Architecture

The Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours have been announced and it includes eight architects among the 992 Australians recognized for “meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous services.”
They include Kerstin Thompson, principal at Kerstin Thompson Architects; Phyllis Murphy, who practiced in Melbourne from 1949 until her retirement in the early 1980s; public administrator and architect Joseph Lewit; husband-and-wife duo Garry and Susan Rothwell; Hassell principal and board director Peter Lee; and project architect Donald Mason.
The following architects were appointed a Member of the Order (AM):
Kerstin Thompson, VIC
For significant service to architecture, and to tertiary education. Thompson has been a principal at her practice since 1994 and was made a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects in 2017. Most recently, in 2021 she received the Victorian Premiers Design Award for her renovation of the Broadmeadows Town Hall, and the Victorian Architecture Medal for the same project in 2020. She is adjunct professor at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Monash University, and has been a professor of design at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.

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Broadmeadows Town Hall. Image:

Kerstin Thompson Architects

Phyllis Constance Murphy, VIC
For significant service to architecture, and to built heritage conservation. Murphy was awarded a Life Fellowship by the Australian Institute of Architects in 1970 and has been a member since 1952. Murphy was one of only two female graduates of architecture in 1949 from the University of Melbourne, after which she launched her practice with husband John Murphy, creating their most notable design works in the 1950s. Murphy has authored a number of books on design and decoration and was recognised with the Enduring Architecture Award for the Melbourne Olympic Swimming Stadium at the National Architecture Awards in 2021. John and Phyllis Murphy lend their names to the highest award for Residential Architecture – Houses (A;terations and Additions) in the Victorian Architecture Awards.
Joseph George Lewit, VIC
For significant service to architecture, and to public administration. Lewit has been recognized for his contribution to public administration, serving as president of the Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, a volunteer for Jewish Care Victoria, councillor for the City of Malvern, project consultant for the Victorian Department of Health and more. Previously, he has worked as a project leader for architectural firm Bates Smart and was also the director of the architectural team on the Royal Women’s Hospital redevelopment project.
Garry Winten Rothwell and Susan Elizabeth Rothwell, NSW
For significant service to the not-for-profit sector, and to architecture. Garry and Susan Rothwell co-founded the Garry and Susan Rothwell Chair in Architectural Design Leadership in 2018. As architects, property developers and philanthropists, the pair has donated heavily to the University of New South Wales to promote the careers of design PhD students. Both founded the Rothwell Family Foundation in 2018 and are benefactors to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and donors to the Sydney Modern Project. Susan is the current director of Susan Rothwell Architects, while Garry is the founder of Winten Property Group, established 1972, and the designer of Sydney Botanic Gardens’ glass pyramid.

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The Glass Pyramid, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, 1986, designed by Garry Rothwell. Image:

Courtesy of City of Sydney archives

The following architects were awarded a Medal of the Order (OAM):
Soo-Tee Cheong, NSW
For service to architecture, to urban planning, and to the community. Cheong has contributed to many public boards, including the Design Review Panel, the NSW state government, and Lane Cove Council. He is an architect and urban planner with a Green Star acreditation since 2007. He has also been an executive committee member for the Australian Chinese Community of Assocation of NSW.
Peter Hugh Lee, WA
For service to community housing initiatives, and to architecture. Lee has been a director at Hassel since 2004 and also maintains board roles with Form, Foundation Housing, Open House Perth and Rottnest Island Authority. Lee was elevated to Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects in 2019 and is also an adjunct professor at Curtin University.
Donald Ross Mason, NSW
For service to architecture. Mason has had a career in architecture spanning 40 years. He is the former chair of the NSW Chapter of the Australian INstitute of Architects and remains a fellow today. He has been dominated architect for Dwell Designs Australia since 2018 and is a former judge for for the Building Designers of Australia, National Building Design Awards, from 2014 to 2019.
In the 2022 Queens Birthday Honours, more than 45 percent of awards in the general division of the Order of Australia were awarded to women, including Australia’s first female state premier, Carmen Lawrence (WA). Click here to view a complete list of the 2022 Queens Birthday Honours recognitions. More

