Subterms
A development application for a 12-storey building in Hobart’s CBD has been lodged with Hobart City Council. The planned building, designed by Gray Puksand, accommodates more than 15,000 square meters of office space, 32 parking spots, and 114 bicycle spaces. The 46-metre-tall structure stands atop two podiums and features a red brick and glazed facade. […] More
Visitors of the Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, New South Wales, could soon be able to swim next to animals if a development application for a swimming pool, events centre and vacation cabins on the site is approved. The Obley Road development would see five hectares of vacant land transformed. Troppo Architects with landscape […] More
AJC Architects have been named the winners of an invited City of Sydney Design Excellence Competition for affordable housing buildings in Alexandria, with the winning scheme revealing buildings broken up into “intimate neighbourhoods.”
AJC Architects was one of three architecture practices invited to participate in the design competition, alongside SJB and Embece. The project, developed by City West, proposes the delivery of 246 affordable apartments across eight buildings of seven to 12 storeys at a corner site on Botany Road.
The winning practice used a multi-core design strategy to break up the building massing into a series of connected “neighbourhoods.” These neighbourhoods enable natural light and ventilation to be drawn through the building into rooms often unable to access these elements.
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The design of the facades responds to the robust masonry forms located within the urban context. Image:
Virtual Ideas
The facade will respond to the robust masonry forms located within the urban context, while activated street frontages have been proposed through the establishment of retail offerings.
One third of the site, about 2,400 square metres, will be dedicated to communal shared space. Occupants from each neighbourhood will be encouraged to interact through a series of connected, shared landscapes. Landscape design has been undertaken by Peter Ireland, with shared landscapes recognising the Traditional Custodians of the land – the Gadi, Merooberah and Kamay clans – by incorporating a selection of materials and plants that will reference the wetlands and sand dunes, which previously existed in the area.
Two-storey entry lobbies provide additional spaces for socialisation, along with visual connections to the internal gardens and streetscape.
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The design prioritises natural light and ventilation. Image:
Virtual Ideas
AJC studio lead Lee Collard said the practice used findings from their own studies to inform the design. “We’ve been developing and refining the multi-core model as part of this project, along principles from our Urban Backyard study, which, combined will deliver outstanding amenity, and also help cultivate community among residents,” Collard said.
“The multi-core breaks down the development into more relatable communities. In this scheme, it’s up to a maximum of four apartments per floor, which gives it a neighbourly feel. That’s well below the Apartment Design Guide (ADG) stipulation of 8–12 per floor (maximum) for optimal harmony among residents. The multi-core design also provides opportunities for windows where typical apartments wouldn’t have – kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, etc, and we’ve been prototyping the model to solve access issues sometimes associated with multi-core buildings.”
Work on the development application process will begin in early 2024. More
Robin Boyd Foundation has launched an online collection of works and artefacts that catalogue the seminal architect’s connection to Japan. The Robin Boyd and Japan collection expands on recent exhibition at the Walsh Street House. Boyd visited Japan in the 1960s and later held the position of exhibition architect at the Australian Pavilion during the […] More
The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission has approved a proposal to construction a $113 million, 34-storey build-to-rent tower in Parramatta designed b Rothelowman. Proposal was submitted to the NSW planning department for assessment in April 2023. City of Parramatta objected to the proposal, which led to it being assessed by the Independent Planning Commission. […] More
From groovy chairs and kettles to an exhibition of emerging First Nations artists, we’ve rounded up a series of events to inspire you this month. MPavilion Chair Commissions MPavilion Chair Commissions is on display at the recently opened Powerhouse Castle Hill by Lahznimmo Architects. Image: Rory Gardiner Ten MPavilion Chair Commissions have been generously donated […] More
Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design have been appointed to design the refurbishment of the historic South Melbourne Town Hall into a performance venue for the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM).
The $65 million project will create a new 150-seat theatre, a 350-seat main hall, new foyer bar and lounge, commercial kitchen and a public terrace. The revitalised town hall will be able to host events such as stand-up comedy, string quartets, local school concerts, speech nights, weddings and special occasions.
