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    Vertical primary school proposed for Western Sydney

    A Catholic primary school planned for Westmead in Parramatta could become Sydney’s newest vertical school, with the council and state planning department lending support to the project despite concerns over traffic and access to open space.
    Proposed by the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, the Westmead Catholic Community Project would include the delivery of a six-storey primary school building at the church’s Darcy Street campus, currently home to three schools, Catherine McAuley Westmead (secondary girls’ school), Parramatta Marist High School (secondary boys’ school) and Mother Teresa Primary School.
    Designed Alleanza Architecture, the new building would accommodate the Mother Theresa Primary School as well as the Sacred Heart Primary School, which would be relocated from its current Ralph Street address. The school would cater for an additional 1,680 students.
    The Sacred Heart Parish of Westmead would also be moved to Darcy Street, with a new 400-seat church planned as part of the proposal. The ground floor of the existing Mother Theresa Primary School building on the site would be converted for use as the Catholic Early Learning Centre.

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    Westmead Catholic Community Project by Alleanza Architecture.

    The City of Parramatta initially objected to the proposal because of concerns about the impact on traffic, the lack of pedestrian connections to the surrounding area and limited access to sports fields and active recreation facilities. However, it dropped its objections in September 2021, citing improvements to the urban connections and provision of open space.
    The NSW planning department is supportive of the proposal overall, but also noted the potential for “significant adverse impacts on the Darcy Road/Bridge Road/Coles car park intersection.” The department, in consultation with Transport for NSW, is recommended that the scool be required to conduct regular traffic assessment of the intersection once the school opens, and that it should pay for the upgrade of the intersection when required.
    The Independent Planning Commission is considering the proposal.
    In planning documents, Alleanza Architecture note, “The new K- 6 School building is an innovative, contemporary school designed to facilitate the latest developments in Teaching and Learning for Primary Schools… the building is characterized by integration of internal and external Teaching and Learning facilities and spaces in a building form where constructed open space almost equals enclosed space.
    “Distinct horizontal expression and provision of voids vertically through the three-dimensional form of the building, combined with landscaping within the voids, will provide a dramatic vision of gardens in the sky, softening the facade as well as providing shade at the upper levels.” More

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    Wedge-shaped hotel proposed for central Sydney

    Architectus has designed a wedge-shaped hotel for a narrow site in Sydney’s burgeoning tech precinct near Central Station. The 144-room hotel will be built at 323 Castlereagh Street, between a 1970s office building designed by Fox and Associates known as Central Square and the Belmore Park substation. The hotel will form the final piece of […] More

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    Wetlands ecotourism centre proposed for Melbourne's west

    Grimshaw and Greenaway Architecture have been appointed to design a $16 million environmental research and ecotourism facility in a regenerated wetland in Melbourne’s west.
    The Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre will be located at the HD Graham Reserve in Altona Meadows, near the Cheetham Wetlands – ecologically significant wetlands covering 420 hectares of former salt works land – and other biodiversity hotspots.
    The multifunctional centre will include a field studies centre, classrooms, connected walking trails, boardwalks and nature play areas, along with offices and a café.
    Grimshaw is designing the centre in partnership with Greenaway Architecture, McGregor Coxall, Greenshoot Consulting, Integral Group, Bollinger and Grohmann, and Slattery.

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    Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre by Grimshaw with Greenaway Architecture. Image: Grimshaw

    The design team is also working alongside the Traditional Owners, the Bunurong Land Council.
    “The purpose-built Wetlands Centre is set within the unique, natural habitat of Melbourne’s inner western suburbs, amidst a transforming, largely industrial landscape,” Grimshaw notes in a design statement.
    “The design vision celebrates this significant setting through a proposal that incorporates regenerative, climate resilient and biophilic design principles within a range of facilities and services oriented towards the needs of health and recreation, and natural environment education, research and conservation.”
    “The design principles are supported by ephemeral wetland and landscape features, connecting visitors to the adjacent Truganina Park and Cheetham Wetlands in order to create a unique visitor and learning experience.”
    “Considered visitor journey experiences and connections throughout the site celebrate the landscape as the primary element, while the architecture of the proposed Visitors Centre, Lookout Platform and Research Cluster, support this approach and the transformation of the site into an economically beneficial eco-tourism destination for Melbourne’s west.”
    The parties behind the proposal are the Hobsons Bay Council and the not-for-profit organization Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre Inc., who have together entered a memorandum-of-understanding partnership with Deakin University, Melbourne Water, Greater Western Water, Ecolinc, Cirqit Health, Birdlife Australia.
    They are seeking funding from the state and federal governments. More

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    Fender Katsalidis designs glass addition to Melbourne CBD tower

    A late-1980s office tower at the east end of Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD could have a 15-storey glass addition added to its top, under plans lodged with planning authorities. Fender Katsalidis has designed the glass topper for 90 Collins Street, a 21-storey tower originally designed by Jackson Architecture. “The revitalized 90 Collins Street involves […] More

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    Shortlist revealed: 2022 NGV Architecture Commission

    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

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    James Hardie's House of 2022

    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

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    Proposed Brisbane tower to overlook historic riverine home

    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

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    Submissions closing soon for Open House Melbourne 2022

    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