Architecture

An application for a new 28-storey residential tower in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley has been submitted for development approval. Situated on a prominent corner site at 286 St Pauls Terrace, the proposal strives to engage with its surroundings, which includes the heritage-listed former Keating’s Bread Factory.
Designed by McFarland Architects – who set up office on the site following its acquisition – the scheme includes 164 apartments situated above a mixed retail and public podium. Split over two levels, the podium incorporates 400 square metres of retail space, a resident gym, bike parking and a publicly-accessible landscaped corner.
Parametric modelling enabled McFarland Architects to experiment and iterate in the early design phase. Firm director Blair McFarland commented that “a clear design framework emerged from our rigorous testing. We wanted the building to be as conventional in its construction as possible but have a distinct … expression of Fortitude Valley’s revitalisation.”
According to the architect, the design of ground plane and podium prioritised scale, pedestrian flow and views to the adjacent heritage building. In their design of the facade, the practice leaned heavily on their parametric modelling workflow to create sweeping banding around the building’s edges.
“The planning framework allowed us to wrap large balconies around the three road frontages of the building which assisted in our goal of making the apartments as much like houses as possible, but presented a challenge in how we treated the balconies as the planning requirements limited us from having solid elements on the balcony line,” said McFarland. “The outcome results in a permeable and interesting façade, responsive to Brisbane’s sub-tropical context.”
McFarland noted that “further opportunity presented itself when we were able to test some illumination strategies that showcase the sweeping curves of the banding which become more prominent on the skyline at night.”
The proposal is currently under statutory assessment from Brisbane City Council. More

A First Nations design team comprising Jack Gillmer, Emily McDaniel and Michael Mossman has been named the creative director of the Australia Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
The winning scheme Home features a highly sensorial design that incorporates physical, interactive and virtual mediums integrated within the space. It also provides participatory opportunities for visitors and contributors of the project to storytell their understandings of home through the lens of Country.
The creative directors for the 2025 exhibition were selected by the 2025 Venice Biennale Curatorial Committee from twenty-one entries and four finalists. The shortlisted proposals were varied, with one exhibition exploring the impact of asbestos on the Australian landscape, another investigating the markings made on houses to signify certain conditions of the home and positions of occupants, and a third building on an architect-led movement to transform Australia’s cities from being net consumers of energy, waste and water into net producers by the year 2030.
National president of the Australian Institute of Architects and member of the 2025 curatorial committee Jane Cassidy said Home was selected for its storytelling. “The […] committee’s vision was to find a team of creative directors who could present an Australian Exhibition that tells a rich, engaging story while demonstrating the depth of Australian architectural expertise. Michael, Emily and Jack certainly exemplify this with their vision.”
Creative director Michael Mossman said their exhibition was conceptualised as a space for facilitating meaningful dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples on an international scale. “This is the first Venice Architecture Biennale following the Australian referendum to amend the Australian Constitution for a Voice to Parliament. While the result presented a setback to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agency and self-determination at a constitutional level, it opened opportunities for impactful dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, which we will continue with Home.”
Rammed earth will feature prominently throughout the exhibition, as seen in a curved wall and bench seat that have been designed to embrace a sand-filled ceremonial and performance space known as the beating heart. Visitors will be able to contribute to the exhibition by sharing stories of home via a mud paint medium on what is referred to as a “living canvas.”

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Creative director Jack Gillmer said the design of the pavilion – along with its participatory format – celebrates cultural exchange, Country and cultural knowledge systems, while simultaneously igniting global conversations on First Nations-led approaches toward sustainability, net-zero carbon emissions and material circularity.
The creative directorial team behind Home were nominated to represent the voices of First Nations design practitioners Clarence Slockee, Kayle Salvatori, Elle Davidson and Bradley Kerr. The team will also engage global ambassadors who will lead certain programmed activities.
“Home is a generous and timely offering to the Venice Architecture Biennale that will welcome visitors as active contributors and participants. Through design, enlivened public conversations, cultural practice and ceremony, we will facilitate a shared and collective experience that resonates with international audiences and recognises the criticality of First Nations knowledge,” said creative director Emily McDaniel.
The Home pavilion will be debuted in Venice in May 2025. More

Charles Darwin University (CDU) has opened its new city campus, Danala I Education and Community Precinct (ECP). The project was designed by local practice Mode Architects, who unveiled the final concepts a little over three years ago. Darwin-based contractors DCOH (formerly Halikos) led the construction.
According to a statement from the university, the name of the precinct – “danala” – comes from the Larrakia word for “dillybag,” a traditional bag woven from plant fibres, used to carry food. The name is particularly fitting for a project in which First Nations people comprised 13 percent of the construction workforce.
Vice-chancellor professor Scott Bowman said, “Danala is made for Territorians, by Territorians, and will ensure students are getting the education they deserve in a modern facility that suits Darwin. It is spacious, can handle the Territory’s unique weather and climate, and will support local events and entertainment in our community.”

