Architecture

The Australian Institute of Architects has praised the Australian, state and territory governments for increasing the National Housing Accord goal to 1.2 million dwellings, to be achieved through zoning reforms and a $3 billion incentive scheme.
The National Housing Accord goal was previously set at one million homes, a target that has now been increased by 200,000.
The Institute’s national president Stuart Tanner said the 1.2 million homes target over the next five years would be an effective boost for the overall supply of residential property.
National Cabinet agreed to a National Planning Reform Blueprint, which includes measures to promote medium- and high-density housing in well-located areas.
The federal government also committed $3 billion for the New Home Bonus, a fund that would incentivize states and territories to undertake reforms to boost housing supply and affordability for would-be buyers.
“We commend leaders for making housing a priority. If these homes are delivered within the five-year timeline, it will help our housing supply issues considerably,” Tanner said.

“We are, however, concerned about the ongoing inadequacy of social housing supply and Australia’s capacity to realistically deliver this volume of housing in the time available, given construction material and labour shortages. In addition, this housing stock should be delivered with quality and sustainability as mandatory.”
Echoing those sentiments, the Planning Institute of Australia CEO Matt Collins said that while they are pleased to see more housing being delivered they would like more clarity around specifics as planning can only regulate the location and type of housing, not the speed of delivery.
“We still need to see more detail about how each state and territory will take the blueprint’s commitments and we look forward to working with governments to ensure good planning for great places,” Collins said.
“Whilst planning can enable the right housing in the right place, planning alone can’t deliver more houses because the decision to act on planning approvals largely rests with property owners and developers. Developers and property owners make the decision to build based on a range of factors including the availability and cost of finance, taxation settings, sales rates, profitability and other market factors. It is essential that policy-makers are looking at the full range of policy reform to ensure Australia’s housing challenges are holistically addressed – that means working to address broader issues such as supply chain constraints, labour shortages and more.”
According to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’s State of the Nation Housing Report 2022-2023, the predicted gap between new household formation and anticipated new supply in Australia from 2023 to 2033 is expected to be 79,300 dwellings, a significant deterioration since the 2021–22 report.
The Australian rental vacancy rate is sitting slightly above 1 per cent, leading to asharp decline in the number of affordable properties. “Affordable housing shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be a necessity. The rates of housing stress and unaffordability in Australia are alarming and demand immediate attention,” Tanner said.

A member survey conducted by the Institute in 2022 found that 62 per cent of respondents considered housing affordability “absolutely critical.” As a result, the Institute has urged for a bipartisan 30-year National Housing Strategy to address social housing as a long-term commitment, instead of short-term or one-off initiatives. They say the first priority should be to provide more appropriate homes for First Nations peoples.

“This is a great opportunity to get the settings right for density and sustainability in our towns and cities, as well as addressing supply. Architects have the right skills and experience to help with these reforms. We look forward to assisting on these issues,” he said. More

The Chicago Athenaeum and European Centre for Architecture have announced the winners of its 2023 International Architecture Awards. Four Australian projects are among the almost 100 projects from around the world recognized across 25 categories. FJC Studio (formerly FJMT Studio) received two awards: Nunawading Community Hub was one of four projects recognized in the Community […] More

Roche Bobois have opened their first and only Australian store in Roseville, Sydney, just in time to showcase their latest collection. The Paris-based furniture brand’s new designs take advantage of the shift in seasons, reinventing lines and curves while introducing new materials and bold colours. A statement piece in the collection is the Bubble sofa, […] More

Renowned architect, designer, and art director Piero Lissoni will celebrate Space Furniture’s 30th birthday, with a special visit to Australia in October 2023.
Lissoni will tour Space Furniture showrooms in Melbourne, Sydney, and Singapore from Monday, 16 October until Friday, 20 October, and will be the guest of honour at several events, including dinners, parties, talks and interviews.

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Renowned architect, designer, and art director Piero Lissoni will celebrate Space Furniture’s 30th birthday, with a special visit to Australia this October. Image:

Courtesy of Space Furniture.

