Architecture

Three Australian projects have been shortlisted in the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Asia Pacific Awards 2025.
John McAslan and Partners (JMP) earned recognition for two projects on the shortlist. The Sydney Metro Central Station Upgrade, designed with Woods Bagot, was shortlisted in three categories: Adaptive Reuse, RIBA Member and Sustainability and Resilience. The Waterloo Metro Station in Sydney, also designed by JMP, was shortlisted in the Urban Regeneration category.
In shortlisting the Waterloo Metro Station, the jury noted that its design was informed by consultation with Indigenous advisor Yerrabingin, whose input helped shaped the station’s connection to place and history. “Unified by locally inspired materials, colours and textures, it [the station] creates a safe, accessible and inclusive public hub that signals a bright future for inner-city Waterloo,” they commented.

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Melbourne’s Northcote House by LLDS was shortlisted in the AI Powered Design category. According to a communique from RIBA, the project reimagines the Victorian terrace in response to its urban context, “combining sustainable design with local character and merging ecological sensitivity with architectural innovation.” The project involved the use of advanced robotic fabrication processes, with most components locally pre-fabricated within five kilometres of site.
The shortlist represents projects from 13 countries.
“The shortlisted projects reflect architecture that is deeply embedded in the distinctive cultures and character of the Asia Pacific. As a region on the frontline of complex challenges from climate change to rapid urbanisation, the projects demonstrate how the region is responding, introducing innovative new approaches to living and highlighting how architecture can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives,” the communique states.
The winners of the Asia Pacific Awards will be announced at the RIBA Architecture Festival Asia on 17 December 2025. More

The 2025 Rigg Design Prize has been awarded to Adelaide-based Aranda artist Alfred Lowe, whose striking ceramic installation, You and me, us never part, took out the $40,000 prize in what is widely regarded as Australia’s most prestigious accolade for contemporary design. The announcement was made as the tenth edition of the triennial prize opened on 18 September.
This year’s prize focused on Australian designers under 35 working across diverse disciplines including ceramics, glass, lighting, furniture, metalwork, jewellery, and textiles. Each of the 35 invited participants debuted new and ambitious work in the exhibition, offering insight into the ideas and processes shaping the future of Australian design.
Lowe’s work, comprising two large-scale figurative vessels over one metre tall, combines rugged clay with soft raffia elements. The work explores the tensions between love and hate, pain and joy, and the enduring ties of community and Country.

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“We, the jury, are inspired by the ambitious scale and emotional resonance of Alfred’s large, figurative ceramic vessels,” the jury stated. “While grounded in ceramic traditions, Alfred’s work pushes decisively into contemporary territory – expressing his Aranda culture and identity in forms that enliven the storied history of design in this country.”
Lowe was unanimously selected by a jury of leading design professionals and past Rigg Prize winners including jewellery designer Marian Hosking; industrial designer Adam Goodrum; designers Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie of Hecker Guthrie; and Simone LeAmon, curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture at NGV.

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“As an early-career practitioner, his work is inventive, accomplished and joyful, and signals a voice in contemporary Australian design with the power to contribute to international conversations on design and making in meaningful and enduring ways,” the jury concluded.
Selected from across Australia, the finalists invited by the NGV to compete for the $40,000 Rigg Design Prize are Patrick Adeney (VIC, Furniture), Kartika Laili Ahmad (WA, Lighting), Ella Badu (VIC, Jewellery), Walter Brooks (NT, Object Design), Dallissa Brown (NT, Ceramics), Andrew Carvolth (SA, Furniture), Nicola Charlesworth and Kim Stanek of Object Density (NSW, Furniture), Samantha Dennis (TAS, Jewellery), Carly Tarkari Dodd (SA, Jewellery), Hamish Donaldson (VIC, Glass), Jack Fearon of Fearon (QLD, Furniture), Olive Gill-Hille (WA, Furniture), Marcel Hoogstad Hay (SA, Glass), Katherine Hubble (VIC, Jewellery), Jay Jermyn (QLD, Lighting), Nicolette Johnson (QLD, Ceramics), Lavinia Ketchell (QLD, Object Design), Claudia Lau (VIC, Ceramics), Nicole Lawrence (VIC, Furniture), Julian Leigh May (VIC, Furniture), Alfred Lowe (SA, Ceramics), Marlo Lyda (NSW, Lighting), Claire Markwick-Smith (SA, Furniture), Simone Namunjdja (NT, Object Design), Nathan Nhan (ACT, Ceramics), Annie Paxton (VIC, Furniture), Douglas Powell of Duzi Objects (WA, Furniture), Amy Seo and Shahar Cohen of Second Edition (NSW, Furniture), Emma Shepherd of Sundance Studio (VIC, Weaving), Shahn Stewart of Alchemy Orange (VIC, Object Design), Dalton Stewart (VIC, Furniture), Georgie Szymanski (VIC, Furniture), Kohl Tyler (VIC, Ceramics), and Isaac Williams (TAS, Furniture).