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Located in the heart of Darwin’s city centre, Danala I ECP is divided into three distinct areas: two levels open to the public, three levels for students and teaching, and two levels for CDU faculty and staff. The new campus also integrates a library, accessible by the community.
The Northern Territory minister for education and training, early education and public service Jo Hersey commented that the project “will not only increase the vibrancy of the city but drive increased retail activity for Darwin’s small businesses.” More

City of Sydney is inviting public comment on proposed amendments to planning controls for potential development sites in Ultimo and Pyrmont.
The council is proposing to amend the Sydney Local Environment Plan 2012 and the Sydney Development Control Plan 2012 to meet the requirements of the NSW government’s Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy, a 20-year framework for future development.
The state government strategy calls for modifications to the city’s planning regulations in order to facilitate the development of 4,000 additional homes for more than 8,000 future residents, and places of employment to support the creation of 23,000 jobs.
A number of sites in Ultimo and Pyrmont were identified by the state government as possible development zones. Following this, the City of Sydney assessed the identified sites and held discussions with landowners to determine which locations would be suitable.
The council’s proposed amendments include to:

Permit increased floor space and height to facilitate the construction of new homes in residential flat buildings, mixed-use developments and small lot housing.
Permit increased floor space and height to support job creation across various building types.
Mandate that new developments increase access to public open space, as well as widen footpaths, accommodate more than 250 new trees and provide 2,000 square metres of new green roofs.
Reduce overshadowing to existing residences, significant public parks and places.

The feedback portal is now open until 13 November 2024. More

Andrews Projects have submitted plans for a twin tower development in Surfers Paradise to the City of Gold Coast. The development application involves a reworking of a proposal by the Orion Towers Group with Woods Bagot for 1100 units across two towers, approved by the city council seven years ago. The tallest of the towers had been set to break the southern-hemisphere record.
The new scheme, revised in collaboration with architects Bates Smart, comprises two 37-storey residential towers. While substantially downsized from the previous plans, Andrews Projects sales manager Sarah Andrews noted that “the Gold Coast market is severely undersupplied, and this situation is likely to worsen. This project will help meet the demand.”
Nearly 400 apartments, ranging from one to four bedrooms, occupy the proposed towers, while the six-storey podium below includes a foyer, co-working space for residents, cafe and four levels of above-ground parking. The landscaped podium top includes two outdoor pools, a hammam, steam room, sauna and gymnasium alongside communal cooking facilities.

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Bates Smart’s approach drew inspiration from the subtropical climate of the project’s site. Mathieu le Sueur, director in the firm’s Brisbane studio, commented, “The Gold Coast is one of the only places in Australia where the rainforest meets the ocean. Our design for Andrews Projects in Surfers Paradise celebrates this unique ecology. Architecturally, we shaped the towers as two slender stepped triangles to allow most apartments 270-degree views of the ocean.”
The approach also encompassed a strong landscaping strategy, le Sueur noting, “We brought the rainforest in at the ground by integrating deep curved perimeter planter boxes in the edges of each podium floor. They will be planted with lush species native to the local rainforest, as will the landscape rich amenity level. These moves make the development feel of its place and bring a new kind of design approach to Gold Coast architecture.” More

The University of Adelaide recently announced the winners of its inaugural Australian Space Architecture Challenge, organised by the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR). Open nationally to students and graduates across STEM and creative disciplines, the competition sought to gather intelligence across a wide range of fields and showcase Australia’s capacity to contribute to deep space human habitation.
Dr Amit Srivastava, head of the Lunar Architecture Research Group at the ATCSR, noted, “The Australian Space Architecture Challenge aligns with the goals of Australian Civil Space Strategy and the Moon to Mars initiative to advance Australia’s position in the global space economy.”
The brief tasked participants with designing a lunar habitat for the year 2069 – exactly 100 years since humans first set foot on the moon’s surface. Situated on a ridge between Shackleton and De Gerlache craters, design proposals were required to cater to a community of up to 30 people, “showcasing the innovative and sustainable evolution of lunar living and the preparation for the upcoming Mars expeditions.”
Citing cinematic precedents – including Tatooine in Star Wars and Arrikis in Dune – as possible inspiration, the brief encouraged participants to push the boundaries of reality. The jury, comprising architects, engineers psychologists and artists, awarded projects that demonstrated originality and inventive thinking alongside high technical feasibility and a sophisticated understanding of the psychological and social impacts of the human experience in space.
The winning design, titled Happy Homesick, was submitted by a student team from the University of Western Australia comprising Eric Luan, Claire Basso, Robert Cameron and JD Otto. The concept dispels visions of controlled, earth-like shelters typically found in pop culture, focusing instead on cultivating an environment reminiscent of home, where everyday activities, like hobbies and birthdays, coexist alongside space missions and scientific experiments.

