Architecture

Hunt Architects has created a “floating” concept design for an Indigenous knowledge centre in a remote abandoned town in the Pilbara region, north of Perth.
The proposed Bajinhurrba Knowledge Centre in Cossack, designed for the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation, borrows inspiration from the red earth, textured landscape and organic geometry of the region.
The architects propose a “warm, earthy palette” of natural timber, rammed earth and weathered steel finish to integrate the centre seamlessly into its location. The undulating roofline is designed to make the centre appear as if it were floating, while the soft geometry helps it to sink into the landscape.
“Our ambition was to create a canvas that could be manipulated and transformed to embody the stories of the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi peoples,” said Alex Godfrey, a graduate of architecture at Hunt Architects. “The open and fluid geometry aims to connect the architecture and its users with key parts of the surrounding landscape.”

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The exterior is made from a weathered, naturally rusted Corten steel finish. Image:

Hunt Architects

Cossack has deep ties to the local First Nations people, and it later became the birthplace of the Australian pearl fishing industry after it was colonized in the late 1880s, when the Indigenous population was enslaved and forced to become pearl divers. The local municipality was later dissolved in the early 20th century and the town has been abandoned since the 1950s. In December 2020, the WA government selected he Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation to redevelop the ghost town into a tourism destination.
The knowledge centre was commissioned by the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation with a brief was to create a unique place that would give life to the stories of Cossack and Bajinhurrba.
Hunt Architects had previously completed projects in the Pilbara and the practice was selected by the local council for the concept design. The low impact, ecotourism precinct is intended to serve as a cultural and economic activation tool for Cossack, and as a living repository for Ngarluma memory and stories.
The concept design includes a museum of Indigenous artefacts, a natural playground based on Ngarluma dreaming stories, and a native garden designed with a series of gathering points.
The space is designed to nurture engagement with the stories of the region through art, events, exhibitions and play.

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The rammed earth walls create a ‘safe’ repository for indigenous artefacts and stories. Image:

Hunt Architects

“The rammed earth wall provides a solid and safe place for the functions of the Knowledge Centre, including displaying significant artefacts of the Ngarluma People,” the design concept reads.
The designs for the Bajinhurrba Knowledge Centre are a stark contrast to the existing colonial-style museum nearby, from which the Indigenous artefacts to be housed in the new centre will be retrieved.
“The intention was to provide a design that juxtaposed the existing museum, to showcase what possibilities exist to create a type of architecture that better connects to country and Ngarluma Yindjibarndi culture,” said Godfrey.
“Through this type of architecture, we hope the stories of the area can be told through the correct lens, and the visitors to the site experience the architecture as a key part of this journey.”
A community consultation period is expected to start within months, after which budget and construction schedule can be decided. More

Australian architects are set to be legally recognized in India for the first time after the two nations signed an economic co-operation agreement on 2 April. The nations have agreed to “encourage the development of systems for the recognition of professional qualifications and experience, registration and licensing of professionals.” In a joint media release with […] More

A proposal for a new community hub at a seaside South Australian suburb has been released. Designed by Adelaide-based JPE Design Studio, the proposal combines a library and community centre together within the former town hall.
JPE Design Studio was appointed in 2021 to develop a concept plan in partnership with the City of Charles Sturt for the project at Henley Beach, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Adelaide.
The design for the hub uses the existing library site on Seaview Road and proposes to adaptively reuse the adjacent historic town hall to create an adjoining community centre.
According to JPE director Josephine Evans, the idea behind co-locating the two services under one roof was to add flexibility and create a central resource hub for the Henley Beach community.
“Co-located with the RSL club, the big opportunity is to create an integrated public destination that is activated and connected to the coastal precinct and the vibrant local lifestyle,” said Evans.

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Leveraging the activity to the south of the site at Henley Square, the design intends to create a porous and permeable edge, Evans said. Image:

JPE Design Studio

Following consultation workshops with stakeholders last year, six key themes emerged that have informed the backbone of the design. These included a place to strengthen the community that engenders a sense of belonging and offers quality community experience. Stakeholders also specified the need for a dynamic destination that was well connected and could celebrate the unique qualities of the suburb.
These presented in the design themes as one consolidated location that engaged with outdoor spaces and celebrated heritage aspects while activating the street scape and fostering connection within the community.
Evans said the architectural response to the brief specifications for new volume was to reorient the main space on a diagonal axis. “The resulting high volume within creates a spacious environment for the collection and reading area and the ability to draw air through the space to capture the sea breezes,” said Evans.
Another key response was to create a permeable floorplan, “to enhance indoor/ outdoor activities and engagement with the main street,” she said. “We see the interior as a terraced ground plane, adapting to the different levels much like the beach itself.”

