Architecture

When Riken Yamamoto received the 2024 Pritzker Prize, he became the ninth Japanese architect to be awarded architecture’s highest honour. Japan has now produced one-fifth of all recipients in the 45-year history of the prize.
Tokyo, especially, wears its Pritzker associated architecture like jewels adorning the urban fabric of the city. The ultra-luxury shopping street in Omotesando is full of works by Japanese and foreign Pritzker-winning architects. Even the Tokyo Toilet Project includes four works by Japanese laureates.

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Tokyo Toilet Project by Tadao Ando. Image:

Linda Cheng

The five early-career architects on the 2024 Dulux Study Tour – a prize that they themselves have received – observed high quality of craftsmanship in Japan.
Jamileh Jahangiri said, “What the Japanese do perfectly is they keep what is there and do it in a modern way. You see the celebration of traditional culture but not in an ornamental way. It’s been truly transformed into a new way of living or a new way of understanding the environment.”
What we saw from the projects and practices visited was career-long dedication to the study of one aspect of architecture. Riken Yamamoto stressed the importance of community, particularly his own community of Yokohama in which he’s predominantly worked, so much so that he has a bar nearby, in a building he designed in 1986, where his staff all have lunch together every day. His practice is truly embedded in the community with this space where the architects can mingle with members of the public on a daily basis.

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The 2024 Dulux Study Tour winners with Pritzker Prize laureate Riken Yamamoto. L–R: Emma Chrisp, Flynn Carr, Riken Yamamoto, Mike Sneyd, Jamileh Jahangiri and Simona Falvo. Image:

Linda Cheng

“I found Yamamoto-san’s practice the most fascinating one,” Jahangiri said. “I heard so many times in the office people talking about community, and you could see it in the office culture. It wasn’t just about doing a project for the community outside but the actual office was a perfect community that you want to be a part of.
Another example is Studio TAB, a small practice in rural Japan whose director Keigo Kawai travelled to Tokyo to meet with the group, presented a series of Super Low-cost Big Houses (SLBH), some created for as little as $21 million yen (or a little over $200,000). All are made from simple and readily available materials and designed to maximise flexibility. In fact, Kawai said he gave the owners of his houses complete freedom in designing the layouts of their houses, he preferred to focus on flexibility.
“I think fundamentally it’s the people who make the project,” Mike Sneyd observed, “particularly for those small-scale ones, it’s the occupants, it’s not the project.”
This scholastic dedication breeds a sense of continuity in the work of many Japanese practices. “While every project is to some degree unique based on site or context, there are underlying elements that you do see repeated and I think there’s such a sophistication to that – seeing an architectural practice’s development through the years – it has been something that’s recurring through all the practices, regardless of the diversity of the work that they’re doing,” Simona Falvo said.

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Models on display at Kengo Kuma and Associates. Image:

Linda Cheng

Many of the Japanese practices we visited also engaged in model-making, both as a part of their design process as training tool for students entering practice. SANAA, Kengo Kuma and Associates, and Riken Yamamoto all had model making workshops, as well, the Archi-Depot museum has a basement warehouse full of models from Japanese practices.
For the practices that are able to work through physical models, I think it is an integral part of their design process and design practice,” Falvo said. “It’s also a very important part of my own practice and it’s something that I really enjoy doing and I learn so much from it in terms of my own architecture.”
Chrisp added, “It seems like it’s a part of the evolution in terms of what you get to do in the practice. You have a foundational period where you’re working with models. You’re probably learning a lot about how to think, how to put things together, and it’s probably embedding a lot of understanding of sequence.”
Tokyo itself is “a constant juxtaposition,” Chrisp observed. “You get really old buildings alongside really new and big-scale buildings next to tiny quaint entrances.”
Flynn Carr added, “It was really also interesting to see how curated and controlled the environment is here. We were shown images by our tour guide of how barren the landscape was [at the site of Meiji Shrine which is now a dense forest]. It really puts into perspective how much has been done to facilitate a city that has just grown exponentially.”
“There is also an element of people caring about what they care about,” said Sneyd. “When you look at the urban fabric, it’s really obvious what they care about and what they don’t care about, for better or for worse. That was a learning experience for us.”
“I was completely fascinated by the urban fabric of the city and the complexities that are at play there,” Falvo said. “It is a tremendous experience of being in the dizziness of Tokyo.”
Linda Cheng is travelling with the 2024 Dulux Study Tour. Follow #2024DuluxStudyTour on social media and the blog. More