BVN’s Campus to Country – a masterplan for Queensland University of Technology developed in reference to local First Nations knowledge and culture – has taken out the top honour at the 2022 Queensland Minister’s Award for Urban Design.
The awards were announced by the minister for public works Mick de Brenni on 9 June, recognizing excellence in contemporary urban design. The awards are intended to underline the critical role of good urban design in shaping Queensland, and highlight how collaboration can lead to successful outcomes in the built environment.
The judging panel said the Campus to Country project set an important benchmark in quality, vision and clarity, translating Aboriginal culture and knowledge into a tangible design strategy.
“The QUT Campus to Country project was recognised for its connection to, and engagement with, Aboriginal culture and knowledge, and how this can be embedded in the daily campus experience,” said de Brenni.
The Queensland Government Architect Leah Lang agreed the project exhibited great merit in its clarity, quality, innovation and originality.
“By bringing these essential elements of Aboriginal culture onto campus, the Campus to Country project is not just engaging with Aboriginal people and places but telling their story in a much wider space,” she said.
“It’s also helping preserve and honour it in an environment where the leaders of tomorrow are actively engaged on a daily level, ensuring a greater understanding, appreciation and knowledge of our First Nations people.”

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Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Services (STARS) and Public Realm received commendation for the built category award. Image:

Scott Burrows

Two other projects received special commendations under the Minister’s Award for Urban Design for the built category: the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Services (STARS) and Public Realm by Hassell BESIX Watpac with Australian Unity and Metro North Health; and the Fish Lane Town Square by RPS with Richards and Spence, Bland 2 Brilliant, Greenstock, Michael Bale and Associates, Shape Australia and FPOV with Aria Property Group.
The Fish Lane Town Square project was also awarded the Movement and Place Award for its novel and courageous approach to addressing walkability and open space network in South Brisbane.
Loganlea Healthy Street, by a team comprising Logan City Council and PMP Urbanists, received commendation for its ability to balance the priorities of commuters and local residents along major arterial networks.
The Malcolm Middleton Award for Outstanding Liveable Design was awarded to Alondra Residences by BVN, which delivered a series of public, private and communal spaces for the Lutheran Church of Australia. Commendations were awarded to Anne St Garden Villa by Anna O’Gorman Architect, and Bokarina Terrace by Hollindale Mainwaring Architecture.
“Each one of the 26 entries challenges the status quo, demonstrating leadership and design excellence, and leaving lasting, sustainable legacies for the broader community,” the minister said. More

Facade materials play a critical role in optimizing a building’s energy efficiency and functional characteristics. Cladding is a key component as it protects the building from weather elements, provides noise control and thermal insulation, and add visual appeal to the structure.
Over the years there has been an increase in the types of materials used for cladding, including aluminium, glass, timber, bricks, fibre cement, autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and steel. Architects and designers need to give sufficient weight to the process of evaluating cladding materials that are fit-for-purpose.
“The material choice depends on the purpose of the cladding, the environmental conditions of the site, the material’s architectural properties and project limitations,” says John Lorente, executive general manager of construction at Big River Group.
Two of the most commonly used materials in residential construction are brick and AAC due to their exceptional architectural properties, longevity and ease of manufacturing. While both are designed to perform as external cladding and have common features, each offers unique advantages for residential construction.
A new and informative guide for specifiers has been released, identifying the differentiating factors of brick and AAC for cladding applications.
Bricks are among the most commonly used materials for residential construction due to their high strength, excellent fire resistance, durability and aesthetic versatility.
Invented in the 1920s, AAC is a lightweight concrete product that has been manufactured to contain closed air pockets. “Due to the material’s closed aerated structure, AAC panels are highly effective insulators, which helps reduce a building’s air-conditioning load in comparison to conventional construction. AAC has up to four times greater thermal resistance than standard house bricks. When incorporated into an energy-efficient design, this superior thermal performance reduces the amount of energy required to heat or cool the building, resulting in significant cost savings for homeowners,” says Lorente.
All the benefits of building with AAC can be found in Big River Group’s MaxiWall, a strong yet lightweight walling panel made from AAC and reinforced with corrosion-protected steel mesh. Designed for buildings with standard timber or steel framing, MaxiWall’s thermal performance, acoustic insulation and fire resistance offers an ideal option for all types of residential projects, from detached dwellings to multi-residential housing. Its rendered finish offers a stylish and sustainable alternative to traditional brick and concrete.
“Installing one panel of MaxiWall is equivalent to installing about 75 bricks, that creates a huge saving for builders and homeowners on site in relation to cost,” says Lorente. “Labour costs are reduced and so too is material wastage on site.”
While both AAC and brick are strong options to consider using in a project, and each material brings unique advantages for residential construction, AAC offers the added benefits of cost and time savings, and sustainability. Ultimately, the decision to use either AAC or brick depends on the specific requirements of the project, including the desired aesthetic.
Big River Group More

