Architecture

The National Gallery of Victoria has announced the five shortlisted teams that will compete to design the 2022 NGV Architecture Commission.
Four Victorian teams and a Western Australian team will now progress to stage two of the design competition. They are:

Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang (Vic)
Austin Maynard Architects (Vic)
Antarctica Architects (Vic)
Bryan Chung and Patrick Byrne (Vic)
Yang Yang Lee and Louise Allen (WA)

Each year, the NGV holds a two-stage national competition, in which architects or multi-disciplinary teams are invited to submit a proposal that is “thought-provoking, issues-led, relevant and resonant and that can, in a non-didactic way, facilitate or instigate conversations, dialogue, immersion, or reflection.”
In the first stage, all submissions are judged blind and jury of experts may chose up to five proposals to progress to the second stage.
“The NGV Architecture Commission series to offer a unique opportunity for Australian architects and designers to propose a compelling design idea for presentation within one of Australia’s great civic and cultural spaces – the Grollo Equiset Garden at NGV International,” said Ewan McEoin, senior curator of design and architecture at NGV.
“The series has moved in unanticipated and exciting directions since we started it in 2015, a direct result of the breath of ideas fielded in the open competition process and the vigorous efforts of the competition juries over the years. We have engaged the public in conversations about suburbia, borders, memory, Indigenous systems of living, and fragile ecologies. These five shortlisted teams offer diverse and engaging propositions – we are excited to see who wins, and what is in store for the Commission for 2022.”
The five shortlisted teams will now further develop their proposals for the second stage of the competition which will close on 25 February 2022, before presenting to the jury on 3 March.
The 2022 jury comprises Don Heron (chair, assistant director exhibitions management and design, NGV), Amaia Sanchez-Velasco (lecturer at the School of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney), Linda Cheng (editor, ArchitectureAU), Michael Banney (founding director, M3 Architecture), Mel Dodd (head of Department of Architecture, Monash University), and Rachel Nolan (founding director, Kennedy Nolan).
The winner of the 2021 commission is Pond[er] by Taylor Knights and James Carey. More

Closed borders, lockdowns, and working from home in 2021 helped Australians identify where they want to live and what they want from their homes, noting the benefits of creating purposeful, separate hubs around the home.
Increased savings, low interest rates, and government grants have contributed to the urgency for real estate, resulting in a fear of missing out or paying too much. “Unfortunately, the quality of Australian home design suffers with such urgency in the market. There’s a gap between what homeowners value most and the homes we’re building,” says James Hardie’s marketing director Cathleya Buchanan.
“Australians want a place where they can be safe, relaxed, connect with family and make memories – it’s important that the home is designed to be light, bright and spacious. Home builders need to think about orienting living areas toward the north, where the light comes from, and including large windows and openings. Living areas should be open plan and connect to outdoor areas,” says Buchanan.

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Matrix modern style in Williamstown, Melbourne.

As well as a focus on aspect and open planning, Buchanan notes that purposeful hubs around the home will be increasingly sought after in the House of 2022.
“The pandemic has shown us that home is more than a shelter,” said leading architect and James Hardie ambassador Joe Snell. “The home of 2022 must be flexible and not as stagnant as they once were. Homes need to provide for entertainment, eating, working, exercising, and retreat. Work is now ever-changing, but the home remains the hub with flexibility the key.”
Below, Cathleya Buchanan and Joe Snell outline the design features of the House of 2022.
Exteriors and design
On house exteriors, James Hardie believes the House of 2022 is best summed up by the words “beautiful simplicity.” Homeowners are inspired by clean lines and pared-back designs with achromatic colour palettes.
Profiled cladding products like Linea Weatherboards are being painted crisp white and contrasted with black window frames, black fascia and guttering. Hardie cladding with modest details like Axon Cladding, which looks like vertical joint timber, or large format panel Hardie Fine Texture Cladding, a fibre cement wall panel embedded with a fine texture to create a modern aesthetic, are becoming a canvas that highlights homes with simple shapes and hidden rooflines. Timber screens and integrated greenery feature strongly as they pop from a receding dark-coloured cladding background.
Joe Snell notes that the Hamptons style is ever popular, but due to the pandemic houses are trending more towards functionality, becoming what they need to be for owners; not what owners think they should be. “Essentially it is lifestyle creating the form, not the form dictating lifestyle.”
Snell notes two trends that will be present in 2022: resort-style for home holidaying and Scandinavian-inspired functionality. “Resort-style homes with similarly designed pools, a fresh weatherboard beach look, and a pergola, with no need to add further decoration, will help create a year-round holiday aesthetic. Those seeking more of a pragmatic, industrial working house will opt for the Scandinavian look. It’s pure and highly practical with a clean aesthetic and will suit a lot of people working from home.”
“Homes with little architectural shape can be enhanced by varying lines, textures and colours. Here, the mixed cladding look can reflect a well-known style or a unique personal one. By incorporating a larger range of materials, the look opens almost endless design possibilities, perfect for people who have rediscovered their creative sides during lockdowns,” says Snell.
A warm welcome

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Matrix mixed cladding on a home in Harrington Grove, Sydney.

