Architecture

Two distinguished architects, from Queensland and Victoria, have been recognized in the 2021 Australia Day Honours. More

A three-tower residential complex in Brisbane’s Hamilton would create an improved connection to the Brisbane River, in contrast to recent “disorientating” developments in the Portside Wharf precinct, according to the scheme’s architects.
Fuse Architecture’s proposed scheme for 19 Hercules Street replaces two earlier multi-tower proposals for the site, the first approved in 2011 and the second, designed by Custance, approved in 2014.
The latest proposal would be delivered in three stages, the first stage being a 29-storey residential tower, retail podium and landscaped public forecourt.

“The recent developments of Hamilton have lacked consideration to its context and neighbouring site, especially at its ground level,” the architects state in planning documents now before council. “Buildings form physical barriers to the Brisbane River [leading to] disorientation in navigating the neighbourhood”

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Platinum at 19 Hercules Street by Fuse Architecture.

By contrast, Fuse’s proposed complex, dubbed Platinum, would seek to “stitch together” its neighbouring precincts, creating visual connection between the new park and the Brisbane River and guiding the pedestrian as they walk through the site, “with the visual corridor opening up as they continue from the park to the river and vice versa.”
The design of the first residential tower is defined by the incorporation of a series of communal outdoor spaces, or “sky gardens,” scattered throughout the tower. The north facade of the building will act as an environmental screen that will shade the tower from solar glare and gain, while still allowing residents views out over the city.
“The open seams along the north will run the full height of the tower, forming a “vertical boulevard” of stacked outdoor balconies beginning at the green foot of the building and running through to the sky terraces,” the architects write.
The tower would house 153 apartments, broken down into 53 two-bedroom units, 49 three-bedroom units and 51 four-bedroom units. There would also be a pool and clubhouse with BBQ, planting and seating areas for residents. More

An uninspiring hotel in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, could be transformed into a bigger, five-star hotel with a dramatic “sheer dress” facade draped over the extended building.
Victorian planning minister Richard Wynne is considering fast-tracking the development approval for the hotel at 33, 35–37 Fitzroy Street on the recommendation of the Building Victoria’s Recovery Taskforce and is seeking public feedback on the proposal.
There is currently an approval for a two-storey extension at the site but the proponent says the new proposal enhances the earlier design, creating a more functional space with improved internal amenities and connection to a new lift core. The existing Rydges Hotel on the site has 81 hotel rooms, with the neighbouring property at 33 Fitzroy Street derelict.

The architect of the new proposal, Sydney firm Mostaghim, says the the design intent is to present one combined development, “draped in a new, textural layer of architecture.”

“The extension is white to tie it in with the existing hotel and [it] aligns with its parapet, but in contrast to the solid, rigid, masculine facade of the existing hotel, the extension is light, informal and feminine,” the architects write in planning documents.
“The inspiration for the facade treatment is a sheer dress that drapes over the glass building. The dress is notionally pushed askew by the building adjacent at no. 31, acknowledging it, respecting it and creating a simple backdrop for its appreciation. In addition, across the new facade is a solid waist band aligning with a decorative frieze on no. 31 below which the dress flares up, clearly delineating the new hotel entry.”

Within the deep reveals of the existing windows, fabric awnings will be introduced to create additional detail, colour, and contrast to the “otherwise rigid orthogonal facade.”
In terms of the massing of the hotel, the proponents note that the existing building is taller than its immediate neighbours, but fits in with the “eclectic mix” of architecture along Fitzroy Street. The new two-storey extension on top of the existing structure will be set back 12 metres so that it is not visible directly across the street on Fitzroy Street. It will be slightly lower than that of the recently approved Pride Centre in the same area.
The new building would be run as a QT branded hotel. More

The development application for Atlassian’s headquarters, designed by Shop Architects and BVN, has been submitted, revealing details of how the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower will be constructed.
Shop Architects and BVN won a design excellence competition for the project beating out John Wardle Aarchitects and So-il, 3XN and GXN and MVRDV and Cox Architecture, and Shigeru Ban, Toland and PTW.
“The Shop and BVN proposal delivered a well-proportioned, refined and elegant tower form with expressed diagrid structure,” said the jury.

The 38-storey tower will have an exoskeleton of large steel rings and “mega floors” supporting eight four-storey section constructed from mass timber stacked on top of each other.
“The [exoskeleton] system was conceived to maximize both the architectural effect of the mass-timber habitats it carries, as well as the amount of lettable floor area within the building,” the architects state in the development application.

The innovative system will allow for flexibility in both form and function with the interiors free from structural steel columns.
Each four-storey section, to be known as “habitats” will have a naturally ventilated area, like a garden, located on the north west side.

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Atlassian Central Development by Shop Architects and BVN.

The building will be sheathed in a double layer façade, which will allow the building to “leverage Sydney’s climate at all times of the year in a choreographed play of natural and artificial ventilation that results in tremendous savings on energy and a reduced carbon footprint while increasing the wellness and comfort of the building’s occupants.”
The jury considered the double skin a key design excellence element of the scheme. “The Jury were impressed by the approach that was taken which explored the performance and use of the building as a way to inform the aesthetic,” said the jury. “There is a distinctive, playful and connected character between the interior functions of the building and the outside.”

