Architecture

A new $23.6-million social housing complex with 53 all-electric apartments has been established on the site of a former three-bedroom home in Melbourne.
Known as Women’s Housing Limited – West, the building provides stable, long-term homes for up to 100 individuals including First Nations women and women fleeing family violence. The complex is the latest in a series of projects designed by Clarke Hopkins Clarke for Women’s Housing Limited (WHL) in partnership with Urbanxchange.
The five-storey residential block comprises 53 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, each of which has been designed to meet the Livable Housing Design Guidelines.
The facade of the interconnected townhouses has been designed to be inconspicuous, helping to destigmatize social housing by blending into the residential landscape.
According to the design statement: “A robust podium provides strong presence at ground level, utilizing low-profile blockwork to invoke a residential home feel. Upper levels use lighter forms of low-profile aluminium cladding and warm, timber-look cladding to visually deconstruct the apartment form into a refined town-home typology from the street.”

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The facade of the interconnected townhouses has been designed to be inconspicuous, helping to destigmatize social housing by blending into the residential landscape. Image:

Peter Marko

Controlled access systems, passive surveillance areas and considered lighting, glazing and screening were carefully integrated throughout the building to establish safe and secure accommodation. A communal courtyard enables passive surveillance of children while they play.
The building’s entrance area incorporates bike storage zones, a shaded communal lawn and an on-site housing manager’s office. A playful entrance artwork by Yorta Yorta and Taungurung designer Tahnee Edwards seeks to create a welcoming, warm and pleasant atmosphere. “Distinctive colourways assist with wayfinding and imbue each level with its own distinct personality. The addition of vinyl prints will celebrate Woi-wurrung language and uplifting imagery such as local birds in flight,” the design statement says.
Passive environmental design principles were prioritized to minimize manual requirements for heating and cooling. Apartments are well insulated and naturally lit with windows that have been carefully positioned for cross-ventilation and visual access to communal spaces.
The rear courtyard by John Patrick Landscape Architects has been designed to be “flexible” and to provide residents with options for nature immersion, play, rest, leisure and group or social activities. Generous planters, timber seating, ambient lighting and native plantings have been introduced in the shared courtyard.
WHL, which funded the project in partnership with Homes Victoria, owns the building and will manage the site. More

Five early-career architects from across Australia have been selected winners of the 16th Australian Institute of Architects’ Dulux Study Tour. Founded in 2008, the tour celebrates the importance of first-hand experiences of architecture around the world.
Emma Chrisp, Flynn Carr, Jamileh Jahangiri, Mike Sneyd and Simona Falvo will embark on a 10-day tour of Tokyo, Berlin and Madrid in June 2024.
Jury chair and Australian Institute of Architects’ national president, Stuart Tanner, commended each applicant who submitted. “We saw a profound level of expertise, talent, enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to the architectural profession demonstrated by each submission,” he said.
Jury citations
Emma Chrisp, Hayball (Vic)

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Emma Chrisp Image: supplied

Emma Chrisp’s awareness of the potential for connection and wellbeing through spatial design and architecture is a pivotal attribute. Her understanding of the potency of thoughtful and considered environments demonstrates an intellectual awareness of how people are moved by architecture.
Her strong people-focused approach is a key component of her commitment to quality, enriching outcomes. Her willingness to impart knowledge via the observation and assessment process was evident in her role as a juror for the Victorian Architecture Awards in 2023.
Emma’s involvement with practice in predominantly educational projects has given her an excellent understanding of what makes good space for people. Her burgeoning thinking around how cities might become more community-focused is highly relevant in societies grappling with exponential growth and climate change.
Flynn Carr, Susan Dugdale and Associates (NT)

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Flynn Carr Image: Supplied

As a generalist architect based out of Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern Territory, Flynn Carr has put into practice his passion for addressing inequality, cultural issues and climate change in remote communities. Carr studied architecture at the University of South Australia, achieving a bachelor and a master’s degree. He completed a student internship at Foster and Partners, London before relocating to Alice Springs in 2016 to work with Susan Dugdale and Associates. While progressing from graduate architect to project architect and now associate at the practice, Carr has made significant contributions to several projects in Central Australia, including the Akeyulerre Healing Centre, the Northern Territory government’s Room to Breathe remote housing program, and the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation (Congress) Health Hub. As an active member of the Northern Territory Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and NT EmAGN, and an elected NT Chapter Councillor advocating for Alice Springs, Carr promotes conversations regarding regional and remote architecture through his practice and continuing professional development.
Jamileh Jahangiri, Studio Orsi (NSW)

