Architecture

Two proposed pedestrian and cycle bridges will provide a new gateway into the Perth CBD, spanning across the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) from the eastern banks of Point Fraser, over Heirisson Island to Victoria Park foreshore.
The six-metre-wide, cable-stayed bridges will provide new, safer access for many commuters, with an estimated 1,400 cyclists and 1,900 pedestrians expected to use the bridges daily. The bridges will also feature dedicated rest points, enabling moments of pause for path users.
WSP were appointed to undertake architectural and engineering design while Hassell were appointed for the urban design and landscape architecture of the project. “These are WSP’s first cable-stayed bridges in WA, and these society-shaping projects play a key role in helping us benefit communities both today and for years to come,” said Shereen Mikhail, WSP’s Project Director.
Hassell principal Anthony Brookfield said the urban design and landscape architecture is intended to make the commuter journey an “immersive and engaging experience”, telling the stories that acknowledge the significance of the Derbal Yerrigan to the Whadjuk Nyoongar community.

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Renders of the proposed Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist bridges in Perth. Image:

Causeway Link Alliance

“As a major gateway into and out of the city, this is a great opportunity to transform the journey across the Derbal Yerrigan into one of cultural learning where we acknowledge the history and First Nation’s people who played a significant role as providers and carers for Country,” said Brookfield. “The creation of a revitalized landscape within the context of the new bridges will incorporate these stories.”
The design has been developed with key stakeholders including local governments, Traditional Owners and specialist groups, taking into consideration path user requirements, local developments on either side of the bridges, future maritime height allowances and the needs of existing river users.
The causeway bridges are a Mainroads Western Australia initiative, first announced in 2020 as part of the state’s Building for Tomorrow economic recovery program.
The project is funded under the Perth City Deal, jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments ($50 million each) and the City of Perth.
Construction of the bridges will begin later in 2022 with an estimated completion date in 2024. More

Hobart Airport is set to double in size according to designs by Cox Architecture in a draft masterplan released on 11 August. Hobart Airport chief executive Norris Carter said the masterplan outlines the airport’s vision and strategy objectives for the next 20 years as the major gateway and key economic hub for the state. Woods […] More

FJMT Studio has been appointed project architect on for a new fit-out of Barangaroo Cutaway – part of the NSW government’s redevelopment for the Sydney Harbour foreshore. Located below the eastern end of Barangaroo Reserve, the Cutaway is a cultural venue with a 6,500-square-metre footprint on the harbour waterfront. Carved out beneath an artificial hill, […] More

The Australian Institute of Architects is taking expressions of interest for the role of creative director for the 2023 National Architecture Conference. Held since 2005, the national conference is a professional development event hosted annually for around 1,000 delegates. The 2023 conference will be held on the Gold Coast and will follow the theme “Precedent”, […] More

A Sydney theatre is set for major redevelopment after receiving a multi-million-dollar donation. To be designed by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, the redevelopment of SBW Stables Theatre in Sydney’s Kings Cross, home to the Griffin Theatre Company, will see a 44 percent increase in audience capacity, as well as upgrades to dressing rooms, rehearsal spaces […] More

A 135-year-old warehouse in Melbourne’s Southbank will be partially demolished in $100 million proposal to transform it into a mixed use precinct.
Norwegian architecture practice Snøhetta has designed the revamp of the site at 28 Clarendon Street, home to historic former Fergus and Mitchell Robur Tea House.
The Robur Tea House was built in 1887 and is today a persisting example of 19th century architecture and one of the few remaining traces of the industrial establishments that dominated Southbank until the late 20th century.
According to the application, the heritage building will be partially demolished to accommodate the construction of two new buildings on the site – the north building will be between three to six storeys while the south building will be 25 storeys. The $100 million will create a mixed-use precinct comprising a residential hotel, office and retail spaces, and a basement carpark.
Most of the ground floor would be occupied by retail, food and beverage tenancies and a lobby for the hotel. Revamped walkways will provide better connection for pedestrians from Clarendon Street with the addition of an adjacent garden forecourt.
The architects said the facade of the original building would be preserved and maintained, and new materials would be designed to match the existing architecture.