The president of La Biennale di Venezia Roberto Cicutto and exhibition curator Lesley Lokko have jointly announced the theme for the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale.
“The Laboratory of the Future” will be the theme for the 18th edition of the exhibition, and for the first time in the biennale’s history, the African experience will take centre stage, with a focus on the dual imperatives of decolonization and decarbonization.
“In Europe we speak of minorities and diversity, but the truth is that the West’s minorities are the global majority,” said Lokko. “There is one place on this planet where all these questions of equity, race, hope, and fear converge and coalesce: Africa.”

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President of La Biennale di Venezia Roberto Cicutto and exhibition curator Lesley Lokko Image:

Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia

Lokko is the founder and director of the African Futures Institute – a postgraduate architecture school and centre for research. She uses her unique expertise to create the workshop at the intersection of creative disciplines and cultural and racial identity.
The biennale will be an invitation, she said, to draw out examples from contemporary practices that “chart a path for the audience – participants and visitors alike – to weave through, imagining for themselves what the future can hold.”
The Australian Institute of Architects is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) for the role of creative director for the Australian exhibition at the Biennale.
The creative director will assist with the curation of the exhibition from the formal to operational management. Involvement provides the opportunity for Institute members to exhibit on a world stage among a cohort of international colleagues.
“This is a highly coveted professional development opportunity and I encourage you to consider your application to participate as the 2023 La Biennale Di Venezia Creative Director,” said Tony Giannone, the Institute’s immediate past national president.
The 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale will take place across various sites around the floating city, including in the Giardini and at the Arsenale, from 20 May until 26 November. More

When James Howe stumbled across Børge Mogensen’s iconic J39 Shaker-style chair online in 2015, it was the catalyst for his interest in furniture. He left his career as a magazine writer to become a furniture designer and, a year later, joined the associate program at South Australian craft and design organization, Jam Factory. Today, the Adelaide-based designer and maker is based in a workshop in Edwardstown. It’s here that he has honed his craft, creating exquisitely finished pieces that are cerebral in concept and elegant in aesthetic.
James is a thinker, but he also believes in keeping things playful and light. “There’s never been so much stuff smashing you in the eyeballs, and social pressures are high. Your unique ‘creation pond’ – the part of you that is capable of generating high-quality, original ideas – is a fragile ecosystem,” he reflects. “My own creativity-killers are perfectionism, trying to impress other people, attempting to satisfy a fashion demand or absorbing too many images of other people’s stuff. But when I manage these pollutants, ideas come easier and they’re far more interesting and original.”

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Handwoven Danish paper cord elevates the minimalist design of Rushcutters Bench. Image:

Peter Ryle, styled by Nat Turnbull.

With all of these distractions under control, James’s minimalist sensibilities prevail and his reductionist approach ultimately champions sophisticated materiality and craftsmanship. His J7 day bed is the best expression of what he does, with its simple raw timber base topped by a powder-coated steel frame wrapped in handwoven Danish cord.
James uses the same weaving technique in the Rushcutters Bench, painstakingly handweaving every single one himself. This piece, in particular, pays homage to Mogensen’s J39 chair, while offering a contemporary exploration of woven seating. In stark contrast, his J4 tables and J5 credenza are a study in the dynamics of light and shade via delicate fluting in the solid timber. The addition of semi-translucent acrylic on the tables pushes the interplay by simultaneously absorbing and reflecting the light.