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The Rigg Design Prize is awarded every three years and comes with a $40,000 non-acquisitive cash prize. Established in 1994, the prize honours the legacy of the late Colin Rigg and has recognised over 100 Australian designers across a wide range of disciplines.
The Rigg Design Prize 2025 will be on display from 19 September 2025 to February 2026 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Fed Square, Melbourne. More

Merri-bek City Council has announced the finalists in its design competition for a new library and piazza in Coburg, in Melbourne’s north.
Launched in May, the two-stage design competition has been coordinated by CityLab. Among the jury are Victorian government architect Jill Garner (chair), Merri-bek City Council director of community Eamonn Fennessy, associate professor at Monash University Maryam Gusheh, director of Jones and Whitehead Ron Jones, and director of Sibling Architecture Qianyi Lim.
The council’s website states, “Coburg Library will be a place of connection, cultural expression and life-long learning … with flexible spaces to read, learn, make and connect.
“The adjacent piazza will welcome all to gather, participate, play and rest. It will reflect and respect Country and contribute to environmental regeneration, resilience and biodiversity.
“Together, the library and piazza will embody Coburg’s unique identity and form the heart of the precinct.”
During the competition’s first-stage expression of interest, entrants were required to assemble a multidisciplinary team with an experienced leading architect. The selected finalists were then tasked with providing a concept design response to the brief.
These teams include:

FJC Studio, TCL and The Indigenuity Lab
Durbach Block Jaggers, Architecture Associates and Openwork
Edition Office, Blaklash, Hassell, Finding Infinity and Kate Rhodes
Studio Bright, Oculus, Board Grove, Blaklash, Five Mile Radius and Barbara Flynn.

Garner commented, “These shortlisted teams are an exciting and diverse mix of experienced and innovative younger practices,” and added that the project is “an exciting proposition for Coburg.”
Mayor of Merri-bek City Council Helen Davidson added, “The library and piazza project is an important first step to revitalising central Coburg, and we are also currently exploring other ideas to better utilise space in the heart of Coburg.
“This design competition challenges creative minds to launch our innovative vision for a new library and piazza. By allowing submissions from many design teams, we want to ensure we have a design which will best capture what is needed for Coburg, including a design which captures Coburg’s neighbourhood character.”

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Situated on a current car park among a collection of churches and retail spaces, the $60 million project is intended to substitute the council’s existing library, which will be sold or leased to partially fund the project.
The proposed library is scoped with 3,000 square metres of floor area for cultural and community uses, which include a cafe, artist studios and exhibition spaces. The new 2,000-square-metre piazza is expected to provide a multifunctional space and increased tree canopy connected to the Upfield rail corridor. Merri-bek City Council has also outlined the possibility of basement car parking.
Following endorsement from the Merri-bek City Council, the winning team is expected to be announced later this year, with the draft concept design presented to the public for feedback in early 2026. More

Global design firm Arup has been appointed by the Queensland government to lead the masterplanning of the Victoria Park precinct in Brisbane’s north, which is set to be the heart of the city’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
According to a media release from the government, “Arup … brings a wealth of experience in developing complex masterplans on major projects,” which will “kickstart the integrated masterplan for the Victoria Park precinct.”
The precinct is set to host the new Brisbane Stadium and the National Aquatic Centre, and encompasses the proposed Brisbane Athletes Village at the Brisbane Showgrounds nearby. Altogether, the precinct will host more than 10,000 athletes and officials during the Olympics and over 5,000 during the Paralympic Games.
Just last week, the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) launched an expression of interest (EOI) for principal architects for the Brisbane Stadium and the National Aquatic Centre.

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The appointment of a principal consultant to lead the integrated masterplan of the Victoria Park precinct attracted 20 expressions of interest, which the state government attributes to “enthusiasm in the market to build generational infrastructure.”
Arup project director Penny Hall said, “The opportunity to reimagine the inner Brisbane precinct as a world-class hub for recreation, events, entertainment, and lifestyle as a lasting legacy for Queenslanders well beyond the games is both familiar and tremendously exciting for our team to be a part of.”
Hall commented that Arup’s portfolio includes the Sydney 2000 Olympics, through to London 2012 and, more recently, Paris 2024, as well as global events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“Our approach to masterplanning is grounded in a once-in-a-generation lens – one that aligns with the Queensland Government’s bold vision for the Victoria Park precinct,” Hall added.

