Architecture

Construction has begun on a $1.2 billion North Sydney Victoria Cross Tower and retail precinct designed by Bates Smart. The project is the first to be awarded through Transport for NSW’s Sydney Metro tender process as part of Sydney’s integrated station development. The 42-storey office tower is designed to rise above North Sydney’s proposed metro […] More

Designs by Denton Corker Marshall- and HDR-led team have been selected for an integrated health, education and research precinct for the University of Sydney and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The half-a-billion-dollar Sydney Biomedical Accelerator will bring together seven science schools under one roof, in a facility designed to tackle some of the world’s most complex health challenges, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.
To be built next to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on the western boundary of the university’s Camperdown campus, the facility will consist of a 36,000-square-metre precinct including laboratory research facilities and clinical learning spaces.

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Concept designs for integrated health, education and research precinct for the University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Image:

Denton Corker Marshall and HDR

The design, created in collaboration with Arcadia Landscape Architecture and Aileen Sage, centres around the notions of connectivity and functionality.
“We designed the building as a clear, simple sculptural form with a solid base acknowledging its campus setting,” Denton Corker Marshall director Adrian Fitzgerald said. There will be a “floating top” with compelling imagery alluding to both scientific investigation within and an embedded indigenous narrative in the sculptural sunscreens, Fitzgerald added.
“Our design achieves the highest level of efficiency and declares its purpose for systematic, methodical, scientific study. It is a building for the future with clarity and memorability combining to produce timeless campus architecture.”
The Denton Corker Marshall and HDR team won a design competition for the project. The competition jury said the scheme delivered a world-class biomedical precinct that celebrated the relationship between the university and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital campuses, linking the two together for the first time in history.
The jury also commented the seven-storey circulation pine called the Connector was a “compelling proposition” to integrate the two facilities and expected to foster collaborative interaction.
HDR also designed a range of education and laboratory research facilities, along with specialist core laboratories and technical support spaces that integrate research with patient health outcomes.
“By pairing our local and global scientific expertise, we have a unique opportunity to design and deliver a series of state-of-the-art, highly adaptable biomedical laboratories where education, healthcare, engineering, and science converge,” said HDR director Graeme Spencer.

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Concept designs for integrated health, education and research precinct for the University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Image:

Denton Corker Marshall and HDR

The project is the result of a partnership between the NSW government, Sydney Local Health District, and the University of Sydney. The architectural design is intended to reflect this arrangement, enabling “seamless knowledge transfer and communication between the hospital and University,” the partnership said.
More than 1,200 biomedical researchers and clinicians are anticipated to work from the adjoining buildings, including 800 university laboratory researchers and PhD students.
The $478 million project is funded in part with $73 million in philanthropic donations, including a $20 million donation from the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, which also contributed to creation of the University of Sydney’s health building designed by Billard Leece Partnership and Diller Scofidio and Renfro.
Early works on the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator will commence in 2022, with the facility expected to open in 2026. More

After a difficult couple of years, many of us have felt the desire to live more simply and authentically. There has been a conscious stripping away of the unnecessary and the superfluous, both in terms of what we surround ourselves with and how we spend our time, to create space for more meaningful connections.
In response, the Dulux Colour Forecast reflects our desire to bond with the environment, community and the people we love, with warming, earth-drawn neutrals, natural textures and an array uplifting brighter hues.
Based on year-round research into global and local trends, the colour forecast predicts the direction and evolution of Australian design. Led by Dulux colour and communication manager Andrea Lucena-Orr in conjunction with Dulux colour forecaster and stylist Bree Leech, this year’s forecast ha been informed by global events including Future Laboratory London and Milan Design Week, as well as trend reports and editorials, catwalks, design launches, and engagement with global and international brands.
Dulux anticipates the palettes we can expect to see in 2023 are predominantly warm and nurturing, with nature continuing to be a key driver of trends. “Bright hues continue; however, they are deeper than last year,” said Lucena-Orr.
Sustainability will also be an important focus in the year ahead with pieces made to be gentle on the environment, incorporating traceable fabrics and handcrafted articles.

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“Connect” colours: Dulux Bassett Brown, Wasabi, Research, Stilted Stalk, Hammer Grey. Image:

Dulux Colour Forecast 2023

The Dulux “Connect” palette reflects our desire for a simpler lifestyle, more grounded in nature. It incorporates natural and quietly staple hues, such as moss, wasabi, sandstone, muddied yellow green, and a rich, purple brown. Furniture is crafted from raw timber, leather and rattan, with gently curved lines and textured fabrics from woven linen to hemp.

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“Balance” colours: Dulux Green Alabaster Half, Kimberley Sea, Starfish, Nephrite, Sea Kelp, Deep Garnet. Image:

Dulux Colour Forecast 2023

“Balance” is a refined and reassuring palette of serene marine blues, gentle greens, weathered pastels and accents of deep garnet that evoke the beauty and fluidity of our oceans and shoreline. Interiors are pared-back and considered, with a focus on immersive colour and exquisite detailing, such as the sweeping curves of a bedhead or the brass border around a fireplace.

