Architecture

The City of Melbourne has elected to retain MPavilion 10, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and executed by Sean Godsell, in the city’s Queen Victoria Gardens until 2030. The much-anticipated decision comes as the pavilion was slated for removal at the end of this month.
A recent campaign to “Preserve the Pavilion” received over 2,500 signatures from members of the public, including from Pritzker Prize-winning architects Álvaro Siza (1992 laureate), Jean Nouvel (2008 laureate), Eduardo Souto de Moura (2011 laureate), and Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA (2010 laureates).
Foundation founder Naomi Milgrom commented, “We would like to thank the thousands from across Australia and globally who added their name in support to keep this pavilion in the gardens for longer.”
A release from the pavilion’s commissioner, the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, noted that since opening in November 2023, Ando’s pavilion has become the most visited MPavilion to date – welcoming over 300,000 visitors and hundreds of events.
“MPavilion will continue to be a place for the architecture, design, arts and creative communities and all Melburnians,” Milgrom said.
The terms of the extension granted by the City of Melbourne requires that the foundation retain ownership of the pavilion, continue to maintain the structure and deliver cultural programming at no cost to the public until 30 June 2030. In their proposal to the council’s Future Melbourne Committee, the foundation noted they are “proposing to offer cultural grants to enable artists and cultural organisations to use the MPavilion to present free events.”
Reflecting on the approved extension, Tadao Ando noted, “I am honoured that MPavilion will remain in Queen Victoria Gardens as a place for the community to gather and reflect. Architecture is not only about buildings, it is about creating places for people and nature to coexist.”
The pavilion will reopen to the public soon. More

Development approval has been granted by the City of Ryde for two residential towers comprising 255 units in Macquarie Park, northern Sydney.
The towers, designed by AJC Architects and landscape architects Place Design Group, will be established at 88 Waterloo Road. The two towers are connected by a two- and three-storey brick podium, which wraps around the building’s street frontages. The podium accommodates a mix of retail, commercial and residential spaces, while the towers are primarily residential.
According to a communique from AJC Architects, the design integrates bioclimatic strategies to optimise natural light, ventilation and thermal comfort. The release noted that naturally ventilated circulation spaces have been integrated throughout the building. Open balconies positioned on the north-facing sides of the towers capture sunlight, while enclosed balconies on the south side help to retain heat during cooler months.

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The landscape design features a large communal space that provides direct access to adjacent parks and the street.
AJC director Brian Mariotti stated, “The 88 Waterloo Development redefines urban living in Macquarie Park by blending high-quality residences with natural beauty, sustainability, and comfort.” More

Construction is now underway to convert a former women’s psychiatric hospital in Jacksons Hill, Sunbury, into a dedicated community arts and cultural precinct.
The project involves the adaptive reuse of a heritage-listed former female refractory ward building (1879) and a 1960s outbuilding into a precinct that accommodates an art gallery and community theatre along with various studios and workspaces for creatives. Designed by Architecture Associates and Openwork, the precinct will be unified by a vast public landscape, featuring a network of paths and community gathering spaces.
According to a communique from Architecture Associates, the design team worked closely with heritage advisors, Heritage Victoria and the community to design a precinct that was “sensitive” to the history of the site, which was originally developed as an industrial school in 1864, redeveloped in 1879 as a psychiatric hospital and later used as a training centre for people with disabilities between 1962–1992.

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The design team described their approach to the adaptive reuse elements of the project as “light touch.” The former female refractory ward building, known as Building 22, is anchored by large corner rooms and an axial plan that pivots around four large courtyards. As part of the project, these corner rooms will be adapted into large public spaces, such as a new art gallery and potters’ workshop, while smaller rooms will be converted into studios and workspaces.
The communique noted that the light-touch approach enables upgrades to be undertaken “without obscuring prior usage histories, and [while] maintaining structural, material and formal qualities throughout.”
The original central dining hall will be converted into a flexible performance space, providing a 100-seat venue for community use. The release noted that this space will feature stage curtains, tiered seating, new lighting equipment with audio-visual capabilities, and window coverings designed to deliver full blackout and improved acoustic performance.
A new annexe building will connect with the central hall, creating a flexible event space. This proposed annexe features two inverted skillion roofs that extend outward from the original verandah roof, preserving the existing structure entirely. On both sides of the theatre annexe, two large platforms are designed for events to spill out onto.
Architecture Associates co-director Sam Hunter said the upper facade of the annexe will be clad in textural terracotta, panels and custom ceramic tiles produced by the local arts community. Hunter noted that the design aims to embrace “making” and craft wherever possible to reflect the precinct’s role as a hub for the arts.
The 1960s outbuilding will be used as a community worker’s shed.

