Architecture

Initial discussions between the owners of this 1930s Californian-bungalow-style house in Brisbane and architects Joel Alcorn and Chloe Middleton of Alcorn Middleton Architecture Office focused on aspirations for the sensitive transformation of the historic home. As the conversation settled on the family’s close ties to Mykonos in Greece, the team was inspired by visions of […] More

The City of Sydney has released its updated vision for the future of the city into 2050.
Sustainable Sydney 2030–2050 Continuing the Vision is the council’s draft plan transform the city into a more “liveable, sustainable and diverse” Sydney.
Building on the visions introduced in the previous Sustainable Sydney 2030 strategy, the updated vision for a more ideal city includes greater public squares, less traffic, better access to the harbour, more space for people and a stronger cultural identity.
City of Sydney engaged with the community through surveys and community workshops and identified five key themes for an ideal future city.
These included an environmentally responsive city that is designed with people at the heart, that is dynamic with a future-focused economy, and has a lively creative and cultural scene.
The council also engaged with Sydney architects, landscape architects and urban designers to develop 10 transformative project ideas that reflected the community’s values and future aspirations for Australia’s most populated city.

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Yananurala – acknowledging Country on Sydney Harbour’s foreshore. Image:

City of Sydney

Yananurala – acknowledging Country on Sydney Harbour’s foreshore
Yananurala will be a 9 km walk that highlights Aboriginal history and culture at places along Sydney Harbour. The walk will be part of the greater Eora Journey in the public domain, and will feature works of national significance by Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander artists.
Making space for culture
This response is a two-part strategy for creating and preserving creative space in Sydney. This initiative will revitalize current cultural assets and establish a cultural land trust to create more cultural production spaces.
Reimagining our community assets
This initiative explores new ideas for how underused space and venues may be redeployed for greater community benefit.
City space improvement program
The City of Sydney proposes temporary and permanent initiatives to transform roads into public space in the city centre, including timed road closures and temporary use of parking for lunchtime activation.

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Creation of three public squares will provide more outdoor space for public life.

Three linked squares
Under the 2050 vision, three new squares will be created at Circular Quay, Town Hall Square and Central, all linked by a transformed George Street that will provide more space for public life in the city centre.
The green city
More green spaces will be created under the future plan, including green avenues, common park spaces, and an expansion of Moore Park. The transformation will provide more opportunities for walkways, cycleways and outdoor community activation.

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Rehabilitation of Sydney Harbour in the future could create more opportunities for recreation on the foreshore. Image:

City of Sydney

The water city
More opportunities for foreshore recreation could be created with the rehabilitation of Sydney Harbour. The city intends to support the foreshore environment to promote opportunities for public swimming.
Connecting Green Square
An eastern transit corridor could be developed to link the Green Square town centre and rail station to a future metro station in Zetland.
Metro as catalyst
Metro has been determined the best way to connect people across metropolitan Sydney. Greater investment in public transport infrastructure can reduce congestion and facilitate movement around the city while taking cars off the road.
Housing for all
Additional models for affordable housing have been identified as an extremely necessary initiative to help bridge the widening gap between those who an afford housing and those who cannot.
The plans will be exhibited for community feedback before being presented to council for adoption in June.
To view the draft document outlining the resources and priorities for a future sustainable Sydney, visit the City of Sydney website. More

FJMT has won a design excellence competition for a new private hospital in Parramatta.
The firm’s winning design for the Royal Parramatta Private Hospital at 41-43 Hunter Street will incorporate an existing heritage house on the site.
The retention of the red brick facade – characteristic of the early architecture of the region – and its redeployment throughout the proposed building is a key element the design.
The proposed hospital will be 24 storeys high with 120 beds which will help alleviate the region’s healthcare shortfall.
“Our initial estimates show that there is about a 3,000-bed shortage, and even with new, similar projects planned at Blacktown and Westmead, there is still a lot of demand that needs to be met,” said Harold Dakin, chief executive of developer ICC Group.
Government Architect NSW and City of Parramatta Council held a national design excellence competition in 2021, and the winning design was selected by an independent jury.
Royal Parramatta Private Hospital will be the region’s first private hospital, located next to Parramatta Square, making it a centrally located healthcare facility for the residents of Parramatta and surrounding neighbourhoods.