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According to the government, “The first phase of the detailed masterplanning process … will include technical site investigations, planning and design [of] the major pieces of connectivity and public realm infrastructure to support infrastructure delivery and ensure visitors can move seamlessly around the precinct.
“The masterplan will also focus on … public and green spaces, improving connectivity, and creating seamless experiences for the thousands expected to enjoy the precinct during and long after the games.”
According to Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie, the contract is the first to be awarded for stadium delivery and “will ensure key venues, including Brisbane Stadium and National Aquatic Centre, are designed on time and with a clear vision to benefit Queenslanders for decades to come.”
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner added that, once realised, the “precinct will be the beating heart of Brisbane, where green turns to gold during the games and Queenslanders unite to celebrate sport, culture and lifestyle long after.”
The government notes that they are working closely with Brisbane City Council, the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), and other key stakeholders to ensure integrated design outcomes across the precinct. More

A proposal for a seven-level park-facing apartment building in Melbourne’s Brunswick has received fast-tracked approval.
The project marks the first collaboration between Austin Maynard Architects and developer Hip V. Hype. Named Parklife 2, the project aims to build on the success of the design of Parklife by Austin Maynard Architects, which claimed several architectural awards as part of Nightingale Village – including the Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture (Multiple Housing) at the Australian Institute of Architects 2023 National Architecture Awards.
ParkLife 2 was expedited for approval via the Victorian government’s Development Facilitation Program planning pathway. The proposed building at 427 Albert Street will accommodate 61 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. According to Hip V. Hype, the apartments “are configured to enable long-term flexibility, with the option to amalgamate dwellings to meet the needs of changing family structures.”

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A communal rooftop yard, enclosed by a mesh structure, is designed to create a safe and open environment where children can play freely. A six-metre, open-air public path at ground level with landscaped areas will create a new direct connection between Albert Street, Gilpin Park and Clifton Park. Gardens of the Sun are behind the landscape design of the project. Additionally, a ground-floor tenancy within the building will house Hip V. Hype’s new headquarters.
The project is targeting a minimum NatHERS rating of 8.5 stars. According to a communique from Hip V. Hype, the building will be fully electric. More

The Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) has recommended against building the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart – the latest setback for the Tasmania Devils’ AFL and AFLW aspirations, with the stadium intended to be their future home ground.
An independent expert panel delivered its recommendation in a report that was publicly released on Wednesday 16 September. It states, “The panel has concluded that the benefits are outweighed by the disbenefits.”
The report notes, “The stadium (including its roof) – through its size, scale and form – will be dominant within the landscape, diminishing the prominence and significance of The Domain headland as a frame of Sullivans Cove, and standing as a significant obtrusive element in the present urban form in and surrounding Sullivans Cove.
“It will irrevocably change, for the worse in the opinion of the panel, the way in which the landscape and urban pattern is appreciated and understood.
“The size, shape and location of the site is ill-suited to a building like the stadium – a singular, large, bulky monolith which will overwhelm those surrounding buildings and the setting.”
Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis conducted by the panel found that constructing and operating the stadium would result in “a substantial net social cost to the Tasmanian community,” as the economic and social benefits are relatively small compared to the project’s public cost, the report states.
The panel concluded the report by saying that the “fundamental problem is the size, location and geographical features of the site, in its highly valued context, do not support the disproportionately large, monolithic building proposed.
“Proceeding with the project will give rise to irrevocable and unacceptable adverse impacts on Hobart’s spatial and landscape character, urban form and historic cultural heritage.”
In response, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said, “[The report] massively underestimates the social and economic benefits of the stadium, our Tassie Devils AFL and AFLW teams, and a supercharged events industry will have on our state.”
“As a growing state, reaching for aspiration and opportunity for young people, we must pursue ambitious projects like that at Macquarie Point.
“It will create jobs, boost our tourism and hospitality sector, secure world-class entertainment and keep our economy strong.”
Concept designs for the stadium were unveiled in July 2024. Cox Architecture was announced in May 2024 as the lead design consultant for the project alongside Tasmanian architecture practice Cumulus Studio, specialist engineers and technicians AECOM, Cova, Aldanmark, and Pitt and Sherry, and international partner Schlaich Bergermann Partners.
The recommendation doesn’t carry legal weight, with the Tasmanian parliament set to have the final say on approval for the project with a vote in both houses of parliament. More

Highly esteemed British architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw has died aged 85.
In 1980, he founded Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, the practice behind several iconic projects – including the Financial Times printworks in east London (1988), the Eden Project in Cornwall (2001), and the International Terminal at Waterloo Station in London (1993), which won the 1994 RIBA Building of the Year Award, the precursor to the Stirling Prize. In 2024, the practice won its second Stirling Prize for the Elizabeth Line.