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Jamileh Jahangiri. Image: Supplied

As the founder of Studio Orsi, a research- and design-focused architectural studio based in Seaforth, New South Wales, and a sessional academic at the University of Sydney, Jamileh Jahangiri has made significant contributions to the architectural profession in Sydney and beyond. Having completed her bachelor degree at the University College of Omran and Toseeh (UCOT) in Iran, and her master’s of architecture at the University of Sydney, she has practised in Iran with Maher and Associates, and in Australia with Gran Associates, TKD Architects and Cox, where she was project lead.
In 2023, Jahangiri was appointed as the Australian Institute of Architects’ Alternative Council Member to the International Union of Architects – Region IV. She has also been an active member on the Institute’s National Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, Sustainability Working Group, NSW Cities Committee, and EmAGN NSW, as well as the Northern Beaches Council – Strategic Reference Group. Through her teaching and numerous published works, Jahangiri supports and nurtures future built-environment professionals.
Mike Sneyd, EKD Architects (WA)

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Mike Sneyd. Image: Supplied

Working in the remote, hot and highly sensitive environment of the Kimberley, Mike Sneyd has shown resourcefulness and inventiveness to arrive at solutions that create social uplift in regional communities. He understands that the primary responsibility of architecture is to people.
Sneyd’s recognition of the vital intersection between architecture in the Kimberley and First Nations cultural exchange is clear in his healthcare project work and his involvement on regional advisory groups. His dedication to the profession is evident in his commitment to resourceful and people-centred development, despite the challenges of tight budgets and a volatile climate.
Although Sneyd’s work occurs in an isolated context, its broader impetus is instructive for the entire profession: observing the absence of community amenity and then initiating a solution is both generous and courageous.
Simona Falvo, Trower Falvo Architects (Vic)

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Simona Falvo. Image: Supplied

In her influential role as a design educator, Simona Falvo imparts not only technical skills but also a comprehensive understanding of the prospects and challenges awaiting her students as they enter the architectural profession. Her dedication to nurturing intellectual rigour in her practice and among her students reflects her commitment to cultivating a mindset that values critical thinking, creativity and attention to detail.
Falvo’s ability to bridge the gap between architectural practice and education, facilitated by her involvement in the Study Tour, will contribute to the holistic development of future architects. It will inspire students, allowing them to witness the dynamic interplay between theory and practice, empowering them to become well-rounded professionals poised to tackle the challenges and shape the future of the architectural landscape.
Jury
Stuart Tanner, national president, Australian Institute of ArchitectsAnna Svensdotter, Australian Institute of Architects representativePete Wood, national commercial business manager, DuluxChristina Earls, colour and commercial marketing manager, DuluxEdwina Brisbane, national EmAGN president representativeKaty Moir, previous Dulux Study Tour recipient More

In 1974, the Department of Public Works in New South Wales launched a program that would see inflatable concrete shells used for the rapid development of public schools to fulfil an election pledge. Fifty years later, some of these structures still stand, and one school has plans to restore theirs.
The department looked to the Italian architect, Dante Bini, who, in 1964, had invented a radical construction system that enabled shell-like structures to be erected quickly and rather inexpensively through the use of an inflatable membrane. The construction process involved pouring a thin layer of concrete over the membrane, which was covered with a network of reinforcing rods. The entire process, from pouring the concrete to completing the finishes, took approximately two weeks.
By the 1970s, the Binishells, patented in 1964, were being reproduced worldwide. After observing the success of the system from afar, the department was eager to see it introduced in NSW. Concurrently, Dante Bini was looking for new work opportunities, and so, the department facilitated Bini and his family’s relocation from Europe to Australia.

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Interior of the Ashbury Public School, NSW, 1977. Image:

Max Dupain

According to the NSW Department of Education, 15 Binishells – including multi-shell complexes – were constructed at 14 public schools between 1974 and 1979, making it the “largest collection of Binishells in the world.” The shells come in either a diameter of 18 metres or 36 metres.
The schools were Narrabeen North Public School, Killarney Heights Public School, Peakhurst High School, Randwick Girls’ High School, Pittwater High School, Ingelburn High School, Ku-ring-gai High School, Georges River College Hurstville Boys Campus, Fairvale High School, Ashbury Public School, Callaghan College Jesmond Senior Campus, Richmond High School, Gateshead High School (now Hunter Sports High School), and Broadmeadow High School (now Hunter School of Performing Arts).
The Binishells constructed as part of the NSW public school program all took on the form of a dome. The first to be built were those sited at Narrabeen North Public School – a complex of three domes, two of which are connected – built in 1974.
The Binishells still in operation include the complex at Narrabeen North Public School, one at Ku-ring-gai High School, one at Ashbury Public School, one at Fairvale High School and one at Georges River College Hurstville Boys Campus. They are predominantly used as administration blocks, libraries, multi-purpose halls and out-of-school-hours care facilities.