The pandemic has changed home design. We’re conscious of preventing the virus entering our homes and want to feel safe when socializing. These considerations will influence new home builds as well as renovations.
We can expect oversized front entryways and covered porches in home designs, where couriers delivering packages or visitors dropping-off children for a play date can be greeted. Entryways afford design opportunities for textured cladding, lighting, and seating to set the right mood. Snell also notes that the House of 2022 may include second-living spaces, allowing for a getaway from the main living area. “People have a clearer idea of what they want in floorplans. One example of this is an expanded master bedroom to include a lounge for reading.”
Work
The proportion of people working from home was about 8% in 2019 but estimated to be around 38% in 2021. Working from home identified the need for dedicated work spaces that are not bedrooms or living rooms. “It’s important to have work and non-work zones to create separation and allow family members to decompress from increasingly busy, long, and stressful work; especially, when we don’t have the commute to put distance between the two,” says Buchanan. Dedicated sound-proof “Zoom rooms” for online meetings are increasingly being identified as needs rather than wants.
Joe Snell notes that working from home is now not just one person needing space, but multiple people needing spaces. “The traditional open plan layout with study nook is out. Now that the whole family is working from home, a study nook is not fit for purpose,” said Snell.
Another trend Snell observes is the home office increasingly being placed in the first room at the front of the house. “If you are welcoming work-related visitors, you don’t want people walking through the house to get to the office.” He also notes some home offices include a separate entrance for better access.

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Axon Scandi Barn exterior on a home in Bentleigh, Melbourne.

Disconnect
One in five Australians experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress in June 2021. As an antidote to constant connection with work or family while locked down, and to improve mental health, the need for quiet alone time has become apparent to many Australians.
Home designs should consider tranquil, private slow spaces which can be indoors or in a covered outdoor space. These calm, quiet spaces are used to unplug, decompress, or even meditate. Lockdowns made many feel cooped-up and craving a connection with the outdoors, so outdoor spaces need to be integrated with the house for an easy indoor-outdoor flow.
These spaces should be minimalist and uncluttered with an organic feel. Include plants, soft lighting, rich textures and careful colour selection such as neutral, earthy paint colours to aid relaxation.
James Hardie More

The heritage-listed Shafston House on the Brisbane River in Kangaroo Point could soon have a 15-storey neighbour, should plans submitted to council by the landowner be approved.
Significant as one of a small group of surviving riverine houses from before Queensland’s separation from NSW, Shafston House was built in stages from 1850 through to the 1930s, with Queensland Colonial Architect FDG Stanley and Robin Dods contributing to the design at different times.
Over its lifetime the property has been a grand homestead, a hospice for return servicemen, a RAAF administration office, and most recently a campus for the scandal-plagued Shafston International College.
Developer Burgandy Group purchased the property in 2020 and is now proposing to build a tower containing 39 apartments directly next to the heritage property, while demolishing Shafton International College’s contemporary buildings on the site. The architect of the proposed tower is Rothelowman.

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Shafston House tower by Rothelowman.

“This project seeks to undertake the challenging task of continuing the evolution of the Shafston House precinct, returning the use to its original purpose as a residential place, maintaining its integrity and meaning to the city environment and preserving the site for the future,” the firm notes in planning documents.
Shafston House’s relationship with the river will be preserved, with the open lawn in from of the house preserved, while the new tower will take architectural and material cues from the historic house.
“As a first principle the design seeks to establish a ground plane that unifies and reconnects the various and disparate heritage elements found on the site,” states Rothelowman. “The removal of additions and alterations that have occurred in more recent times that have compromised the true value of the buildings and setting was a first step in establishing a place from which to depart. The overall intent is to communicate a cohesive precinct identity, allowing new interventions to be clearly contemporary yet referential.”

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Shafston House tower by Rothelowman.

A heritage impact report prepared by Urbis in support of the development notes that the proposed works will have some impact on the cultural significance of the heritage place, but that the impact will be minimized thanks to the chosen location of the new building and the retention of heritage fabric.
A community engagement report prepared for the proponent notes that the majority of respondents who expressed an opinion were opposed to the development, with concerns raised about the height of the tower and the impact on the heritage of the site.
See the development application here. More

Open House Melbourne is seeking proposals for tours, events, talks, workshops and creative programs for the the return of the Open House Weekend in July. This year’s theme is Built / Unbuilt. The organizers say the theme “celebrates the contribution and impact of good design in our built environment yet also explores the city and […] More

Entries are open for the 2022 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards. Now in its 28th year, the awards program recognizes projects, initiatives and individuals that demonstrate excellence in the conservation, protection, and interpretation of Aboriginal, built, natural and cultural heritage. Architect and heritage specialist Matt Devine will again be chair of the jury for 2022. […] More

Six apartment buildings designed by four architecture practices will be built in a former industrial lot in Waterloo, Sydney under a development proposal submitted to the City of Sydney.
The development at 903-921 Bourke Street was subject to two separate design competitions in 2019, with Bates Smart and Richard and Spence selected for one part of the site (Sub-Precinct D1) and MHNDU and Fieldwork selected for the other (Sub-Precinct D2).
The six buildings will be grouped around a central plaza and two heritage buildings, the Valve House and the Pump House. Arcadia is the landscape architect for the wider development.