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“Revive” palette: Dulux Paper Brown, Breezy Half, Pink Chi, Day Glow, Golden Sand, Princess Pink, Lexicon Quarter, Perplexed, Celebration, Diorite, Pharaohs Gem, Integra. Image:

Dulux Colour Forecast 2023

Colours in the “Revive” palette are deeper than last year’s, but draw from the same philosophy. Mustardy yellows, breezy blues, rose pink, lavender and striking emerald are splashed from wall to furniture to create jovial spaces to make you smile. Chubby furniture, exaggerated florals and striped patterns provide an opportunity to cut loose from the conventional.
To learn more about Dulux’s Colour Forecast 2023 visit www.dulux.com.au More

Data from jobs website Seek has revealed that architecture and design sector had the largest hike in advertised salaries in the past financial year. Seek’s annual Advertised Salary Index (ASI) for period from July 2021 to July 2022 found that a 7.3 percent rise in advertised salaries in the design and architecture sector, almost double […] More

As one of Australia’s leading construction, property and finance companies, ABN Group had a clear vision for their new flagship office and showroom. And in commissioning Woods Bagot to design their new headquarters, they welcomed the practice’s sophisticated yet inviting signature aesthetic to reflect their brand identity. The new interior design is refreshingly light and modern, with a wonderful palette of timber and tile complemented by expansive use of Fibonacci terrazzo.
As Woods Bagot Senior Associate Melanie Porrins explains, “It perfectly reflects ABN Group’s passion for building and commitment to quality, as well as the company’s sense of fun and strong desire to provide a warm and friendly experience for everyone. It’s a place where staff feel connected and comfortable and they’re proud to share this with their clients, who, in turn, feel inherently at home.”

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Terrazzo edging to the reception countertop complements the highly textural material palette.

Porrins and the design team drew on historical themes of Australian homes and landscapes to create a collection of different spaces. The iconic Hills Hoist is represented by stylised hanging rods and curtains above social spaces, for example, while the classic verandah is the inspiration behind the first-level business lounge, with its meeting settings arranged along the facade line. A sunken lounge beneath the ground floor stair is a nod to Australian 1970s suburbia and a gum leaf motif on the carpets in meeting rooms combines with pops of muted green throughout to reference the surrounding gum trees.
Ambient lighting instils a sense of calm and the curved form of timber product display joinery, along with textured plaster wall details, emphasises the value ABN Group places on quality craftsmanship. Within this mix, Fibonacci’s Brackish terrazzo is a highlight. Its cream, sand and grey with flecks of rust patterning is striking and used to great effect as feature flooring, a reception desk counter and internal stair.

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A sunken lounge area pays homage to Australian residential design of the 1970s.

“We loved the Brackish stone for its fresh yet warm tones,” says Porrins. “The general look of the interior is light and textured and Brackish is subtle enough to create a softer backdrop for all the timber finishes.” It functions as an eye-catching accent without overpowering the rest of the palette, while also being hard-wearing enough to withstand the busy showroom environment.
For Fibonacci founder Michael Karakolis, the outcome here is a strong vindication of his team’s design-focused and highly collaborative approach to supplying terrazzo. “Fibonacci products are one of the most unique hard-surface materials available to the market and we seek to elevate this uniqueness for designers and architects as well as their clients,” he says. “And when a client of ABN’s calibre chooses your product for their office, you know you’re doing something right.”
Presented by Fibonacci. You can view their full range of terrazzo at fibonacci.com.au More

The results of the Association of Consulting Architects’ sixth “pulse check” survey have been released, revealing the significant impacts of the last two years on architectural practice.
This survey was conducted by the ACA from the 18 July to 1 August and received responses from 352 practices, representing more than 7,000 staff.
The survey sought to understand the difficulties faced by practices, and as such, questions were split into three areas: challenges relating to staffing, project management, and business operations.
The most common staffing challenges related to higher than usual rates of illness and an upward pressure on salaries not being matched by increased income. “The profession is so competitive on times and fees that it is difficult to offer adequate remuneration for professional staff and reasonable time frames to achieve the high level of quality demanded of the profession in a competitive and litigious environment,” some respondents commented.
Additional comments included working-from-home arrangements causing difficulties for focus and productivity, as well as limited face-time for new graduates.
The ACA said that “flexibility is now both the norm and the future”, with greater flexibility in both where and when work is done, with one third of responding workplaces leveraging experiences during the pandemic to inform long-term flexible models.
Only one quarter of respondents reported that their mental wellbeing is better than at the start of the pandemic, while around half perceived no significant difference. Respondents attributed this to the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic and sustained burnout. Staff wellbeing was influenced “impact at home, particularly on those with children, the cost of living increases, and [global] uncertainty,” a respondent commented.
In terms of projects, activity in most sectors has picked up again to pre-pandemic levels for most responding practices. There are more practices working in all types of housing, but fewer practices involved in aged care and retail compared to pre-pandemic times. Hospitality projects have rebounded from previous pulse checks, and there are more practices involved in cultural projects, heritage, conservation, community and health than before the pandemic.
Encouragingly, 60 percent of practices (180 practices) reported to have taken on new staff, while only 42 practices to have reported having to let people go. Respondents were asked if they experienced difficulties finding new staff, to which 70 percent responded that they had.
The tight job market reflects the activity of the profession, with 77 percent of the responding practices reporting that they are “busy”. This includes 44 percent reporting that are “very busy” (119 practices) and another 32 percent that are “moderately busy”.
The costs of materials, supply chain challenges and other delays were most dominant in terms of challenges associated with project management and delivery. Many who commented also pointed to challenges with local councils and other consultants.
The top challenges associated with running a business related to the increased costs not matched by increased income, the ongoing shifting of risk onto the profession, and fees inadequate to service projects appropriately.
To view the full survey results, visit the ACA website. More