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The proposed revitalisation of South Melbourne Town Hall by Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design. Image:
Tilt Projects and Pause Paradiso
“ANAM’s reoccupation of the South Melbourne Town Hall is a rare legacy project: the building has great presence, character and historic significance. It can become a special place for ANAM – a home for making music and engaging with a wide audience. It will also be a destination venue and engine room for creative activity that will enrich the life of the local community and of Victoria,” said architect Peter Elliott.
“We are working closely with Aunty Gail and Aunty Julieanne of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to acknowledge the importance of First Nations history of the site in our design. The stories and cultural knowledge shared by the Aunties, have informed our way of envisioning how audiences might gather together in intimate surroundings, to enjoy music, dance and culture, as well as in more conventional formats.”
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The proposed revitalisation of South Melbourne Town Hall by Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design. Image:
Tilt Projects and Pause Paradiso
South Melbourne Town Hall originally opened in 1879, and was designed by architect Charles Webb after winning an architectural competition. The design was inspired by Melbourne’s St Paul’s Cathedral, the Windsor Hotel and Royal Arcade.
ANAM first became a tenant of the hall in 1997, following council amalgamations in the mid 1990s, that made South Melbourne Town Hall redundant. In 2020, the building was declared unsafe, leading to evacuation of all tenants.
In 2021 ANAM developed a proposal to revitalise the hall, which the City of Port Phillip endorsed. The academy will contribute $50 million in government and philanthropic funding to the project, with the council contributing $15 million.
ANAM has received funding from the Commonwealth government and is discussions with the Victorian government and philanthropic community.
The project is anticipated to be complete in 2026. More
A disability support services organisation in Sydney’s north-west has received council approval for the $35 million redevelopment of its community hub, designed by Plus Architecture.
The proposal will incorporate three heritage buildings on the site of McCall Gardens Community Foundation in Box Hill, and create an inclusive, accessible and wellbeing focused centre.
A redevelopment proposal was first submitted in 2021, before an amended proposal was submitted to Hills Shire Council in 2023.
Plus Architecture said its updated design will become a “community beacon.”
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The proposed new McCall Community Hub by Plus Architecture. Image: Atchain
“The backbone of the updated DA is about creating a new way forward of providing care for people with special needs, through better integration with the local community and finding ways to overcome stigma through design,” said Plus Architecture principal Gabriel Duque.
“We went through the process of essentially re-establishing the aspirational and the functional briefing requirements of the Hub, trying to ensure that we stayed within the original footprint of the original DA while celebrating the site assets and fine-tuning the design to be more accessible, and inserting more opportunities where people are able to come together.”
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The proposed new McCall Community Hub by Plus Architecture. Image: Atchain
McCall Gardens was established in the early 1950s after parents of children with disabilities joined together to create a place to live. When the facility opened in 1958, it was the first of its kind in New South Wales.
The revitalised community hub will include a sensory garden, user-friendly landscaping, a cafe, multipurpose rooms for community use, play facilities for families and children, and a swimming pool.
The design will incorporate textures, sounds, tactile features, improved wayfinding, curved walls and sensitive lighting design.
“With over 1.3 million people living with disability in NSW, it is critical that services and facilities provided across our communities afford all people the dignity, respect and inclusivity they deserve. At McCall, we recognise the inherent value and potential of all people. We understand that ‘people with disabilities’ are ‘disabled’ not by their impairments, but by the barriers and limitations put forward by society,” said McCall CEO Belinda Colombrita.
“The McCall Community Hub is part of our fight for greater inclusivity and equity. It aims to bring the community together and celebrate a sense of place. It turns what was a very ‘inward’ community environment into an ‘outward’ and inviting gesture – ensuring that the McCall Community Hub can enjoy an enduring legacy and serve the community for many years to come,” Colombrita said.
Construction set to begin in May 2024 and is anticipated to be complete in October 2025. More
