Architecture

Architecture Media acknowledges recent concerning information regarding prominent Australian architectural photographer Derek Swalwell. More

Under the reforms, a single statewide approval pathway for prefabricated buildings would replace individual council processes, and clearer regulations governing the manufacture, transport and installation of prefabricated buildings would be established. More

Architecture Media acknowledges recent concerning information regarding prominent Australian architectural photographer Derek Swalwell. We extend our support to those impacted and condemn the actions in question.
After careful consideration, we have decided to retain his photographs on ArchitectureAu.com, LandscapeAustralia.com, HousesAwards.com.au, AustralianInteriorDesignAwards.com, Eat-Drink-Design.com, AAUnbuilt.com.au and AAuSocialImpact.com.au, considering the impact that their removal would have on the architects and designers whose work he documented.
Practices wishing to review their content can contact us directly at publisher@archmedia.com.au.
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The New South Wales government has proposed a raft of new building law reforms aimed at accelerating the adoption of modular and prefabricated homes and streamlining the broader housing approvals process.
Under the Building Productivity Reforms, a single statewide approval pathway for prefabricated buildings would replace individual local council processes, providing what the government describes as a more consistent approach to assessing applications. The reforms would also establish clearer regulations governing the manufacture, supply, transport, delivery and installation of prefabricated buildings.
According to a NSW government communique, the Commonwealth Productivity Commission estimates that prefab and modular buildings could cut construction costs by up to 20 percent and speed up home construction by as much as 50 percent.
Minister for Housing Rose Jackson said the prefabricated and modular housing reforms would remove barriers to such housing without lowering standards for building quality. “These are no longer fringe options – they are central to how we build the homes of tomorrow.”
The proposed reforms include measures to expedite building approvals more broadly. The current requirement to submit duplicate detailed designs to gain building approval for apartment buildings would be scrapped. Instead, only one set of detailed designs would be required, which the government estimates could save an average of $327,000 in design costs per apartment block.
Minor design revisions would also be permitted during housing construction without requiring a return to local councils for re-approval.
The proposed reforms also seek to crack down on situations involving conflicts of interest, such as when certifiers have financial or personal stakes in the projects they assess. A clear statutory conflict-of-interest test would be developed to determine when a building certifier must not be involved in assessing a project. Subject to consultation, tougher conflict-of-interest penalties would be imposed, increasing the maximum fine from $33,000 to $1.1 million. Regulators would also be given authority to immediately suspend a certifier’s registration when breaches occur.
Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong said the reforms would help the state to meet its Housing Accord targets. “At a time when NSW needs to build 377,000 homes by 2029 to meet housing demand, these reforms are critical to delivering the high-quality homes around the state,” said Chanthivong.
The Building Productivity Reforms are expected to go before state parliament in 2026. More

The newly unveiled patterns are designed to “strike a balance between compact living and community connection … [and] enhance neighbourhood character while meeting the needs of diverse households.” More

Nine new mid-rise apartment building designs have been launched today by the New South Wales government as part of the state’s housing pattern book, adding to the eight low-rise designs that were released in July.
The mid-rise apartment designs, developed by architectural firms from Australia and New Zeeland, range in height from three to six storeys. They include four patterns for small lots, designed by Collins and Turner, Nguluway Design Inc, MHN Design Union and Neeson Murcutt Neille; three designs for large lots by Silvester Fuller, Bennett and Trimble, and Andrew Burges Architects; and two designs for corner lots by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and Spacecraft Architects.

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A media release from the NSW government notes that the pattern book will enable the state’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, which aims to provide 112,000 homes across the state over the next five years. The communique notes that by “offering a broad suite of new housing options for growing communities,” the patterns aim to meet “growing demand for terraces, townhouses and mid-rise apartment buildings in well-located areas.”
Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said that the newly released “mid-rise apartments strike a balance between compact living and community connection … [and] enhance neighbourhood character while meeting the needs of diverse households.”
“Architecture plays a vital role in shaping places people want to live. These designs offer a clear pathway to delivering quality homes that contribute positively to the urban fabric,” said Galvin.