Since the establishment of its first showroom in Sydney in 1993, Space has been a leader in design retailing in Australia, offering a wide range of brands including B and B Italia, Maxalto, Arflex, Edra, Kartell, Moooi and SP01. Now in its 30th year, they are an internationally recognized brand with five purpose-built, architecturally designed showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and an international team that comprises in-house designers, delivery crews, and corporate staff.
Their objective over the past 30 years has been to share design knowledge within the industry and with admirers of design – a philosophy, which has led Space to participate in innovative industry events, host talks with internationally celebrated designers, publish More Space magazine and establish the coveted Space Plus Design Residency prize that has supported several notable Australian designers with career development.
Space will invite members of their team, designers, media professionals and VIP clients to join in the week-long birthday festivities, providing an opportunity to reflect on the past 30 years. More

The Western Australian government has postponed the gazettal of the medium-density housing code in a move that attempts to address ongoing challenges in the housing construction market and the shortage of affordable housing options.
Based on more than three years of research, the policy sought to facilitate the design of appropriately sized homes that suit the context of the land, as well as deliver better outcomes in the design of living spaces and for the sustainability and efficiency of new homes.
In February 2023, former planning minister Rita Saffioti released the planning policy to guide medium-density development across the state, saying the introduction of such a policy would support infill development, masterplanned communities and Metronet station precincts, as well as deliver various benefits, such as improved tree canopy, greater housing diversity, better design, orientation towards better energy efficiency, and enhanced neighbourhood amenities.
Western Australian planning minister John Carey has now announced the deferral of the policy, in a move that he says will keep housing construction costs down and provide more affordable options for Western Australians.

“I want to be clear, our government is acutely aware of the current heated housing construction market and cost escalations. In acknowledgement of this, we have deferred the gazettal of the medium density code to reduce any regulatory burdens,” he said.

“The medium density code has been progressing since 2019, and clearly the COVID-19 pandemic and post-COVID circumstances have radically reshaped and impacted housing and construction markets across the world.

“We have listened to feedback from stakeholders and the deferred gazettal will enable more time to consider amendments to the planned implementation approach. This will also further align with other States and Territories, who are considering planning changes to reduce the cost of delivery of housing across the nation.”

The State Planning Policy 7.3, which is a new addition to Western Australia’s R-Codes, was prepared to guide the development of medium-density housing across the state. The WA government will seek to rework the policy for the new provisions to be applicable to R50 and R60 coded development only. The R Codes Volume 1, along with the R-MD provisions, will continue to apply for R30 and R40 coded land. More

The recipient of the 2023 Minister’s Award for Urban Design in Queensland has been revealed along with the winners of two newly introduced subcategories, the Malcolm Middleton Award for Liveable Design and the Movement and Place Award.
Twenty-nine nominations were received across all categories, resulting in four innovative projects taking out top accolades and another six receiving commendations for their willingness to push the envelope when it comes to producing non-conventional architectural urban designs of the highest quality.

The juries were impressed by the diversity of projects submitted, ranging from social housing and student accommodation to city-shaping policies and fine-grain projects at the local level. They noted that each project was unique, but accessibility and adaptability were integral to all, demonstrating an increasing demand for better housing choices.

Minister’s Award for Urban Design

The Department of Education and BVN were announced as the winners of Queensland’s top urban design prize, for the design of the Brisbane South State Secondary College (BSSSC) vertical campus. Situated on a significant historical site once used by local First Nations people, the jury congratulated the design team for incorporating elements of rich local Indigenous heritage into the design, while simultaneously offering a contemporary and cutting-edge education facility. Designed in a skilful yet sympathetic way, the project was praised by the judges as being an “important benchmark in its quality, vision and clarity in an emerging typology of vertical campus design.”The judges commended three projects for their outstanding urban design: Logan Village Green Revitalization by Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash; the Fifth Lane Revitalization by Mackay Regional Council; and Student Central – The University of Queensland by Hassell and the University of Queensland. In addition, the jury also recognized Ipswich Central Revitaliation and Your Home and Living Guidelines by Moreton Bay Regional Council.
Malcolm Middleton Award for Outstanding Liveable Design

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Refresh Studio for Architecture along with the Department of Housing were the recipients of the 2023 Malcolm Middleton Award for their social housing project, Habitat on Juers. Image:

Image courtesy of Scott Burrows.

Refresh Studio for Architecture with the Department of Housing were the recipients of the 2023 Malcolm Middleton Award for their social housing project, Habitat on Juers.

The jury unanimously declared Habitat on Juers as the winning project, applauding the design team for demonstrating that small-scale social housing developments can comfortably co-exist within a neighbourhood of primarily free-standing suburban houses, without drawing too much attention. The jury deemed the housing complex a safe, secure, socially inclusive, and accessible place to live, with its offering of 16 accessible dwellings in gold, silver, and platinum levels and an average 8.5 NatHERS star rating. Impressed by the adaptable and versatile nature of the design, the jury said the project had the potential to be replicated across the entire housing market.
The Nobel Carter Architects received a commendation for their work on their project Middle House.
Movement and Place Award, in partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads

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Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were announced joint winner of the 2023 Movement and Place Award, following their design of the Logan Village Green Revitalisation. Image:

Image Courtesy of Alexis Turner.

