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    Fast-tracked student housing tower approved

    A $64 million 18-storey student accommodation development in Redfern designed by Allen Jack and Cottier Architects has been approved, after having its planning assessment fast-tracked by the NSW government.
    Weehur Redfern Student Housing, to be built on the land of the on Gadigal people, will provide 488 rooms for students of central Sydney universities.
    “This uniquely designed tower will provide high quality housing for students and keep more of our construction workers in jobs, while reflecting Redfern’s indigenous heritage, said planning minister Rob Stokes.

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    Weehur Redfern Student Housing by Allen Jack and Cottier Architects.

    “The building will include Aboriginal artwork, creative open public spaces, and it’s a just a short hop to Redfern station and many public transport options.”
    Allen Jack and Cottier says the building has been designed to be a high-quality managed student residence meeting the need for affordable housing for domestic and international students within the vicinity of the urban campuses of central Sydney.

    “The proposal aims to revitalise and enhance the urban and social context of the site to the benefit of both the students and the wider Redfern community acknowledging at all times the importance of Redfern to the Indigenous community,” the architects said in planning documents.
    The tower was one of 11 projects to be fast-tracked in the state government’s sixth tranche of fast-tracked projects.

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    Second NGV triennial to celebrate human capability

    Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Australian artist Geoffrey Nees will create an architectural pavilion at the National Gallery of Victoria, as part of the gallery’s second triennial exhibition.
    The triennial will include 86 major projects, 34 of which will be major works commissioned by the NGV. The exhibition will feature more than 100 artists, designers and collectives from more than 30 countries.
    Kuma and Nees’s timber pavilion will be built using a traditional Japanese technique where interlocking pieces are held together only by tension and gravity.

    The interior of the pavilion will feature a tessellated pattern formed of timber pieces harvested from trees that died during the millennium drought at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, some of which pre-dated colonial occupation of Australia.
    The pavilion’s design responds to a new acquisition for the gallery, Dialogue by South Korean artist Lee Ufan. It is intended to act as a contemplative, sensorial walkway through which visitors would approach the painting.

    The triennial exhibition will be divided into four themes: illumination, reflection, conservation, speculation, and the works will explore issues of isolation, representation and race, and speculation of the future.

    “The NGV Triennial offers visitors a significant opportunity to explore how we use art to express ourselves, communicate and consider the world as it is, while also asking how we would like it to be,” said NGV director Tony Ellwood. “Artists, designers and architects of the twenty-first century perform a vital role in giving form to our collective imagination, fears and aspirations. We are all living in a world in flux: there has never been a more important moment to celebrate human capability than now.”

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    Boudoir Babylon by Adam Nathanial Furman and Sibling Architecture.
    Image: courtesy of the architects
    Other new commissions include the transformation of the NGV Gallery Kitchen by English architect Adam Nathaniel Furman and Australian studio Sibling Architecture. The project will draw on influences from the boudoir, the salon and the nightclub to create a space with “flamboyant scenography and décor.” It is intended to be an inclusive space that is “especially welcoming to those who may not feel comfortable or safe in the public realm.”
    A 15-minute animated short film by Australian born architect Liam Young will depict an alternative urban future in which the world’s population lives densely together as an antidote to the climate crisis.

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    Plant City (still) by Liam Young.
    Image: Liam Young
    And Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola will create her first major furniture installation in Australia, to be located in the NGV’s Great Hall. Recycled Woollen Island will feature a series of large, long ottomans in the form of whimsical giant socks, made with upcycled textile furnishings and handcrafted. The installation is intended to encourage visitors to take their shoes off and lie down to gaze at the famous ceiling in the Great Hall by Leonard French.
    The 2020 triennial is the second instalment of the major exhibition. The inaugural edition in 2017 was the most-attended exhibition in the NGV’s history, attracting 1.23 million visitors.
    The triennial will be free to visitors and will be open from 19 December 2020 until 18 April 2021. More

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    Exhibition explores Australia–China architectural relationship

    An upcoming online exhibition will showcase the Australia–China relationship through a series of architectural pairings.
    Living in the City: Australia–China Conversations Through Architecture, curated by the University of Queensland’s School of Architecture and produced by the Swayn Centre for Australian Design at the National Museum of Australia, will include 30 projects from across the two countries, coupled together to highlight issues such as density and amenity, mixed-use urbanity for growing cities, and reprogramming architecture for community benefit.