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Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said that the “new patterns will write a new chapter for mid-rise homes in NSW,” building on a legacy of “art deco apartments … [and] red brick walk ups that are a much-loved part of many communities” with homes “that not only have character but are affordable and sustainable.”

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Each of the patterns have been designed to the Australian Building Codes Board Liveable Housing Design Standard, with cross-ventilation and solar access maximised. They’ve also been developed to enable ease of construction and to produce homes that are adaptable, cost-effective and energy-efficient.
Unlike the low-rise patterns, which can be applied on lots anywhere across the state where low- and mid-rise housing types are already permitted with consent, the mid-rise patterns currently require a development application to be submitted to local council.
According to the government, “councils have been provided with advice that will allow them to halve the average assessment times for these patterns.” In the new year, new planning laws “will enable an even faster and simpler planning pathway … with the mid-rise pattern book to be prioritised for access to the government’s newly created targeted assessment pathway,” the release notes.
For the next six months, the mid-rise patterns will be available at a subsidised cost of $1,500 for small lot and corner designs and $2,500 for large lot designs. According to the state government, these costs are “only one per cent of the typical costs for architect designs … [in order] to build a better and fairer NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and downsizers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.”

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The Premier of NSW Chris Minns said, “The new housing patterns are more than designs for beautiful homes. They are a practical way we are delivering more homes for young people and families across New South Wales.”
“We are leading the world with the use of pattern books to drive the delivery of new high-quality and affordable homes faster by cutting approval delays and making quality designs more accessible,” he said.
The full suite of NSW Housing Pattern Book designs can be accessed on the government’s website. More

Melbourne Art Fair has unveiled the 2026 FutureObjekt lineup and announced Anna Varendorff as the first MAF x NGV Design Commission recipient, signalling a bold new chapter for Australian collectible design. More

Melbourne Art Fair has announced the full exhibitor lineup for FutureObjekt, a new collectible design salon debuting at the 2026 Fair, alongside revealing the inaugural recipient of the Melbourne Art Fair x National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Design Commission.

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Running 19–22 February 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, FutureObjekt will bring together 20 leading studios, galleries and designers in a dedicated 600-square-metre space within the fair. Inspired by the great collectible design salons, FutureObjekt is conceived as a platform for innovative ideas in contemporary design, architecture and crafted objects. The salon will showcase work that challenges convention and explores new directions in materiality and form.
Exhibitors will present a tightly curated selection of pieces, including new collections created exclusively for the fair. Highlights include a limited-edition range of Murano glass lamps by Volker Haug Studio; rare vintage and new works from Don Cameron; a focused edit from Paris-based designer Joris Poggioli presented by Mobilia; and the Melbourne Art Fair debut of Studio Gardner, featuring works by Jumandie Seys, Pauline Esparon and Studio Utte. Christopher Boots will reimagine signature lighting pieces in new finishes, while Craft Victoria will showcase experimental material explorations by Isabel Avendano-Hazbun, Claire Ellis and Locki Humphrey. Several independent studios will join forces in a shared booth highlighting emerging Australian design voices.

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In parallel, Melbourne Art Fair has named Melbourne-based artist and metalsmith Anna Varendorff as the recipient of the inaugural MAF x NGV Design Commission. Varendorff will create an ambitious installation expanding her signature tubular forms into a suite of ceiling lights, suspended vases and monumental floor vessels, premiering at the fair before entering the NGV’s permanent collection. The commission, supported by the Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, offers the designer a rare opportunity to scale up her practice both conceptually and spatially.
The fair also revealed details of the 2026 VIP Lounge, designed by Broached Commissions. Centred on floral art and female artists’ interpretations of nature across history, the space will feature living installations by Hattie Molloy, sculptural furniture by K5, Bang and Olufsen acoustics and an ambient soundscape by k8 mo55, with all artworks available for sale.

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Rounding out the program, fair ambassador Brahman Perera will design the inaugural Champagne Bollinger Bar – an understated, sculptural intervention intended to provide visitors with a moment of calm amid the intensity of the fair. More