maternity and birthing wards.

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Hassell has led the design of the proposal in consultation with First Nations consultant Yerrabingin. According to a communique released by Hassell, the design draws on perspectives from local Aboriginal communities and Wiradjuri Country narratives to reflect the region’s cultural richness. The release noted that this collaborative process has resulted in a design that features a network of open gardens and internal courtyards, providing hospital users with access to fresh air and greenery.

“Engagement with Traditional Owners also shaped elements of the Clinical Services Building, including strategic sight lines to culturally significant sites,” the statement reads.

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The architects noted that the building’s interior aims to humanise the healthcare experience through biophilic design and the adoption of a warm, natural material palette.
Hassell principal in charge Catherine Loker emphasised that creating a creating a calm, peaceful healthcare environment with access to nature and fresh air “will benefit the entire hospital community” comprising patients, staff and visitors.
“We’re committed to delivering a vital community hub that will support local healthcare,” Loker said.
The NSW, Victorian and Australian governments have jointly committed $558 million to the Albury Wodonga Regional Hospital project in what is one of the largest regional health projects currently planned in NSW. More