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Binishells at Fairvale High School, photographed in May 2014. Image:

Alberto Pugnale

Alberto Pugnale, architect, senior lecturer in architectural design at The University of Melbourne and co-author of Architecture Beyond the Cupola: Inventions and Designs of Dante Bini, said the structures hold historical significance as Australia was the only country to initiate a specific school program that would facilitate the construction of the Binishells.
Furthermore, the domes in NSW represent some of the only instances in the world where Dante Bini himself was heavily involved throughout the design and construction process.
Pugnale explained that because the Binishell was patented it meant that architects, engineers and construction companies were replicating the system across the globe, often without any involvement or participation of Dante Bini. There were even structures made using the Binishell system in other parts of Australia that were not designed by Dante Bini, including a shopping centre in Queensland and some in Victoria, which have since been demolished.
“The first experiments in Italy were conducted directly by him because he was testing and attempting to enhance the technology. Also, Dante Bini’s office, the first office of the Binishell company, was within a Binishell. Apart from those instances and the instances in NSW it is really quite difficult to track down where he may have been personally and directly involved,” Pugnale said.
“In Australia, since he was employed by the Department of Public Works in New South Wales, the designs for the schools were directly made by Dante Bini. That’s probably also the reason why you can find more conceptual sketches of the original designs in Australia.”

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Narrabeen North Public School, photographed in May 2014. Image:

Alberto Pugnale

As the Narrabeen North domes’ 50th anniversary draws closer, plans to restore them have been revealed. A spokesperson from the NSW Department of Education said they are currently in the process of developing a scope of works with an engineer for the school’s Binishells. Once the scope is finalized, funding will then be confirmed.
“We are consulting with stakeholders and heritage experts where remediation work is required,” the spokesperson said. “The structures are complex due to their dome shape and heritage significance and require careful attention when considering repairs and restoration including waterproofing.”
Pugnale said finding a new purpose or function for the Binishells is not always a simple task. Due to their dome shape, the structures have acoustic challenges, particularly if you are sitting in the centre as the sound can reverberate back at you. “They would not be ideal for concerts or performances, for example,” he said. “The Binishells that have been used as sporting facilities seem to have worked pretty well in the past, they could potentially also be used as libraries.”
Pugnale also said using a Binishell permanently for residential purposes could be challenging as walls and ceilings in a shell typology function as a unified system, rather than as separate entities. However, there are examples of holiday homes in Trinity Beach, Queensland, and southern Italy that function well as unique, temporary accommodation. “If you find the right function, then they can be used successfully,” he said.
All of the remaining Binishells have some level of heritage listing. The domes at Narrabeen North, Ashbury and Ku-ring-gai are state heritage listed, while Narrabeen North and Ashbury are also listed as local heritage sites. All of them are listed as heritage significant on the department’s S170 Heritage Conservation Register, which ensures that the buildings are managed and maintained.
Pugnale attributed people’s fascination with Binishells to the innovative construction method, the rapidity of construction and their distinct “futuristic” look. “When you place the reinforcing rods on the grounds, they are flat, and then they bend together with the concrete while it’s taking shape. That’s a very interesting aspect of the Binishell system,” he said. “Another aspect is that, in most cases, these domes sit in a natural landscape so there is this contrast between natural and artificial, and in a way, that creates the impression of a futuristic building.”
Another intriguing element is the way in which the Department of Public Works NSW implemented the system, setting the Binishells in NSW public schools apart from those found elsewhere in the world. More

The City of Helsinki will soon launch an international two-stage design competition for a building that will house the New Museum of Architecture and Design. The council announced it will commit €60 million funding to establish the new museum, on top of €30 million already raised through private donations. The museum will be operated by […] More

A new exhibition at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, explores alternative models of “the great (West) Australian dream.”
Titled “WA Homes – S, M, L,” the exhibition covers a range of housing types in Western Australia, from small houses, medium-density developments, and multi-unit apartment blocks.
Australian houses are the largest in the world, with a median size of 256.3 square metres. Western Australia has the greatest promotion of four-bedroom homes in the country at 36 percent. While at the same time, household sizes are decreasing and the proportion of single-person households are increasing.
“We need to change the way we plan for more housing. We can’t keep building out we need to create capacity for more infill, with more diverse types of homes,” said Perth Design Week co-creators Sandy Anghie and David Smith.