    The exhibition aligns Australian architectural expertise with the increasing investment in public and community project by provincial and municipal governments in China.
    “The exhibition is a great example of how knowledge sharing and the innovative approach to architecture in Australia and China create desirable places for people to live and work, designing and building sustainable cities that benefit all in our diverse communities,” said Australia’s ambassador to China, Graham Fletcher.

    The exhibition has been commissioned by the Australian Embassy Beijing and Austrade, and builds on a survey of the work Australian architects have done in China, also commissioned by the embassy and Austrade.

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    Luxe Lakes Towers by John Wardle Architects.
    Image: courtesy of the architect
    “Australian architects play a critical role in the shaping of cities across the world,” said Cameron Bruhn, dean and head of the School of Architecture at UQ.
    The exhibition shows how Australian architecture helps to support and grow businesses, shape communities, heal, educate, nurture, and deliver government policy.
    The projects featured in the exhibition include Australia 108 (Melbourne) by Fender Katsalidis, Ace Hotel (Sydney) by Bates Smart, SAHMRI (Adelaide) by Woods Bagot, Luxe Lakes Towers (Chengdu) by John Wardle Architects, Landsea Green Centre (Shanghai) by Decibel Architecture, and National Speed Skating Oval (Beijing) by Populous.

    “The ability of Australian architects to design treasured national projects throughout China, and elsewhere in Asia, provides an opportunity to enhance Australia’s international engagement,” said Paul Henry, founder and managing director of Populous, which was named 2019 Exporter of the Year at the Australian Export Awards.
    The exhibition will open in October during China’s 2020 Extraordinary Australia Festival and closes in March 2021 during Brisbane’s Asia Pacific Architecture Festival. More

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    Budget not enough to stave off project drought, says Institute

    The biggest-spending budget in modern Australia’s history fails to address critical issues such as social housing and sustainable buildings and may not be enough to stop construction projects drying up, says the Australian Institute of Architects.
    The Morrison government’s 2020 federal budget, released on 6 October, lays the groundwork for a private sector-led recovery, leaning heavily on asset write-offs, tax offsets and wage subsidies to encourage businesses to invest.

    It includes an additional $7.5 billion for new infrastructure projects – largely roads and other transport infrastructure – but there is little in the way of new funding to directly boost construction in the residential sector.
    “Only $0.6 million over four years from 2020-21 has been allocated to boost housing demand and support the residential construction industry in the face of plummeting activity levels,” said Institute CEO Julia Cambage.

    Leading economists, community organizations and industry bodies, including the Institute, have all called on the government to spend big on publicly led social housing, but the budget includes no new funding in this area.

    However, the budget included an extra $1 billion in low-cost financing to encourage private developers to build more affordable housing and $150 million over three years for the Indigenous Home Ownership Program.
    The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will also be extended to support an additional 10,000 first home buyers in 2020-21.
    Cambage said these measures, while welcome, would not be enough to stave off the looming downturn in construction activity and that architects would be the first to feel the pain.

    “Our members are at the very start of the construction supply chain,” she said. “Design is the first point from which all the other jobs flow, from engineers and surveyors to brickies, plumbers and painters.”

    Multiple surveys of architecture firms have shown that billions of dollars worth of projects have been cancelled or put on hold during the pandemic. The Institute estimates that the architectural sector generates $6.1 billion in revenue and $1.1 billion of profit.
    Cambage said an increased focus on large-scale legacy building would help achieve both the immediate stimulus needed for recovery while also delivering lasting benefit.