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The J7 day bed combines a chunky base with steel frame and tactile cord. Image:

Courtesy James Howe

All of James’s designs possess this same sensuality and it’s little wonder he prefers using timbers with a coarse grain. He approaches colour in the same way and will only use hues capable of generating strong emotions, either in the end user or himself. The inspiration for using teal on the J7 day bed’s steel frame, for example, comes from a memory of a school excursion where the vision of a stack of teal-coloured wooden crates in the middle of a sparse setting made a lasting impression.
Currently designing a dining table, chairs for a hairdressing salon and a new woven product, James is committed to developing his own signature style. “As I mature as a designer, I increasingly find myself prioritizing having fun and expressing my authentic voice over pursuing conventional success or commercial objectives,” he says. “So my work is possibly going to start getting a bit weird. Stay tuned.” More

The 2022 Serpentine Pavilion opened on 7 June in London, revealing a ten-metre cylindrical structure standing among the trees of Kensington Gardens, titled Black Chapel.
Created by Chicago artist Theaster Gates with architectural support from Adjaye Associates, it is the first Serpentine Pavilion commission to be awarded to an artist, as an honour usually bestowed upon architects.
The structure was conceived as a space for “gathering, meditation and participation,” the Serpentine Gallery said.
Made from predominantly blackened timber, the design is intended to reference the bottle kilns in Stoke-on-Trent as well as drawing inspiration from religious instalments and traditional African Musgum mud huts of Cameroon.
As the name suggests, Gates designed the space as a spiritual installation and a place for quiet reflection.

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Serpentine Pavilion 2022 designed by Theaster Gates. Image:

Iwan Baan

A three-metre opening in the roof of the pavilion creates a transcendent downward play of light from above, producing a holy glow akin to religious structures. “The structure’s central oculus emanates a single source of light to create a sanctuary for reflection, refuge and conviviality,” a spokesperson for the gallery said.
Gates said he was considering light more than potential rain when he conceived the open-air oculus, although a downpour could add another atmospheric and acoustic layer to the drum-shaped pavilion.
Outside stands an operational bronze church bell salvaged from a Catholic Church that once stood in Chicago’s south side. Tolling the bell will announce performances and activities held in the space.
The inspiration for the shape originated from Gates’s work with ceramics and the artist’s ongoing engagement with the concept of “the vessel” is detectable in the form.
The design of the 2022 pavilion was unveiled in February and the pavilion will officially open to the public on 10 July. The Black Chapel has been activated for the summer and will host a program of events and performances before being relocated to a permanent location in autumn.
Previous commissions have included designs by Selgas Cano, Junya Ishigami and Bjarke Ingels Group. More

The shortlist for the competition to design a new Indigenous cultural precinct in Canberra has been announced.
To be named “Ngurra,” meaning home, camp, a place of belonging and a place of inclusion, the precinct will be a new home to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, as well as a national resting place for reptriated ancestral remains.
Four multidisciplinary teams have been selected to progress to the next stage of the competition, and included combinations of architects partnered with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design consultants, landscape architects, artists and engineers.
The shortlisted teams include:

BVN Architecture with Greenaway Architects and Nguluway DesignInc as Blak Hand Collective;
Denton Corker Marshall with Yhonnie Scarce and Kat Rodwell;
Hassell with Djinjama Collective and Edition Office; and
Peter Stutchbury Architecture with Allen Jack and Cottier Architects.

Stage one of the design competition opened on 4 March and submissions closed on 1 April, with a total of 25 responses received from across the country.
According to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the breadth of experience and interest in the competition was a reflection of the “significance and importance” of the cultural precinct as an opportunity to create “a long lasting legacy for all Australians”.
The competition brief specified the design of the Ngurra Cultural Precinct should support the themes “renew”, “restore”, “replenish” and “reflect”. The proposal should demonstrate a renewed respect for heritage; present a leading example of restorative, climate-positive design; replenish economic opportunities and foster innovation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and provide an opportunity for all Australians to learn, reflect and embrace a common future.
In stage two of the design competition, shortlisted teams will be invited to prepare a detailed submission of concept designs and to present their submission to the jury. AIATSIS said the winning design will be “iconic, befitting its location, and reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples’ aspirations, achievements and deep connection to Country.”
Stage two submissions will close on 6 July, with a winner selected on 29 July. More

A multi-storey hotel development has been approved for Seppeltsfield in South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Designed by Adelaide-based practice Intro Architecture, preliminary plans for the $50 million luxury hotel were submitted to Light Regional Council in February 2020, drawing the ire of local residents who launched a campaign against the development later that year. Its form, […] More