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Plans have been submitted to partially demolish the Robur Tea House to create a new mixed-use building in Southbank. Image: Snøhetta

The heritage-listed red brick warehouse has been recognised as a hallmark of innovation as one of the oldest examples of steel beam floors in Victoria.
In the 1880s, the Robur Tea House was erected on a “swampy site”, according to Heritage Victoria, and original engineer John Grainger devised a system of 450 ironbark piles and concrete rafts to support the six-storey structure. For many years, the Tea House was one of the tallest buildings outside the CBD.
A previous permit application for a 24-storey development on the site, submitted in 2017 by developer RJ International, was rejected by Heritage Victoria on the grounds that the new development would have “substantial detrimental impact” on the Tea House.
A City of Melbourne planners report recommended that a planning permit be granted for the proposal. Councillors will consider the proposal at a meeting on 16 August. A separate permit application is required by Heritage Victoria. More

The Think Brick Awards for architecture and landscape design were held on 11 August, with winners selected from 150 nominated projects around the country.
This year’s awards followed the theme “A time to build, a time to grow”, with selected works celebrating sustainable design, clean lines, and craftsmanship in brick, blocks, pavers and tiles. Think Brick chief executive Elizabeth McIntyre said this year’s theme “reflects the inherent resilience of our pre-eminent building materials and references the ability of the dedicated project teams who nurture endless creative solution.”
The Horbury Hunt Residential Award went to B. E. Architecture’s Anderson Road house, which the jury described as a “great example of simple form, minimal detail, beautifully curated texture”.
The Horbury Hunt Commercial Award was won by Kiara College by With Architecture Studio. “The building is complemented beautifully by white curved brick, which takes you on a journey to the beautiful landscaping of the grounds,” the jury said.

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House at Flat Rock by Billy Maynard received the Kevin Borland Masonry Award. Image:

Rory Gardiner

The Kevin Borland Masonry Award also went to a residential house in 2022, with House at Flat Rock by Billy Maynard a “unanimous winner”. The jury said this house demonstrated a “sophisticated use of materials and form, bringing the landscape into the centre of the space”.
The jury gave the Bruce Mackenzie Landscape Award Joyce Chapel Bridge Searle Waldron Architecture, RBA and Claire Martin for its “a high consideration for permeability and detailing.”
“Joyce Chapel Bridge is a wonderful expression of how masonry can co-exist with the landscape environment and embrace it,” the jury said.
Fulton Trotter Architects received the Robin Dods Roof Tile Excellence award for San Damaino College, which the jury described as “a powerful gesture, with the roof being the absolute hero of this project, celebrated on a grand scale.”
Finally, the New Entrant Award went to Stuart Holmes Architect for Wabi Sabi House – a reimagining of a Melbourne duplex channelling traditional and midcentury Japanese architecture. The jury said this home took “the most ordinary, everyday material and transforms it into something very special”. Grey concrete blocks were laid on their side or in stack bond to create screens, veils and walls resulting in a “robust and characterful” space.
Awards recipients of each category received a prize of $10,000.
The jury for the 2022 Think Brick Awards comprised Think Brick chief executive Elizabeth McIntyre, director of Smart Design Studio William Smart, Kerstin Thompson Architects director Kerstin Thompson, Jon Clements of Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, and Catherine Rush of Rush Wright Associates. More

New design details have been released for Central Place in Sydney’s “tech central”, cited as the city’s most significant development in over a decade.
Designed by Fender Katsalidis, American practice Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and Edition Office, the $3 billion development proposes to revitalize Sydney’s busiest transport interchange with a “vibrant new business district,” the project vision stated.
The final development application was submitted for the precinct in March this year. A design advisory panel has since issued recommendations for changes to the design.
Responses from the sub-committee included the request for additional public realm and changes to the Lee Street levels to create a “more seamless and active frontage”, while the bulk and scale of the podium elements needed to be reduced.
According to the revised plans, the height of the north and south towers remains unchanged, with each 35 and 37 storeys respectively, while changes requested by the City of Sydney relate to the reduction in bulk of the smaller structures.

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Amendments to the proposal include reductions to the Connector and Pavilion structures, and greater public activation. Image:

Fender Katsalidis and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

The Connector, designed by Edition Office, has been reduced from 10 storeys to eight, while the linking bridge previously connecting the building to the podium and central atrium have been removed to increase street activation and connectivity. The podium has also been reduced in height by two levels to correspond to the new height of the Connector.
The project team has also integrated an open laneway concept in the urban design to address concerns regarding the public realm. A “lighter, more minimal” approach has been applied to the pavilion and its wind mitigating canopy, with the design simplified while continuing to serve its function.
The Central Place site spans more than 9,600 square metres at 14-30 Lee Street, Haymarket, next to Atlassian’s approved $1.4-billion tower designed by Shop Architects and BVN. The precinct aspires to connect six neighbouring suburbs that are already home to tech startups and innovation institutions: Surry Hills, Haymarket, Camperdown, Ultimo, South Eveleigh and Darlington North Eveleigh.
The revised plans are now on public exhibition until 25 August. More