Architecture

What do painting robot dogs, an eight-metre-long bronze eel trap and Yoko Ono have in common? They are all set to feature at the long-anticipated 2023 NGV Triennial.
Bringing contemporary art, design and architecture into dialogue with one another, the upcoming Triennial will showcase nearly 75 projects with more than 25 making their world debut.
The latest Triennial is centred around three thematic pillars: Magic, Matter, and Memory. The theme of Magic will delve into belief systems, allegory, symbolism and human spirituality, while Matter will explore nature, materials and making. Memory will shine a light on the histories of people, places and objects that have contributed to the complex tapestry of contemporary society.
Visitors will encounter an array of art forms and disciplines presented by 100 international artists. Some of the celebrated and emerging creatives on the bill include Sheila Hicks (USA), Tracey Emin (UK), Betty Muffler (Australia), David Shrigley (UK), Maison Schiaparelli (France), Maurizio Cattelan (Italy), Shakuntala Kulkarni (India), Lin Fanglu (China), Ivan Navarro (Chile), Petrit Halilaj (Kosovo), Ihor Okuniev (Ukraine), Ezz Monem (Egypt), Thomas J Price (UK), Iris van Herpen (Netherlands), Jean Jullien (France), Fernando Laposse (Mexico), Azuma Makoto (Japan), Flora Yukhnovich (UK), Yee I-Lann (Malaysia), Farrokh Mahdavi (Iran), Hugh Hayden (USA), Elmgreen and Dragset (Denmark, Norway).

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Basia and Bunny collaborate on their artwork. Image:

Pilat Studios

Highlights include an interactive display by Polish-born, LA-based artist Agnieszka Pilat who has trained Boston Dynamics robot dogs to paint autonomously – a breakthrough in her practice that explores the power of technology in contemporary society. Audiences can witness the three AI-programmed dogs paint large-scale canvases in real time. Pilat imagines that in the distant future these paintings will be revered as the first primitive art of AI-enabled robots.

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Portrait of featured artist Aunty Kim Wandin. Image:

Brett Walker

An eight-metre-long bronze eel trap by Wurundjeri artist Aunty Kim Wandin will be installed in the moat of NGV International. Visible to Melbournians twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, this major new work acknowledges the profound connections between Wurundjeri people and the lands and waterways that they have been custodians of for generations. The sculpture is a tribute to the history of Wurundjeri women, the tradition of weaving, and their relationship with the short-finned eel, known in their language as Iuk.
An exciting selection of recently acquired works by British artist Tracey Emin, whose autobiographical and confessional practice spans film, painting, drawing, installation and sculpture. Featured works include a five-metre-high text-based neon light installation of Emin’s own handwriting, abstract and tactile bronze sculptures, as well as paintings that confront intense emotions such as anguish and elation.

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Azuma Makoto introduces an installation that fills an entire room with beautiful flowers and botanicals frozen into blocks. Image:

Courtesy of Azuma Makoto

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Azuma Makoto botanical display. Image:

Courtesy of Azuma Makoto

Tokyo-based artist Azuma Makoto introduces an installation that fills an entire room with beautiful flowers and botanicals frozen into crystalline acrylic blocks. A homage to the magical beauty and lifeforce of plants, the artist places these jewel-like sculptural elements in dialogue with a beguiling multi-screen film depicting the life and death of flowers. Through the installation, Azuma invites observers to explore the complex and fragile relationship between humans and plants.
David Shrigley, known for his darkly humorous works that consider the absurdity of everyday life, will present his monumental public sculpture, Really Good, 2016. The work was conceived in the immediate aftermath of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Taking the form of a seven-metre-high thumbs-up, the sculpture is characteristic of the self-conscious irony often found in Shrigley’s work and is intended as both a satirical and sincere gesture.