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Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were announced joint winner of the 2023 Movement and Place Award, following their design of the Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail. Image:

Image courtesy of Logan City Council.

The Logan Village Green Revitalization and Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail jointly won the Movement and Place Award for connecting two independent communities through the transformation of an underutilized open space and an idle rail spur. The project team of Logan City Council, TLCC, Bligh Tanner, Fleetwood Urban, Convic and Dot Dash with Logan City Council, Epoca, Burchills and DotDash were praised for their collaborative, place-based approach to planning and addressing the emerging needs of both communities. The jury recognized the crucial and complementary role both projects play in delivering environmental, economic, and social benefits, as well as promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
Vee Design, Bark Architects, Fourfold Studio with Harrison Infrastructure Group and SMEC with Western Downs Regional Council were commended for their efforts on the Miles CBD Streetscape as well as Toowoomba Regional Council for Russell Street Refresh.

Nominations for the 2024 Minister’s Awards for Urban Design, the Malcolm Middleton Award for Liveable Design and the Movement and Place Award will open in March 2024 and typically includes entries from the Australian Urban Design Awards held in the preceding year. More

Architectus and the Kangan Institute have released new design renders for a new Health and Community Centre of Excellence at the institute’s Broadmeadows campus in Melbourne’s north.
The centre will support courses in aged care, mental health, disability, pathology, allied health and early childhood education and care.
The building will house a multipurpose, immersive, virtual reality gallery that will simulate multiple-bed hospital and aged care environments, flexible learning spaces, and specialist health laboratories.
The building has been designed to connect with Broadmeadows Town Park to the south, and a joint landscaping approach will be developed for the seamless connection between the park and the campus.

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The proposed Health and Community Centre of Excellence at Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows by Architectus. Image:

Courtesy Architectus

“We’ve designed the new building with an open and inviting entry, creating ease of access to the building’s community-focused facilities,” said Architectus principal Ruth Wilson. “The highly transparent southern facade connects students to the neighbouring green landscape and showcases the unique learning activities occurring within the building, while the northern brick facade responds to Broadmeadows’ history, growing urban context and pays homage to Yuroke Creek.”
Kangan Institute CEO Sally Curtain added, “It’s a centre built with community for the community, ensuring locals have the opportunity to access state-of-the-art training facilities as they prepare for in-demand jobs of tomorrow.
“Through strong collaboration with industry and local partners, the Health and Community Centre of Excellence is designed to be a game changer for aspiring health and community workers in Melbourne’s north.”
The $60 million project is funded by the Victorian government. Construction began in March 2023, and the centre is expected to open in 2025. More

Australian architects and designers are invited to submit expressions of interest to design a new home for Western Sydney University’s Indigenous Centre of Excellence.
The new centre, to be located on Darug land at the Paramatta South campus, will serve as an important gathering place for the community to connect, learn from and celebrate the region’s Indigenous people.
The purpose-built facility will be accessible to everyone regardless of age, ability, or interests. Informal learning spaces will be incorporated into the design, providing opportunities for engagement, education and collaboration. Visitors will be able to explore the rich Indigenous culture and heritage of Western Sydney through arts, cultural collections, performances, talks and screenings.
Professor Michelle Trudgett, deputy vice-chancellor Indigenous leadership, said the facility will support the preservation of culture and history while also solidifying the university as a leader in Indigenous education, employment and research.
“This landmark building will serve many generations. Every aspect of the Indigenous Centre of Excellence will be informed by Indigenous knowledge and cultures. It will be one of the most prominent and impactful First Nations spaces in the world while being a place where the local community can come together and connect,” Trudgett said.
Vice-chancellor and president Professor Barney Glover AO said the Centre for Indigenous Excellence is a fundamental component of the university’s Indigenous Futures Decadal Strategy, 2023-2032.
“The building will be a beacon of education, Indigenous leadership and cultural exchange. We look forward to working with our Elders and Indigenous communities to create a truly transformational space where we can foster, develop and support the next generation of Indigenous leaders,” Glover said.
Registrations for stage one Expressions of Interest close on September 12, 2023. The winner will be announced before the end of this year after stage two of the design response is completed.
For more information about the national competition or to submit an Expression of Interest, visit Western Sydney University’s website. More