The top of the tower will accommodate offices lined with outdoor terraces. “At the highest levels of the tower provide a more extroverted expression of wood and plants framed by a crenelated exterior facade. Primarily devoted to gathering, the exuberant program of the tower crown is a fitting counterpart to its architectural expression.”
The proposed tower directly adjoins the Central Station rail environment and will be the first development in a new technology precinct.
It is intended to be a demonstration project for the Australian software company, representing their commitment to environmental sustainability.
The development application is on public exhibition until 3 February. More

The board of Architecture Media, through its chairman Gavan Ranger, have announced the appointment of Jacinta Reedy to the newly created position of chief executive officer. She will take up the role on 1 February.
Ms Reedy has been with Architecture Media for more than 15 years and has worked across most aspects of the business. Highly regarded by staff and well respected by external stakeholders, she has a well-grounded understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the design media industry and the audience it serves.

After more than 33 years as managing director, Ian Close is stepping back from hands-on management of the company he created together with the Australian Institute of Architects in 1987. He will remain on the board as director and company secretary.
“With Jacinta leading the business, I know I can step back with confidence and look forward to exciting future developments,” he said. More

The Queensland government is calling for expressions of interest from industry for two major build-to-rent projects as part of a pilot program aimed at delivering affordable rental properties.
One of the developments will be built on the site of the former Children’s Court at 50 Quay Street, which is a state-owned property, and the other will be at an inner-city location on a private site to be identified by the successful proponent. The government is offering rent subsidies for both sited to facilitate the provision of affordable housing.

These follow two projects that were approved under the build-to-rent program last year: a dual-tower 333-unit development at 60 Skyring Terrace, Newstead, delivered by Mirvac; and a 354-apartment tower at 210 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, delivered by Frasers Property.
State treasurer Cameron Dick said the new projects would creating more housing close to CBD jobs and give a boost to the construction industry.

“We know that secure, suitable housing can be vital to having a secure job, which is why I am so pleased the Government will be able to double the number of Build-to-Rent projects around the Brisbane CBD,” he said.

“For the first time, we are able to offer a Build-to-Rent site on state-owned property, the site of the former Children’s Court at 50 Quay Street.

“We’re also commencing an EOI process for another Build-to-Rent inner city Brisbane development with an affordable housing component on a suitable privately-owned site to be identified by the successful proponent.
“Having completed the highly successful first market process under the project in October, the time is right to begin expanding this project with further opportunities.”
“Through these two processes, the continued fostering of Build-to-Rent is expected to attract different investment and financing markets to residential property development and deliver a better living environment for future tenants and surrounding area,” the treasurer said.
Expressions of interest for both build-to-rent projects are now open. More

PTW Architects has designed a 17-storey tower for Sydney’s Haymarket, by Chinatown, that will house 336 student rooms along with a range of retail spaces.
The $52 million project for developer Elegant Dixon will see the demolition of a four-storey brick warehouse-like building at 80 Dixon Street, while a historic pair of recently listed face-brick retail buildings at 82-84 Dixon Street will be retained.
The heritage buildings will be incorporated into the three-level podium, containing a lobby providing escalator access to upper-level retail uses along with a dedicated lobby for student use. Podium and tower have been designed to be visually distinct, with the 14 storeys of the tower accommodating the 336 student rooms and associated communal spaces, and a two-level basement housing dedicated student storage and bike parking for 108 bicycles.

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82-84 Dixon Street, Haymarket tower by PTW Architects.

“The street façades of the podium to Dixon, Little Hay and Sussex Streets will be articulated differently from the tower,” PTW states in planning documents. “In addition to this strategy, the parapet to the tower will be detailed to visually terminate the composition and here an open framed arcade will be used.”

Altogether, the design aims to reinforce the fine grain urban character of Chinatown through careful articulation. “The parapet of the podium will be detailed as a projected blade and this will replicate a traditional ‘cornice line’,” the architects write. “The vertical lines in the podium seek to acknowledge the old subdivision pattern of the block.”
The proposal also includes a communal rooftop garden, with landscape architecture by RPS Group.
The development application is on public exhibition until 8 February.

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A 46-storey office building would be built on the eastern edge of Brisbane’s CBD under plans before the city council.
Designed by BVN, the tower at 25 Mary Street will look over Brisbane’s botanic gardens to the east, and will be a key component in the ongoing development of eastern quarter of Brisbane’s CBD Botanic Gardens Precinct.
It will include around 42,000 square metres of office space, with each floor providing a ventilated “mixed mode” workspace of approximately 180 square metres. In a design statement, BVN describes how biophilia, sustainability and occupant wellness are the primary design catalysts.

“In addition to meeting contemporary workplace requirements for flexible use floorplates the building has a distinctive appearance provided through its ventilated and sparkle façade types that respond to orientation and opportunities of the site,” the statement reads. “Each tower floor features an indoor/outdoor mixed mode ventilated “wellness” peninsula overlooking the Botanic Gardens to the east. The tower is crowned by a subtropical landscaped penthouse featuring an up-lit sculptural sun and wind screen canopy that will be a memorable contribution to the city skyline.”

Along with the office space, the tower will accommodate a two-level wellness centre with gym and pool and a ground floor pedestrian laneway with retail tenancies. An existing synagogue on Margaret Street will be retained, with an integrated rear annexe housing ancillary facilities for the place of worship.
Form Landscape Architects is the project’s landscape architect.
The development application was submitted by Bellevue Terrace Properties Unit Trust and Mary Street Holdings Unit Trust.

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