Architecture

Updated plans for a mixed-use building in Sydney’s Haymarket have been revealed, following the submission of a stage-two development application.
A 16-storey tower with four basement levels has been proposed for the site at 136 Hay Street, offering retail tenancies, supermarket, 318 hotel rooms and basement car parking.
Designed by BVN, the latest submission builds on the urban response, form and materiality of an application approved in 2017.
Plans show the facade with a masonry podium, that is interlocked with a glazed tower. The podium has been designed to be visually complementary to the adjacent, heritage-listed Manning Building (Capitol Theatre). Masonry cladding references the materiality of the historical form, while the ratio of solid wall to window mimics similar proportions to that of the Manning Building.
A glazed awning unites the podium to the tower, with the glass building set atop and within the stone base. The tower’s smooth and curved glazed skin juxtaposes the more textured podium. Glazing of the facade was selected to minimize overwhelming reflection at street level.
A green plane has been proposed for the glazed exterior, which slopes down to Belmore Park. A grid of stainless steel cables would support growth of climbing plants, creating a compatible relationship between the architectural green feature and the parklands. Balconies on each of level of the tower have been proposed for garden maintenance access. The building’s height sits below the solar height plane, maintaining Belmore Park’s access to solar.

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City Terrace looks onto the city and will house the hotel’s pool. Image: BVN

Level seven of the building would accommodate a sky lobby and restaurant level. Plans state the “elevated position and access to external terraces will be a significant attraction for guests of the hotel and the public.” Two terraces have been put foward for this level: the City Terrace and Park Terrace. The City Terrace looks over the city and would be the location of the hotel’s pool, while the Park Terrace provides views of Belmore Park and a public restaurant or bar offering. Sheltered by a green roof above, the Park Terrace would have access to natural light through skylights.
At ground level, the hotel lobby would be visible at the intersection of Pitt and Campbell Streets, while retail tenancies have been proposed for the glazed frontages on Pitt and Hay Streets. The glazed hotel pool proposed for level seven’s City Terrace would be designed to be seen from street level. Planning documents advise the ground level would be raised to reduce risk of flood damage to the building during wet seasons.
The design report stated the site would benefit from development as it was previously vacant and “only used temporarily for on-grade car parking.”
“The location suits a major hotel as it is within walking distance to the Capitol Theatre and Central Station.”
Early works such as earthworks and basement retention have now been completed on site, following the approval in 2017. The new application is now on exhibition. More

Architecture and design students and staff from Curtin University will soon be able to gain educational insights from global industry leaders, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Consulate of Italy.
Curtin’s global deputy vice-chancellor, professor Seth Kunin and Consulate of Italy acting consul Dr Emilio Sessa signed the agreement at Curtin’s Bentley campus in Perth. The arrangement will ensure Curtin University has a working relationship with several Italian universities across a broad range of educational disciplines and research fields, including architecture, design, entrepreneurship and innovation, and radio astronomy.
The MoU, which has a strong focus on sustainability, aims to support increased collaboration on research projects, as well as facilitate several international exchange programs. Exchange activities include organized exhibitions in Perth and excursions to visit scholars and industry experts, such as internationally renowned architect Mario Cucinella, who witnessed the signing.
The MoU has already prompted an exhibition on the work of Pier Luigi Nervi and a visit from professor Mario Panizza.
City of Perth lord mayor Basil Zempilas said supporting the sharing of knowledge in the design space was critical for the sustainability of urban areas, such as Perth.
“Mario Cucinella is a global thought leader in architecture and built design and we’re so pleased to welcome him to Perth to share his insights,” Zempilas said. “His experience with innovative and sustainable urban development is invaluable to our local architects, developers and town planners as we work to build an even brighter and more sustainable future for our city.”
Sessa said both Italy and Australia have a strong commitment for tackling the climate crisis and reaching low carbon emissions targets.
“This MoU represents an important opportunity to make the bilateral collaboration stronger in terms of academic and cultural projects in the fields of design, architecture, green and circular economy,” Sessa said.
“At the same time, it aims to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness in our communities.” More