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My Mommy Is Beautiful by Yoko Ono, 2004/2021 Installation View, Mutter!, Kunsthalle Mannheim, Germany, 2021. Image:

Heiko Daniels

Counter-culture icon Yoko Ono will present a large-scale text-based work on the façade of NGV International. Boldly declaring “I Love You Earth”, her text works have appeared on billboards and banners across cities and public spaces around the world ahead of its Australian premiere. The NGV Triennial will also feature Ono’s participatory work, My Mommy Is Beautiful, 2010, where visitors are prompted to write or draw reflections about their own mothers or mother-like figures on the NGV gallery walls.
Kosovan artist Petrit Halilaj will create a new iteration of his installation, Very Volcanic Over This Green Feather, 2022. The installation is inspired by Halilaj’s childhood sketches that he created in the Kukës II refugee camp in Albania during the Kosovan War. Interspersing depictions of rural landscapes and birds with symbols of death and destruction, the exhibit reveals the slippery relationship between the real and the imagined, personal and collective memory, and recorded history and lived experience.

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Megacities by Mas Agung Wilis Yudha Baskoro. Commuters line up waiting for a train at Manggarai Station, South Jakarta, 2023. Image:

Courtesy of Mas Agung Wilis Yudha Baskoro

Megacities is a large-scale NGV-commissioned project featuring the work of ten leading street photographers. Invited to capture images of ten global megacities: Cairo, Dhaka, Jakarta, Delhi, São Paulo, Shanghai, Seoul, Lagos, Tokyo and Mexico City, the photographers reveal interesting differences and similarities across each location. The photographed works will be displayed in a dynamic, immersive environment.
NGV director Tony Ellwood said the three-year wait for the latest Triennial is absolutely worth it. “In the three years since the last NGV Triennial, the world has experienced a great many structural shifts, including a global pandemic. Through the work of more than 100 artists, designers, architects and collectives from Australia and around the world, the NGV Triennial offers a powerful insight into the ideas and concerns empowering creative practice in 2023,” he said.
“The artists, designers and architects of our time play an important role in helping us to understand, navigate and relate to the world around us. The 2023 NGV Triennial offers audiences a valuable opportunity to experience new and surprising forms of creative expression from around the globe, which, together, present a compelling snapshot of the world as it is, while also asking how we would like it to be.”
The NGV Triennial is on display between 3 December, 2023 and 7 April, 2024 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is free. Further information is available via the NGV website. More

The Australian Institute of Architects announced the winners of the 2023 National Architecture Awards on 31 October, in which eight houses were honoured for their ingenuity and imagination.
A “sweet and unassuming house,” Sunday by Architecture Architecture, was lauded by the national jury for its depth and variety of spaces. The house received the Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions).
“With space enough for two, the dwelling offers a delicate intimacy where the rituals of daily life are celebrated. Everywhere you look, there is something to delight,” the jury said. “When the urge to gather presents, the house easily welcomes guests, with spaces showing a delightful ability to adapt and flex.”
In the same category, Balmain House by Saha received a National Award from the jury. “Balmain House is an example of a carefully considered residential extension to a tired existing dwelling,” the jury said.
Harriet’s House by SO Architecture and North Perth House by Simon Pendal Architect both received National Commendations from the jury.

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19 Waterloo by SJB. Image:

Anson Smart

Over in the Houses (New) category, the jury were most impressed by SJB’s 19 Waterloo, honouring it with the Robin Boyd Award. “At a time when our country faces a once-in-a-generation housing crisis, we are in dire need of new approaches,” the jury said, “19 Waterloo Street is a spectacular example of a new approach to urban infill. Constructed on the 30 square metres left between a new mixed-use building (a studio apartment and commercial tenancy) and an existing factory, the home shows how hard architecture can work, even on a small footprint.”
In an entirely contrasting context, two Victorian farmhouses received National Awards. Spring Creek Road Farm House by Architect Brew Koch was lauded for its ” triumph of economy of materials and finishes,” that provided “just enough space, just enough comfort, just enough light,” while Merricks Farmhouse by Michael Lumby with Nielsen Jenkins was praised for its “different take on the rural shed vernacular.”
Mossy Point House by Edition Office received a National Commendation in the Houses (New) category.
See all the winners of the 2023 National Architecture Awards here. More

BAFTA award-winning broadcaster, Grand Designs television host, designer, writer, and environmentalist, Kevin McCloud, is set to return to Australia in February 2024 with a brand new, national tour. The upcoming show, titled “Kevin McCloud’s Home Truths,” promises outbursts of laughter with tales from McCloud’s distinguished television career, hilarious anecdotes and an unfiltered question and answer […] More

British-born and Melbourne-based self-taught designer, Dean Norton has earned another accolade to his repertoire, this time named in the top 100 global designers at the 2023 Kyoto Global Design Awards.
Born and raised in Essex, England, Norton initially studied graphic design before taking on an interior design degree at the University of Arts London. Borne out of a desire to create functional pieces that made an artistic statement, Norton launched his own studio in Melbourne in 2017. Developing minimalist works inspired by personal experiences, Norton aims to craft enduring, performative works that connect with the observer on an emotional level.