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Plans will be open for public consultation until 3 April. Image:

JPE Design Studio

The site has maintained a strong community presence for around 100 years with the current library building existing since 1995. Today, many of the library roof trusses require repair and the size of the current community centre can no longer adequately support the community.
The plans for a new community hub balance the heritage considerations with addressing contemporary community needs. “The continuation of collection space [between the Town Hall and the new extension] will allow for a seamless transition between the old and new, creating one place that provides opportunity for the community to gather, share and connect,” said Evans.
The hall’s grand heritage stained-glass window will inspire the scheme for the interiors.
“The main street facade is designed to be robust, textured and protective while filtering the sun and referencing the concrete breezeblock architectural typology of the area,” Evans said of the intriguing hit-and-miss brickwork of the new build. The architects also envisage using a locally-made aerated concrete manufactured out of recycled content.
The project is anticipated to cost around $7 million, funded partly by the federal government. The remaining funds will be raised through the sale of several under-utilized council-owned buildings.
A report will be presented to Council in May 2022 with the outcomes of the community engagement, the concept and cost plans. Subject to council endorsement, construction will commence in late 2022 and take around 12 months to complete. More

The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) has announced the first nine of 18 jurors invited to judge the 2022 Designers Australia Awards.
The jurors are locally and internationally respected individuals from across all disciplines in the design sector.
They include curator, architect and University of Sydney professor Kate Goodwin; artist, designer and founder of Sheehan Studio Thomas Sheehan; artist, designer and founder of Superlocalstudio Liane Rossler; architecture editor Ellie Stathaki; designer and cofounder of Dowel Jones and Friends and Associates Dale Hardiman; and The Australian’s Wish magazine editor David Meagher.
Launched in 2021, the DIA brings together the broader design community to celebrate good design in all its forms, from architecture, to graphic design, to textiles, to jewellery.
“Now more than ever, our built environment needs to foster a better, more equitable future where we care for the planet and all people,” said juror Kate Goodwin.
She added, “By working together and sharing disciplinary knowledge, the creative industries can forge a better future.”
For the 2022 awards, three new entry categories have been created to reflect the cross-disciplinary approaches to problem-solving in our built environment.
These categories are: Place, which encompasses the spaces in which we live work play; use, defined by the objects we use; and interact, which is how we interact with things.
“As someone who has spent many years avoiding most competitions based on rigid categories, updating the traditional [awards] format and allowing more ambiguity encourages more diverse entries and future speculative and pragmatic outcomes,” said juror Dale Hardiman.
The deadline for entries for the DIA awards has been extended to 12 April, with shortlisting and judging due to take place throughout April and May. The shortlist will be revealed on 15 June, followed by the final awards ceremony on 4 August.
For more information visit the Design Institute of Australia website. More

The New South Wales Government has released the final precinct plan for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The initial plan for the precinct lays the foundation for the transformation of 6,500 hectares of land, which will feature new homes, open space and public infrastructure, around the proposed Western Sydney International Airport in Badgerys Creek. Minister for […] More

A team led by Aspect Studios has been selected as the winner of a design competition for a cycleway on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge.
The team, which also includes Collins and Turner, Yerrabingin, Design 5 Architects, Eckersley O’Callaghan, JMT Consulting and Electrolight, was shortlisted for the project in December 2021.

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Heritage-listed structures, like the Milsons Point Station entrance, will be retained. Image:

Aspect Studio

The winning design consists of a “serpentine” cycleway that is “light, fluid and transparent,” Aspect director Sacha Coles said.
The design was selected for its sensitive approach to the existing surrounds and infrastructure. Progress on the designs had previously been stalled due to community concerns over the impact of a proposed cycleway on parkland neighbouring the bridge and the potential felling of existing trees.
“The cycleway touches the ground onto an existing path, minimising the requirement for additional hard surfaces and preserving all existing trees,” Aspect Studio said. The ramp alignment is designed to match the viaduct, leaving the parkland free from interference.

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Around 2,000 cyclists use the Harbour Bridge cycleway each weekday. Image:

Aspect Studio

The Sydney Harbour Bridge recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, and Aspect said their design will “retain the legibility” of any heritage-listed structures, like the Milsons Point Station entrance and the Burton Street arch.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway is reportedly the most heavily used in the city, and a new northern onramp will improve access, reduce congestion and improve safety for the 2,000 cyclists that cross the bridge daily. Currently cyclists are forced to dismount and climb 55 steps to get on to the bridge.
The design team will now move to the concept and detailed design stage of project, with construction expected to start in 2023. More

Merging five products in one, the Byne system is a configurable workstation that combines key elements of four of Herman Miller’s other workstations – Imagine, Optimis, Layout and Arras – together with a new wooden leg style, Sylvain. “The Byne system is our response to the realities of the modern workplace, as well as the […] More

Richards and Spence has joined forces with Bates Smart on the design of a 17-storey South Brisbane tower. The proposal, which has been submitted for planning assessment by developer Aria, is the first of three towers for the newly consolidated site across Manning, Edmonstone and Melbourne streets. The new tower has been designed with a […] More