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The exhibition includes domestic architecture at three different scales – small-footprint single residences, medium-density developments, and multi-unit apartments. Image:

Dion Robeson

The exhibition will feature a range of award-winning, small-footprint homes by Perth architects, showcasing how the state can increase the supply, and quality, of homes while also reducing costs and the impact on the environment.
“Small homes include award winning Celilo Springs House by architect Andrew Boyne. At just 120 square metres, this beautiful hand crafted home is half the size of the average Australian home,” the co-creators said.
“The exhibition will also focus on medium density developments, the missing middle. With the start date for the state government’s new Medium Density Code announced just a few weeks ago, this exhibition shows the diversity of housing – and choice ‐ medium density provides.
“Apartments featured in the exhibition challenge the norm. Architects have led the way in innovative apartment design across Perth for decades – from setting precedents in urban density, through to adaptive reuse of existing buildings and build to rent.”
WA Homes – S, M, L is on exhibition at the Hub, Old Gaol, WA Museum Boola Bardip until 29 March 2024 and will be a key part of Perth Design Week. More

A round-up of beautiful new things for your home that draw inspiration from European summers, ancient symbols and time-honoured Japanese traditions. Tsukiko lamp Tsukiko Table Lamp by Alexander Lotersztain for Derlot. Image: Rodrigo Rabaco Tsukiko, meaning “moon child,” is a collaboration between Australian designer Alexander Lotersztain and Kyoto-based, tenth-generation lantern makers Kojima Shōten. A paper […] More

The NSW government has allocated $5.6 million towards artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the process of assessing development applications and increase housing supply.
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has invited AI industry experts to submit existing, mature, proven and successfully implemented AI technology solutions to the department, with the objective being to assist councils with assessing and streamlining the pre-lodgement phase.
Submissions will be reviewed with assessors focusing on how each proposal addresses one or more priority focus areas, demonstrates low-impact implementation, and aligns with the NSW AI Assurance Framework and AI Ethics Policy. Following the evaluation stage, the department will shortlist a selection of products and offer guidance to councils on appropriate AI tools for their individual council.
A statement released by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, stated that proposal reviews would be guided by six principles: trust, transparency, customer benefit, fairness, privacy, and accountability.
“Councils are responsible for determining approximately 85 percent of all new dwellings in NSW,” Scully said. “Introducing more AI features into our planning system is about working smarter so that councils can assess DAs faster, which helps to build more homes where they are needed most. Using AI tools will help us cut down DA assessment times, saving proponents, councils, developers and taxpayers valuable time and money.
“AI won’t replace our highly skilled planners at the core of the planning system, but it will free them up from repetitive daily tasks so that they can focus on more complex DAs.
“The department is also trialling AI tools such as chatbots and automated document processing to support triage queries and enhance response times for the Planning Portal.”
The DPHI confirmed it had already consulted with and conducted workshops with councils to determine the key challenges related to the process. More than 30 metropolitan and regional councils participated in those workshops.
Wagga Wagga City Council was one of the councils who participated. The council manager for development assessment and building certification, Paul O’Brien, said AI could assist their council with arranging pre-lodgement applications into the correct format, eliminating the need for council to undertake time-consuming tasks such as “going back and forth” with the applicant to clarify details regarding the project.
“For most of the regular clients they understand what needs to happen, however, for occasional developers who might do it once or twice in their lifetime it’s very confusing and having an AI presence can help step them through it,” O’Brien said.
Port Stephens Council manager for development and compliance, Evert Grobbelaar, said they can also see the potential benefits of using AI in the pre-DA lodgement process, such as improving “application quality, reduced DA processing timeframes, and education opportunities for the community and landowners on the lodgement process.”
AI proposals can be submitted until 11 March 2024. To find out more, visit the NSW Planning website. More

The 2024 Dezeen Awards is now accepting entries for the seventh edition of its annual awards program. In 2023, the program attracted more than 4,800 entries from 94 countries. Seven architecture projects and six interior projects from Australia made it through to the shortlist, resulting in three Australian projects being awarded or highly commended. Nightingale […] More