Plans have been unveiled for a second Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) in the forthcoming Bradfield City Centre. The lodged development application proposes the establishment of a three-storey low-rise named Second Building. The facility would accommodate spaces for research and prototype development in manufactured products. Planning documents indicate the building would house a high-bay advanced […] More

After a successful launch in Melbourne in 2023, the ArchiBuild Expo now makes its debut in Sydney this June. The expo will shine a spotlight on the latest in architectural building products, materials, technology and systems. The event aims to equip architects, designers and specifiers with greater knowledge of the materials currently on the market. […] More

Australian architecture, engineering, urban design and planning projects can now be submitted for the 2024 Holdmark Innovation Award, with the winning entry receiving a $10,000 cash prize.
Now in its second year, the award is delivered by Powerhouse and supported by Sydney Design Week principal partner Holdmark Property Group, following Holdmark’s $10-million contribution to Powerhouse Parramatta in 2022.
The awarded project will be one that demonstrates both innovative excellence and solutions to industry challenges. This may include projects that have incorporated emerging technologies, adopted pioneering research, implemented strategies for decarbonisation or embraced regenerative practice. A “project” in this instance refers to an entire building, a built structure or a key component in a structure’s design or construction.
Phive in Parramatta Square by Design Inc with Lacoste and Stevenson, and Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, was the inaugural recipient of the award, in 2023. The project was selected for its “ingenious” rooftop design and passive climate strategies.

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Phive in Parramatta Square by Design Inc with Lacoste and Stevenson, and Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, was selected as the winner of the 2023 award for its “ingenious” rooftop design and passive climate strategies. Image:

Brett Boardman

Founder and managing director of Holdmark, Sarkis Nassif, said Australia is home to some of the world’s most innovative and dedicated designers, architects and engineers. He said that Holdmark is committed to promoting their achievements and raising their profile.
“We are honoured to serve as the principal partner for Sydney Design Week and look forward to seeing the applicants’ submissions.”
Applications for 2024 will be reviewed by a committee comprising Gerard Reinmuth, professor of practice in the School of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney and director of Terroir; Keinton Butler, Powerhouse senior curator of design and architecture; and Kevin Nassif, chief operating officer at Holdmark Property Group.
To be eligible, projects must have been designed in Australia and completed between 1 January and 31 December 2023 .
Powerhouse chief executive, Lisa Havilah, said the award honours forward-thinking Australian architects, engineers, urban designers and planners who design and shape our environments.
“We welcome applications from innovative projects that exemplify excellence in the industry.”
The application portal will close on 1 July 2024. The award will be presented to the successful recipient during Sydney Design Week in September 2024. For information on how to apply, visit the Powerhouse website. More

Despite the cool weather June brings, the show must go on. This month, a variety of cultural events have emerged to keep you entertained indoors. From an exhibition showcasing design prototypes for reducing Sydney’s environmental impact to a weekend dedicated to sharing ideas among regional architects, we’ve got you covered.
A New Normal

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New Architecture: CLT timber table designed by Kennedy Nolan, exhibited at Melbourne Design Week 2021. Image:

Kristoffer Paulsen

This exhibition brings together more than fifty designers, architects and other industry leaders from across Australia to demonstrate real-world solutions for solving Sydney’s environmental sustainability challenges. The event aims to supply a blueprint for a more sustainable decade through real-world solutions assembled by well-established and pragmatic thinkers from the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, design, planning and technology. Displayed prototypes and concepts will draw on empirical evidence of Sydney’s consumption of resources, backed by case studies and scientific research. The exhibition follows on from a prior event at Melbourne Design Week (MDW) in 2021, led by Ross Harding, which saw eight of 15 prototypes adopted and three completed. A New Normal takes place in Sydney until 15 June.
Centred: Making Space for Community

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Yamba Surf Life Saving Club will host Centred: Making Space for Community. Image:

Resi Kling/Unsplash

While regional practices may be physically removed from each other, they often face shared challenges. Centred, presented by the Regional Architecture Association, aims to unite different firms from different locations for insightful discussions about how regional architects can impact, promote and shape essential spaces within communities. This three-day event will take place in Yamba, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. The program includes a studio visit, walking tour, discussions, social meals and house visits.
Visnja Brdar: Design Exalted