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Today, Grimshaw has offices in London, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Dubai, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. In Australia, Grimshaw’s practice has also achieved significant success with projects such as the Parramatta Aquatic Centre – designed with Andrew Burges Architects and McGregor Coxall – which won the Australian Institute of Architects 2024 National Award for Public Architecture and the 2024 Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design. Other notable works include the Martin Place Metro in Sydney (2024) and the Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail stations (2019).

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Grimshaw was knighted for his services to architecture in 2002, served as the president of the Royal Academy from 2004 to 2011, and was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 2019. At the time of receiving the 2019 RIBA Gold Medal, he reflected, “My life, and that of the practice, has always been involved in experiment and in ideas, particularly around sustainability; I have always felt we should use the technology of the age we live in for the improvement of mankind.”
In 2022, Grimshaw established a foundation aimed at supporting and empowering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by helping them explore creative and built environment career paths. According to his firm, the Grimshaw Foundation has supported more than 500 young people over the past three years, helping them to develop practical skills, build confidence and curiosity, and see creative careers as both realistic and achievable.
Grimshaw’s firm, which announced his passing today, characterised him as “a man of invention and ideas” who will be remembered “for his endless curiosity about how things are made and his commitment to the craft of architecture and building.”
“Nick had an extraordinary ability to convince others that daring ideas were possible.”

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Chairman of Grimshaw Andrew Whalley recalled that from the very first day he arrived at the practice in 1986, he felt the warmth and generosity of Nick’s leadership. “The lack of hierarchy in the studio, shaped by his amiable and open personality, was its true strength. It created a collegiate spirit, a place where people genuinely enjoyed working together, supporting one another, and finding the tenacity to deliver some of the most complex buildings,” said Whalley.
“His architecture was never about surface or fashion, but always about structure, craft and purpose – about creating buildings that endure because they are both useful and uplifting and, in Nick’s words, ‘bring some kind of joy.’”
Grimshaw lived with his wife and was a proud father of two. More

Melbourne-based practice Kennedy Nolan has been appointed to progress the evolution of a masterplan for the historic Abbotsford Convent precinct in the city’s inner north-east.
The 16-acre convent site has been a place of enduring historical significance, currently serving as a multi-arts precinct.
From 1863 until 1974, the site was home to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd – at the time, “one of the largest charitable institutions in the southern hemisphere,” a communique from the convent notes.

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In 2017, the complex was added to the national heritage list in recognition of its historical and architectural significance. A year later, in 2018, Kerstin Thompson Architects completed an adaptive re-use of the convent’s Sacred Heart building, which won a National Commendation for Heritage at the Australian Institute of Architects 2019 Architecture Awards.
In collaboration with specialist consultants, architecture practice Hassell were appointed to update the masterplan for the site, then 15 years old, in 2022.
According to the convent’s communique, the appointment of Kennedy Nolan to assist in the realisation of the masterplan marks a significant milestone in the site’s journey of renewal.

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CEO of the Abbotsford Convent Foundation Justine Hyde said, “Abbotsford Convent has always been a place where heritage and creativity converge – partnering with Kennedy Nolan ensures that our built and natural environment will continue to inspire and serve the community while respecting the unique character of our beloved precinct.”
“As a values-aligned local practice known for its sensitive, human-centred approach, Kennedy Nolan was a natural choice to progress this next phase of work,” Hyde added. “Their appointment underscores the convent’s commitment to design that is both forward-thinking and deeply grounded in place to create spaces that invite creativity, inclusivity and sustainability.”
Kennedy Nolan principal Rachel Nolan said the studio was honoured with the appointment. “Our partnership with Abbotsford Convent is enormously satisfying to us, bringing together so many elements of intrinsic importance to our practice: First Nations priorities, repair of ecology, growing infrastructure for creative production, inclusivity and placemaking for Melbourne and its many visitors,” she said.

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The convent’s communique notes that over the next six months, Kennedy Nolan “will scope and prioritise key projects for development in realising the 2022 convent masterplan vision to protect and enhance the precinct for future generations.”
In June this year, Hyde expressed opposition to plans for the four-storey redevelopment of an aged-care facility designed by Life Architecture and Urban Design (formerly CHT Architects) for Mercy Health, located adjacent to the heritage-listed Good Shepherd Chapel. The application is currently under assessment from Heritage Victoria. More