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The landscape design, developed in consultation with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, includes new garden beds, gathering spaces, a lookout and opportunities for First Nations artworks to be embedded. A strategic network of paths intend to improve pedestrian flow and accessibility throughout the precinct.
Mark Jacques of Openwork stated, “We hope that the landscape of the Sunbury Community Arts and Cultural Precinct creates a destination that preserves and celebrates Sunbury’s significant cultural heritage while for the first time acknowledging Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung ways of living on Country.”
The precinct is anticipated to open in late 2025. More

A 38-storey tower has received approval for development in Adelaide’s Festival Plaza, in what will stand as the tallest commercial building in Adelaide and the tallest tower in the plaza.
The proposal, developed by Walker Corporation with architecture firm Johnson Pilton Walker, has undergone multiple revisions following receiving feedback from the Design Review Panel and the Office for Design and Architecture SA. Initially envisioned as a three-storey retail centre, the proposal was later abandoned after Walker indicated that a 38-storey tower would deliver a better heritage outcome. Since then, the tower has been further updated, with changes to the facade and a stronger emphasis on the plaza’s role as a community hub.
The approved proposal includes nearly 50,000 square metres of floor space, a rooftop bar and restaurant, and thirty levels dedicated to commercial offices. At its base, the tower design features a podium with a raised outdoor space, lower-floor restaurants, cafes and bars, and access to end-of-trip facilities and parking within the multi-storey basement.

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According to a communique published by the South Australian government on 12 June, the building “will become the largest all-electric commercial building in Adelaide, with the largest solar array of any commercial building in the city and will be carbon neutral by 2028.”
Minister for Housing and Urban Development Nick Champion stated that the tower will “set a new benchmark for sustainable, world-class development in Adelaide.”
The approval comes after a planning code amendment, allowing new towers in Festival Plaza to reach up to 40 storeys, was approved. A total of 87 submissions were received during the consultation period for this amendment, with the majority – 62 respondents – unsupportive of the change. Elsewhere in the submissions, 16 were supportive, five were supportive with concerns, three were impartial and one didn’t specify whether it was for or against.
“This project is the result of careful collaboration with the community, expert design panels and heritage advisors. I thank the State Commission Assessment Panel for their thoughtful consideration and the important role they play in the planning process,” Champion said.
“The refined plans ensure that we preserve the visual integrity and heritage of Parliament House while delivering a vibrant, activated public space that all South Australians can enjoy.” More

Construction of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is now complete, establishing it as Sydney’s second airport for both international and domestic flights.
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) CEO Simon Hickey was joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King on site today to celebrate the milestone.
Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture won a 2019 design competition for the project, which attracted more than 40 national and international competitors. 360 Degrees Landscape Architects was engaged for the landscape design of the project. A competitive tender process led to construction company Multiplex being awarded the contract to deliver the project from initial concept through to final design and construction, with Woods Bagot appointed as the lead design and delivery architect on Multiplex’s design and construction team.
The final design was shaped by consultation with Dharug Custodians, in collaboration with First Nations consultant Murrawin, who provided guidance on embedding local narratives into the architecture.

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The new airport terminal features domestic and international departure gates under one roof, a landscaped forecourt and a 3.7 kilometre runway. According to the WSI Airport website, the airport is predicted to service 10 million passengers a year after opening.
A joint communique from Cox Architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects and Woods Bagot stated that the terminal design prioritises sustainability and regenerative design principles through natural ventilation, water recycling and energy-efficient systems. The terminal features more than 6,000 rooftop solar panels to generate renewable energy and reduce environmental impact. Rainwater will be collected and recycled for airport operations such as bathroom facilities, irrigation and cooling towers. The modular design of the terminal also allows for flexible future expansion.

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The statement noted that the design draws inspiration from Western Sydney’s Cumberland Plain, reflected in the terminal’s horizontal form and the undulating interior ceiling. Open sightlines, warm materiality and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces are key features of the design.
Cristiano Ceccato, a director at Zaha Hadid Architects, stated: “what makes this terminal extraordinary is its blend of human-scaled design and international ambition. It is grounded in its setting – and yet globally competitive,” said Ceccato.