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The Visnja Brdar: Design Exalted exhibition will reflect on Visnja’s career, achievements and important contributions to contemporary design communication. Image:

Micaela Rossato

Visnja Brdar: Design Exalted is a debut exhibition curated by Hannah Mathews that reflects on Visnja Brdar’s career, achievements and important contributions to contemporary design communication. The Australian-born, New York-based designer has built a remarkable portfolio featuring projects across an extensive range of design disciplines, including fashion, architecture, product design, real estate and beauty. At 22-years-old Visnja established her own creative practice and in the years ensuing she began being commissioned by prominent Australian enterprises including the Sydney Opera House and industrial designer Marc Newson. The exhibition will be presented in Melbourne until June 15.
Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Inner Sanctum

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Grayson Perry, artist, born Essex, England 1960, Morris, Gainsborough, Turner, Riley, 2021, London; Flanders, Belgium. Acrylic, cotton, merino wool, viscose, polyester, 274.0 x 360.0 cm. Image:

Courtesy Grayson Perry and Victoria Miro

The Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Inner Sanctum presents works by artists, poets and makers interested in the human condition. Here the idea of an inner sanctum illustrates the private or sacred spaces we create and the faculty of imagination that allows us to see culture and society differently. Curated by José Da Silva, the 2024 biennial provides a snapshot of contemporary Australia that is reflective and hopeful. Exhibitions, performances and talks will explore the complexities of human experience, as well as human engagement with the world and each other. This event is being held at the Art Gallery of South Australia until 2 June. More

An international ideas competition has launched, inviting tertiary students and graduates of urban planning, architecture and landscape architecture to propose a climate- sensitive urban design strategy for a particular site. The Future Climate Future Home Competition was initiated by the Australian Urban Design Research Centre, part of the School of Design at the University of […] More

A 16-storey hotel designed by BVN has been approved for development in Sydney’s Haymarket, following the submission of a revised application. The newly approved proposal for the 136 Hay Street site expands on an earlier approved application from 2017 that was modified and resubmitted to the City of Sydney in 2023. The $104-million highrise will […] More

The winners of a Design Excellence Competition for the $188 million redevelopment of Riverside Theatres in Western Sydney have been announced.
Cox Architecture is set to lead the design of the updated performing arts centre with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio and Bangawarra. The consortium was selected unanimously by the jury from a pool of five international design teams.
Chair of the Design Excellence jury and NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin said all five submissions proposed “exciting, thoughtful and highly original designs.”
“Congratulations to the winning team for their sophisticated and expressive design which has cleverly combined the complex requirements of […] performance spaces with a dynamic form that twists, shapes and modulates to respond to the river and welcomes the community.”

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Facade from Parramatta River. Image:

Cox Architecture with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio and Bangawarra

The venue will comprise a 1,500-seat Broadway-style theatre, a refurbished 760-seat Riverside Playhouse theatre, a new 420-seat black-box drama theatre, an 80-seat digital studio and cinema, as well as enhanced public spaces. It will accommodate more than double the current capacity of the existing theatre.
The project design objectives include updating facilities for contemporary use, improving accessibility and inclusivity around the site and fostering cultural diversity.

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Inside the Broadway-style theatre. Image:

Cox Architecture with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio and Bangawarra

Design director of Cox Architecture Joe Agius said the reimagined Riverside Theatres will be a major uplift in the cultural capacity for Parramatta and Greater Western Sydney.
“Guided by a commitment to the location’s First Nations origin and sense of place, our goal was for a design that sensitively responds to both the natural beauty of the river and the site’s city context. Our team of creative collaborators are honoured to be part of this transformative project for the City of Parramatta and New South Wales.”
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Pierre Esber said the redevelopment is a monumental step in Parramatta’s journey to becoming a global city.
“Parramatta is already the geographical heart of Sydney and the redevelopment of Riverside Theatres will create an iconic architectural landmark that honours our First Nations heritage and connects deeply with the cultural fabric of our city,” Esber said.
“We are committed to providing a thriving cultural precinct in Parramatta and this new design for Riverside brings us one step closer to our end goal.”
The project is part of an envisaged Parramatta Cultural Precinct, which will also include the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) and Civic Link.
Construction will begin in late 2025, with the reimagined performing arts centre anticipated to open in 2028. More