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Sub-Precinct D2 by MHNDU and Fieldwork.

Bates Smart has designed the complex’s tallest building, a 20-storey tower containing 147 apartments, along with the adjacent “plaza building,” a six-storey building with 26 apartments and ground-floor retail, while Richard and Spence has designed two six-storey buildings, Young Street North, with 21 apartments, and Young Street South, with 32 apartments and retail tenancies.
MHNDU and Fieldwork have designed their two buildings collaboratively. The 12-storey Bourke Street North will house 122 apartments and the six-storey Bourke Street South will house 28, and both will have ground-floor retail.
In planning documents, Richard and Spence and Bates Smart note that each of the new buildings has a role in shaping and defining new public places.
“The stepped tower with family friendly terraces addresses the park,” a design statement reads. “The quirky 6-storey plaza building defines the heritage square, with clear reference to the industrial brick buildings of the past. Two boutique apartment buildings face Young Street, integrated with soft landscaping, stairs, entries, and places to gather. A highly textured and layered landscape binds the buildings and spaces together.”

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Young Street South by Richards and Spence.

MHNDU and Fieldwork’s two buildings are defined by their use of red brick, referencing the Interwar Free Classical architecture of the Pump House.
“At ground, this material expression increases in detail with expressed brick courses, textured glass and a terracotta coloured dado,” the firms state. “The sweeping curves of the generous retail offering continue up the brick podium to the tower – a pigmented concrete form, lighter than the base and smoothed as if by running water.”
Of the 376 units across the development, at least 5 percent will be designated as affordable and 15 percent will be adaptable allowing for residents to age in place.
The $218 million development application is on exhibit until 28 February. More

Hames Sharley has appointed Gavin Kain as director and cross-portfolio design lead.
“Gavin’s appointment signifies a new era of growth and further evolution for Hames Sharley,” said Caillin Howard, managing director. “He will help lead the team as we continue to innovate, explore new markets, and further expand our national presence.”
Kain said that time spent teaching abroad and completing several projects across Australia, New Zealand, and several other major cities worldwide have taught him the importance of place, context, and the subtle differences that impact design.
“Understanding and exploring the social, environmental, historical and geographic, and economic context of place excites me,” he said. “As does the idea that, as designers, we are here to help – to make life better. The big issues – social challenges, environmentalism, equity – are central to our work.”
Kain has been involved with the Christchurch Blueprint project, the Adelaide Convention Centre, New Zealand International Convention Centre and CoEx Dubai. He was government advisor for the ICC Sydney project.
He said it is an exciting time to be an architect and urbanist, given the growing appreciation of the role cities and buildings are playing both environmentally and socially.
“COVID has seen many aspects of our lives that were taken for granted reconsidered,” he said. “We see pop-up bike paths in the Sydney CBD, large numbers of people moving to new centres, and the nature of retail and work endlessly debated.
“It is a pivotal moment for the profession and I’m deeply humbled and excited for the incredible opportunity to collaborate with the talented people across Hames Sharley’s studios.” More

The Queensland government has released designs for a half-kilometre pedestrian and cycle bridge that will link the new underground Cross River Rail Boggo Road station with nearby transport connections and education and healthcare facilities.
Designed by Hassell, the cable stay bridge will be approximately 480 metres long, with the cable stay spire reaching around 45 metres high.
The main deck will be up to 6.25 metres wide and 20 metres above the ground. Key features will include lifts on the eastern and western sides, dedicated cycling and pedestrian paths, seating and rest stops, shade and planting at both ends and rail corridor security mesh.
The bridge will link Boggo Road station with Park Road train station, the South East Busway, the Boggo Road health, science and education precinct, the new Princess Alexandra Hospital precinct and a new high school at Dutton Park.

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Cross River Rail Boggo Road station concept design by Hassell.

Queensland transport minister Mark Bailey said, “This bridge will be a unifier for the local community as it soars over the railway junction and will make active travel safer, quicker and easier for local workers, residents and students.
“It will provide faster and more convenient walking and cycling connections, forms an extension of the local cycle network and improved connectivity to the PA Hospital bus station and the new underground Boggo Road rail station.
“Crossing over both freight and passenger train lines, the bridge will be a feat of engineering and a standout signature element for an area that currently divides the community.”
The government is asking the community to suggest a nemae for the new bridge through the Cross River Rail website.
“The bridge could be named after somebody local, who has a track record of service and creating community connections, even someone linked to health, science and education or take a name that honours local First Nations culture,” said local MP Joe Kelly.
Construction on the bridge is scheduled for March and is expected to take around 18 months, depending on weather conditions. More