A draft precinct plan for the redevelopment of Hobart’s heritage-laden Macquarie Point has been released by the Tasmanian government, following a review of more than 2,000 written submissions regarding the development.
Macquarie Point is located between Hobart’s CBD and the Port of Hobart. It connects the CBD to the Queen’s Domain, the Hobart Cenotaph, the intercity cycleway and Tasman Bridge. The site was home to the muwinina people for thousands of years before becoming an early arrival point for Europeans and later being used as a farm, abattoir, lumber yard, gas works, cold store, goods storage and military drill yard.
The state government has proposed the establishment of a multi-purpose stadium, a First Nations culturally informed zone, Antarctic facilities, an integrated mixed-use zone, residential zone and public foreshore on the site. The draft precinct plan has been produced by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation with Cox Architecture.
As indicated in the plans, the objective for the new mixed-use precinct is to create a place for community and visitors to “gather, celebrate and reflect, through the arts, culture, sport, events and entertainment.”
A multipurpose stadium would create the opportunity to attract and host events at a scale currently not available in the state, with the stadium footprint, excluding external concourse, occupying an approximate area of 43,000 square metres.
An Aboriginal Culturally Informed Zone has been proposed for the northern and western (front) face of the site due to its increased visibility. The design team will seek guidance from First Nations enterprises when naming the space, identifying the purpose of the space and exploring opportunities for integrating narrative, storytelling and educational aspects.
An Antarctic Facilities Zone, of 8,000 square metres to the north-east of the stadium, has been proposed to support growth within the Antarctic industry. The zone would offer administrative office spaces and underground carpark to organizations, with priority given to those with projects in the Antarctic.
The Mixed-Use Zone (south-west) would serve as an interface between Macquarie Point, the Macquarie Wharf Commercial Zone, and Sullivans Cove, offering a range of commercial, retail and food and beverage spaces.
A residential and foreshore zone would provide affordable housing to support healthcare workers, as well as apartments for release to the general market. The proposal states the residential develpment would be “sympathetic to the stepped topography of the foreshore and will be delivered with an activated ground floor of commercial, retail or food and beverage uses.” The zone will have pedestrian walkways connected to the main activity hub, and will provide access to communal open spaces, public transport options and the publicly accessible foreshore.
The Royal Engineers Building, established in 1847, will remain on site. So too, will the Macquarie Wharf and Huon Quays, with both have upgrade works undertaken.
Stage one of the project will involve upgrades to the Macquarie Wharf, northern access road works and commencement of events stadium, while stage two of the project will involve the development of the residential zone, public foreshore, Aboriginal Culturally Informed Zone and Commercial Port Zone. The Mixed-Use Zone, Antarctic Facilities Zone and Huon Quays stage of works will be undertaken in the final stage of the project.
Plans state the precinct has been designed to be complementary rather than competitive with neighbouring sites, as well as improve connections and access to nearby sites and parks, extend Hobart’s urban character, celebrate and preserve heritage, maintain significant views across the cove and explores opportunities to integrate the waterfront through the allocation of public spaces along the water’s edge.
During the consultation phase, more than 2,000 submissions were received, with the multipurpose stadium garnering mixed responses. While there was “predominately strong support,” there were “also strong views that do not support the development of a stadium on site.” Concerns were largely centred around the size of the venue or a preference for an alternative facility on site. Plans indicated that majority of submissions were in favour of the new venue bringing visitors during off-peak travel seasons, however, many outlined a desire for a sensory-informed space that is considerate of all aspects of mobility and accessiblity.
The project will target a Green Star rating through the implementation of sustainability design measures that will maximize energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
The draft precinct plan is now on exhibit for feedback. The design team and stakeholders are currently working on the masterplan, which will provide more details on each of the zones and the specific uses of each zone. More

A research project conducted by Dr Michael Mossman and professor Donald McNeill of The University of Sydney’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning department has been awarded $1.4 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Indigenous 2024 funding. The project, Indigenising the Built Environment in Australia, will examine the 2021 National Standard of Competency for […] More

The City of Melbourne has appointed ten new members to its Melbourne Design Review Panel. First introduced in October 2021 as a 12-month pilot program, the Melbourne Design Review Panel was made permanent in March 2023. The panel provides independent design advice to both council and applicants of prominent design proposals, and champions design excellence […] More

Monash University is seeking to appoint a multi-disciplinary team to design a new integrated campus centre at its Clayton campus in Melbourne’s south-east. The proposed campus centre will create a new student hub that respects and understands its place on Bunurong Country and expresses the identity of the university. The centre will be distinctive, contextually […] More

Dedece have launched a new lighting collection, featuring a curated selection of lighting fixtures from two acclaimed luminaries, Davide Groppi and Kreon. Dedece lighting specialist, Douglas Frost said lighting possesses an ability to “create ambience, accentuate design elements and enhance functionality, ultimately transforming a mere structure into a living, breathing environment.” Davide Groppi’s offerings include […] More

The Australian Institute of Architects is inviting the public to vote for their favourite house shortlisted in the 2023 National Architecture Awards. The 13 eligible houses come from the Residential Architecture – Houses (New) and House (Alterations and Additions) categories of the awards. The public are invited to nominate their favourite house, writing 25 words […] More