    “Looking at past disasters demonstrates the enormous capacity construction has to rebuild economies and produce enduring public infrastructure,” she said.
    “Brisbane’s Story Bridge and Somerset Dam are just two examples born of the Great Depression that are still serving the community to this day.”
    Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has said were a Labor government in power, it would allocate $500 million to social housing repairs. He will deliver the budget reply speech on 8 October. More

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    Suburban railway station recalls local history

    Designed by Genton and McGregor Coxall, the newly completed Reservoir railway station creates a civic landmark and a symbol of the suburb’s past.
    The translucent canopy of station is designed to interacts with light in the same way that light reflects off rippling water. The design is inspired by Reservoir’s history as the home of three water reservoirs in the late 19th century.

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    Reservoir station by Genton and McGregor Coxall.
    Image: Peter Clarke
    The façade is made from angled, perforated metal which balances the requirements for weather protection and views. The ground level external walls form a barrier against the surrounding roads.

    The station is made from robust materials including black concrete, light stainless steel cladding, brown bricks.
    The station is part of the Victorian government’s Level Crossing Removal Project, and part of an elevated rail corridor in Melbourne’s north. The project creates a new landscaped public space which links to the nearby community and retail spaces, as well as enhancing accessibility and public safety.

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    Reservoir station by Genton and McGregor Coxall.
    Image: Peter Clarke
    “The project was an opportunity to expand on the design thinking learned through our multi-award winning Frankston Station. When approaching civic design, we aim to celebrate the local context, driven by a commitment to creating meaningful, community-led spaces,” says Genton Principal Marc Debney.
    Resevoir station is projected to be an important transport interchange in the future, and the design includes allowances for a larger bus interchange and tram route.
    “As public transportation usage increases due to population growth and consciousness around sustainability, we design these spaces with the intention that they become both a hub for connectivity and a source of civic pride,” said Debney. More

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    Institute's seven key wishes for budget 2020

    The Australian Institute of Architects has called on the federal government to accelerate the decarbonization of the economy and fund social infrastructure, ahead of the 2020 budget to be announced on 6 October.
    In a pre-budget submission, the Institute outlined seven key areas for “more affordable, equitable, amenable and sustainable places.”
    One of key areas is the procurement of architectural services. The Institute undertaking research and developing guidelines for expressions of interest, request for tender, request for proposal and design competitions process. It recommends that all Australian governments facilitate the involvement of Australian architects in competitive design processes for publicly funded projects and that governments ensure fair and open procurement practices.

    “Never before has the spotlight shone so harshly on the design of our housing, and the importance of getting it right as we build back better.” – Alice Hampson.The Institute has also called for the appointment of an Australian government architect in its second key area of ensuring good design. The Institute says the role of the Australian government architect should lead the development of a national architecture policy “that recognizes and extends architecture’s contribution to the delivery of great, sustainable places for all Australians, regardless of location.”
    The Institute recommends that government can also ensure good design by providing incentives and flexible funding arrangements linked to specific design and sustainability outcomes and that all new project funding must be linked to sustainability outcomes and contribution to local sense of place.

    A third key area outlined in the Institute’s submission is climate change and community resilience. The Institute recommends establishing a national plan for zero-carbon buildings by 2040 and strong mandatory standards for the energy performance of buildings.
    “As the climate crisis becomes more acute and its impacts more devastating, so too must our response be more urgent,” said national president Alice Hampson.
    “That’s why we are urging the Australian Government to accelerate the transition to a carbon neutral economy.

    “As first the catastrophic bushfires then the coronavirus pandemic have so brutally demonstrated, it is imperative that we future proof our urban environments.

    “Never before has the spotlight shone so harshly on the design of our housing, and the importance of getting it right as we build back better.”
    The Institute also urged the government to invest more in social and affordable housing. “Australia will need more than a million social and affordable homes over the next 20 years,” the submission reads. The Institute recommended developing clear targets for social and affordable homes that include flexible housing types and multi-generational occupancy.