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Principal and design and delivery lead at Woods Bagot Neil Hill emphasised that the design harnesses light as a way to create “a constantly evolving visual experience.”
“The interplay of natural light through strategic openings, soft undulating curves, thoughtful colour selection and varied materials creates a different perspective from every vantage point.”
While major construction of the terminal is complete, the fit-out of the terminal’s retail precinct and airline lounges is ongoing as tenancy agreements continue to be finalised. The airport is on track for domestic, international and air cargo services to commence operation in late 2026. More

The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours have been announced and it includes four architects among the 830 Australians recognised for “distinguished and conspicuous service.”
Corbett Lyon, the founding director of Lyons, was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to architecture, to the arts as a benefactor and administrator, and to tertiary education. With more than 30 years experience in the architecture profession, Lyon is recognised as one of Australia’s most decorated design professionals. He is a life member at the Australian Institute of Architects, a trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria, an honorary fellow at Monash University and a professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne.
In 2012, Lyon and his wife Yueji established the Lyon Foundation to support and promote contemporary art, with a particular focus on Australian practice.
The following architects were appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM):
John Frederick Held, SA
For significant service to architecture in leadership roles.
George Zillante, SA
For significant service to architectural tertiary education, and to construction and building surveying.
Robert McGauran, Vic
For significant service to urban architectural design, planning and development, and to tertiary education.
Visit the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia website to view the full honours list. More

A state significant development application that proposes the establishment of two residential towers in Chatswood, Sydney, is on public exhibition.
The application proposes the construction of two residential towers, one rising to 33 storeys and the other to 23, at 38–42 Anderson Street, 3 McIntosh Street and 2 Day Street. Collectively, they would accommodate 258 apartments, including 56 allocated to affordable housing.
Carter Williamson Architects with Land and Form landscape architecture studio won an invited design competition for the project in 2024. While the winning scheme has since undergone revisions – most notably a simplification of facade materials – the character of the original design has been maintained through a similar massing and colour palette.
The design concept draws inspiration from a mature angophora tree, around which the development wraps around and from which it takes its name (the Angophora). The exterior colour palette references the tree’s distinctive pink-hued bark.

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According to the plans, the taller of the towers has been strategically located along Anderson Street to optimise city views to the south and extend the existing urban street wall. A non-residential brick podium that connects the towers provides commercial and retail offerings at the base and communal open spaces on top.
Each tower has a dedicated residential entrance, accompanied by a non-residential podium entry on Day Street.
The application is on public exhibition until 19 June 2025. More

A Victorian architect has been awarded an eight-week residency in Italy to pursue interdisciplinary research, develop their practice and build international connections.
Lisa Garner has been awarded the 2025–26 Alastair Swayn Foundation–RMIT Architecture Affiliated Fellowship. As part of the fellowship, Garner will engage in interdisciplinary research at the American Academy, an American institution in Rome that accommodates independent studies and advanced research in fine arts and humanities.
Garner is an architect and director of Lian, an emerging architecture practice focused on rethinking how housing can be more sustainable, adaptable and community centred. Garner and Andrej Vodstrcil co-founded the practice following the success of their winning entry in the Victorian Government’s Future Homes competition in 2020. Since then, she has led a range of projects, including a series of pattern book apartment designs for the state government, an eight-storey Nightingale Housing development, and various residential renovations and small-scale commercial projects.
Over the course of the eight-week fellowship, Garner will undertake a research project titled Abitare insieme – Living together – Learning from Italy: Multigenerational Housing for Australia. Her project will explore Italy’s multigenerational housing traditions through, both historical and contemporary. The research will primarily focus on spatial configurations, adaptive reuse and incremental expansion strategies that enable homes to evolve over generations, as well as the policy and economic models that support these housing typologies.
The research findings will help inform how similar design approaches might be adapted for use in an Australian context.
“This fellowship is an exciting chance to learn from housing traditions in Italy that place family, adaptability, and care at their core. I look forward to exploring how these ideas might inform more flexible and supportive housing in Australia,” Garner said.
The Alastair Swayn Foundation and RMIT University, the 2025–26 Alastair Swayn Foundation-RMIT Architecture Affiliated Fellowship is offered to one successful applicant each year. Early and mid-career architects, landscape architects and design professionals from across Australia are eligible for the fellowship. More