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“Our concept investigates what a truly lunar or Martian architecture might look like, and whether a human born in space could feel at home there,” said the team. “We wanted to focus on the everyday experience of future lunar settlers and cultivate a ‘sense of place’ that’s unique to the lunar landscape.”
Jury member Jonathon (Johnnie) Dady and artist in residence at the ATCSR commented, “This presentation offered a non-colonial approach to the brief, recognising the need for emotional ownership of place and realising that a sense of wellbeing, motivation, and scope for creativity are founded on an embodied sense of place. The planning is offered as an idiosyncratic human act.”
Second place was awarded to Bowen Yang and Yichan Wei from the University of Queensland for their practical solution to the brief, titled Lunar Urbanism, and third place to Ihab Shamseldin and Samer El Sayary from the University of Technology Sydney for a terrarium vision on the Moon, titled Lunarium. Do Dang Quang Nguyen from the University of Adelaide was given an honourable mention for Alteon VII: a habitat for long-term living and research.

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The winning design will be exhibited at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy, between 14-18 October 2024. More

The Queensland government is inviting public comment on proposed changes to its statewide building code, which would permit secondary dwellings that fulfil certain criteria to be used as small households.
A secondary dwelling, in this context, is defined as a small and self-contained home situated on a property where a primary house already exists. The suggested revisions aim to increase housing supply and support housing diversity by providing specific design criteria for secondary dwellings, in an attempt to streamline and simplify the approval process.

The proposed provisions regulate the siting, dimensions and design of a secondary dwelling, as well as the interaction between a primary and secondary dwelling, and the usage of the lot. Once approved, the reforms would apply in residential zones (not medium or high density), emerging community zones, rural residential zones and rural zones.
Some proposed changes include:

A secondary dwelling is required to have a maximum gross floor area of 80 square metres if it is located on a lot smaller than 1,000 square metres, or a maximum gross floor area of 100 square metres if it is located on a lot greater than 1,000 square metres.
The granny flat must be attached or at least two metres from the primary dwelling, and in a rural zone must be a maximum of 20 metres from the primary dwelling.
Ancillary dwellings must have a maximum height of 8.5 metres or 4.5 metres when within 5 metres of a road frontage.
The design of a secondary home must incorporate a minimum of two design measures, including passive design, adaptability, climate responsive, and so forth.
Secondary dwellings must include an outdoor living space of certain dimensions.

The statewide consultation marks the first phase of the Distinctly Queensland Design Series, a strategy that highlights opportunities and initiatives for boosting housing availability.

To find out more about the proposed revisions, visit the consultation portal, which will remain open until 12 November 2024. More

In the lead up to the City of Melbourne’s election for lord mayor, candidate Arron Wood has unveiled a plan to establish an Intercultural Museum within Lendlease’s development of Gurrowa Place, south of the Queen Victoria Market. The 3.2-hectare urban renewal project was given approval from the state government in March 2024 and is currently under heritage review from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
The Intercultural Museum, designed by Searle × Waldron Architecture, is proposed on the site of the Queens Corner Building. The proposal for the greater precinct incorporates a mix of student accommodation, residential apartments and work spaces designed by a team including NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, Openwork, McGregor Coxall, Lovell Chen and Urbis.

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According to a statement from Wood, the Intercultural Museum will be “a true people’s place, embracing and exploring intercultural narratives that bring people closer together. Accessible and inclusive to all, it will be a place to make connections, historically and contemporarily; challenge the status quo; shift perceptions; and be active contributors to our own stories.”

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Deputy lord mayoral candidate Erin Deering noted that “this museum will be more than just a cultural hub; it will be an economic driver, supporting local businesses and helping to revitalise our city as we continue to recover and grow.” The 10,000-square-metre facility is intended to connect with Melbourne’s other cultural institutions, such as the city’s Hellenic Museum.
“The museum will feature a range of interactive exhibitions, educational programs and events designed to engage people of all ages and backgrounds, promoting inclusivity and reinforcing Melbourne’s multicultural identity,” Deering said. More