    “Now more than ever it is apparent just how much the quality of the design affects the way spaces and places function and has the potential to stimulate the economy and enhance the environment,” said Institute CEO Julia Cambage.

    “The trend that started pre-pandemic, which saw our regional centres and communities play an increasingly important role in driving economic growth, will only now accelerate.
    “Australian architects are uniquely placed to offer expertise and insights in combating other fast emerging challenges including equipping our buildings to better manage air quality and filtration, preventing urban spaces from becoming heat islands and improving overall liveability.

    “The planning and design of cities and towns to address these challenges will significantly impact the shape of Australia’s built environment, requiring a federal government commitment to a high quality, sustainable legacy for future generations.”

    After the government announced a widely criticized plan to demolish Anzac Hall at the Australian War Memorial, the Institute used its pre-budget submission to again call for a stop the plan. It said, “the government must look to appropriate use of resources including preferencing redevelopment rather than replacement of public buildings.”
    The remaining key areas in the Institute’s submission include managing change and fostering thriving cities and regions and improving building regulation.
    “[The] Federal Budget will be critical in mapping out the path of Australia’s economic recovery,” said Alice Hampson.
    “With the highest levels of unemployment since the Great Depression, and with interest rates at an all-time low, there will never be a better time for forward-looking governments to create jobs through investments in the infrastructure that will be needed for the next century and beyond.” More

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    Construction begins on JWA’s subtropical office tower

    Construction is underway for a 15-storey office tower in central Brisbane designed by John Wardle Architects.
    The tower at 895 Ann Street in Fortitude Valley was approved by Brisbane City Council in 2019. Developers DWS and Consolidated Property Group have appointed Hutchinson Builders to construct the $260 million development, which they expect to be completed in the first quarter of 2023.
    The architects have designed the tower to be flexible, as the speculative development is expected to house many different occupants over time.

    “Acknowledging the changing nature of work, this building accommodates and encourages the diverse conditions required to make an engaging and attractive working environment,” they wrote in planning documents.
    The design also embraces the subtropical climate, with a key design feature an “outdoor room” at the top of the podium, which will be exposed to the elements and populated with greenery.

    The podium façade will also be densely planted.
    The building will be located close to another commercial development designed by John Wardle Architects at 900 Ann Street, which was completed in 2018.

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    Stepped student housing tower proposed in Sydney's Kingsford

    Sydney architecture firm Turner has designed a mixed-use tower for 273–275 Anzac Parade, Kingsford that will accommodate 143 boarding house rooms for students, along with a mix of retail and commercial spaces.
    The part five-storey, part 16-storey tower is defined by a stepped form, intended to complement the existing built form of the streetscape while opening the majority of internal spaces to natural light, air and views.
    “The building articulation and sculpted nature, the stepped skyline composition of the façade and the layering of the materials and finishes all contribute to creating a singular identity for th building,” write the architects in planning documents currently before Randwick City Council.

    “A palette influenced by the character of existing heritage buildings as well the changing context helps to define a proposed built form response that provides a transition between the past and future.”

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    273–275 Anzac Parade by Turner.

    The boarding rooms will include kitchenettes and ensuite bathrooms and will be designed to cater to various living arrangements at different price points.
    The development will also provide a number of communal spaces, including a shared pedestrian through-site link at street level connecting Anzac Parade to Houston Lane, a landscaped courtyard and roof terraces, study rooms, an in-house cinema and meeting rooms.
    NBRS Architecture is responsible for the landscape design.

    Planning documents note that the subject site is well placed to deliver affordable student housing, being in close proximity to key transport nodes and major tertiary institutions such as the University of New South Wales, NIDA and TAFE.
    The proponent says the overall building mass has been considered within the greater emerging context surrounding Kingsford Mid Town Node, “where existing and proposed new developments to the south and east of the site will continue to redefine the area’s skyline with the extent and presence of tall buildings anticipated to increase over time.”
    The proposal is a project of Fusion Development. More