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The 1,400 square metre space will include a ground floor cafe, outdoor dining spaces, and views of the city overlooking St Johns Anglican Cathedral. Image: FJMT

The hospital will have six operating theatre suites, day surgery units and pre-admission medical clinics. Designs also include opportunities for teaching and research facilities for undergraduate and postgraduate medical training.
The 14,000 square metre facility will also include a ground floor café and outdoor dining spaces.
Pending state government approval, construction on the hospital will begin next year, with completion expected for 2025.
For more information visit the Royal Parramatta Private Hospital website. More

A former school in Melbourne’s Brunswick will be permanently redeveloped into a vibrant creative hub, designed by Kennedy Nolan.
The 33 Saxon Street location, known to locals as Siteworks, is part of the Brunswick Design District and home to First Nations contemporary art gallery Blak Dot.
Since 2016, Siteworks, managed by These are the Projects We Do Together, and Blak Dot have undertaken temporary activivation of the former school site at 33 Saxon Street and created a low-cost, carbon-neutral creative community facility that offers affordable and flexible meeting and education spaces for the people of Moreland.
With close proximity to the town hall, library and a contemporary art gallery, it has operated successfully as a cultural precinct for residents, and the council believes that long-term investment in the future of the space will drive greater community benefits.
The existing buildings, however, are not fit for purpose, and consequently, many of the facilities are now unsuitable or have grown tired and run-down.

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The existing Siteworks at 33 Saxon Street. Image:

Moreland City Council

The temporary activation of the site has created a future vision for the creative hub. In November 2021, the council endorsed the final concept plan for the redevelopment of the site and appointed Kennedy Nolan was appointed to lead the design.
“Siteworks and Blak Dot operate with a remarkable culture of generosity and openness to the community,” said Kennedy Nolan director Victoria Reeves. “As we design the buildings and spaces in between for a new era on this site, we’re very aware to continue this legacy.”
The redevelopment will include large public open areas for outdoor events and recreational activities; a new community-use facility suitable for occasional childcare; creative production and exhibition spaces at affordable rates for artists; a hospitality space; and improved connection to the Brunswick Baths.
Consultation with stakeholders and community members revealed a desire for a welcoming and diverse space that is both aesthetically and inspirationally pleasing. It should provide a “peaceful oasis” that fosters a sense of community and belonging, while promoting playfulness and experimentation.

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The proposed redevelopment builds on consultation with the local community back in 2018. Image:

Kennedy Nolan

The future site will maintain Siteworks’ low-impact ethos that promotes eco-friendly practices such as community composting and recycling, but with improved infrastructure to support the site’s growing range of activities.
“Moreland has a long and proud history of being the location of choice for prominent artists,” said Moreland Mayor Mark Riley. “This redevelopment will create much-needed space and opportunity for artists, community members and creative industries in Brunswick.”
The redevelopment will create 3,500 square metres of floorspace for artists and community members, including 2,500 square metres of outdoor space, and spaces with flexibility built into their makeup.
Construction will begin in 2023 and the project is expected to be completed by 2024.
For more information visit the Moreland City Council website. More

The New South Wales government has released designs for a $438 million redevelopment of Shoalhaven Hospital in the state’s South Coast region.
The original building has provided care to the local community since 1951, and the redevelopment is intended to deliver quality, accessible healthcare for the growing Shoalhaven population.
Conrad Gargett was announced as the architect on the project in early 2021, selected for its significant portfolio of health sector developments including the Gosford Hospital Redevelopment, Tamworth Hospital and Queensland Children’s Hospital.
The redevelopment includes an additional building with direct access to the existing hospital, which will also undergo various refurbishments.
Standing at seven storeys, the redeveloped Shoalhaven Hospital will include a suite of new inpatient, short-stay and intensive care units, as well as an emergency department, more operating theatres, new medical and surgical wards, an imaging department, and more.
Medical staff commented the added resources under the redevelopment will ensure they can address the needs of patients sooner and more effectively.

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The upgraded facility will have twice the number of operating theatres and a significantly expanded bed base for geriatric services Image:

Conrad Gargett

Conceptual plans for the new hospital include light-filled spaces with a strong connection to the surrounding environment.
According to the masterplan, the new hospital will merge with the surrounding native landscape, so that it “represents the benefits of the environment, biodiversity, sustainability and the community.”
Another key objective is to provide culturally appropriate facilities to meet the needs of First Nations people. The project team is working closely with the local Indigenous community to ensure the new facility promotes cultural safety, awareness and accessibility.
The redeveloped hospital will reduce the need to transfer patients to Wollongong or Sydney, improving the community’s access to a greater range of health services. It will act as a health hub for the Shoalhaven area, providing the majority of emergency, critical care, acute, sub-acute and non-admitted services.
Main works on the redevelopment are expected to commence early 2023, with construction anticipated for completion in 2026.
For more information on the Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment, visit the NSW Health website. More

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