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Dean Norton’s Containa series. Image:

Spot Studio

Norton’s work has captured the attention of many creatives, designers and galleries across the globe. In 2021, he won the Vivid Emerging Designer Award and his Concave Convex Mirror was acquired by the National Galley of Victoria for its permanent collection. In 2022, he was awarded Best Table of the Year for his Containa series, which was also selected for exhibition at the Rossana Orlandi Master Gallery during Milan Design Week 2022/23.
Upon receiving the KGDA award, Norton said “it is such an honour to be selected in the company of extraordinary talent from around the world and gives me an immense sense of purpose to know I am adding to promoting positive social and economic development through my designs.”

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Inside the Full Moon vessel, a spherical form resembling a moon floats weightlessly as if supported by gravity. Image:

Courtesy of Dean Norton

Norton has manipulated and worked with a diverse range of materials in developing his objects, including timber, mirrors, stell and glass. His latest series, Full Moon comprises sculptural glass vessels, which were crafted by hand. Inside the vessel, a spherical form resembling a moon floats weightlessly as if supported by gravity. The glass sheets encasing the sphere create distorted moon shapes at every approach.
“Full Moon is an opportunity for me to continue exploring form and its interplay through materiality. Created during a full moon period, I hope this series will have its own personal engagement, connecting with the hearts and minds of its viewers. Showcasing this as part of my involvement at Alcova Miami is super exciting and I can’t wait to be part of an event that elevates innovative design from around the world,” Norton said.

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Dean Norton has earned another accolade to his repertoire, this time named in the top 100 global designers at the 2023 Kyoto Global Design Awards. Image: Supplied

Each year, the KGDA jury names its top 100 global designers and design studios of the year, with particular emphasis on designers who instigate trends or contribute significantly to advancing the field of design. The criteria for selection is based not only on the design features of projects, but also on functionality and social or environmental value.
To find out more about the Kyoto Design Awards Best 100 of the Year visit here. More

A draft masterplan for Cockatoo Island has been unveiled, with the proposal seeking to attract more visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage listed site through the establishment of a hotel, artificial reefs, increased food and beverage offerings, a public swimming pool and immersive light shows.
Tyrrell Studio, with support from land managers Harbour Trust developed the draft masterplan for Sydney Harbour’s largest island, which is now on public exhibit. The planning documents propose a revitalization of the island to increase its appeal to sightseers.
Cockatoo Island, known as Wareamah in Dharug language, was historically used as incarceration. The site was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010, yet according to the Harbour Trust, visitation rates have remained low.
Feedback collated during the consultation phase identified a desire for better accommodation including the construction of a hotel and improved camping facilities. The draft plan states hotel accommodation “remains a long-term aspiration” for the trust as it would provide a unique, heritage-laden tourism experience in the heart of Sydney Harbour. Master planning has recommended assessment of the land and current buildings on site for conversion purposes, in line with this long-term goal.
A campground, suitable for tents, currently operates on the island, however, plans suggest the camping area relocate to the west of its current location, enabling the northern apron to be transformed into communal parkland. Initial plans have also recommended broadening camping options through the addition of cabin-style accommodation. Boutique accommodation is currently at the disposal of island visitors, however the trust has proposed more houses be restored so additional boutique offerings can be made available.
In addition to the expansion of current accommodation services, high-end food and beverage outlets have been suggested. The draft master plan states “a range of new food and beverage outlets can be included from the earliest stages of reactivation, with the master plan providing spaces to accommodate leasing to, and final fit outs by, highly experienced operators.”

Circulation and accessibility around the island was highlighted as needing improvement. To address this, plans suggest the introduction of more frequent ferry services, as well as the construction of a new ferry wharf, which would be strategically positioned to provide direct access to key heritage structures such as the Convict Workshop and Fitzroy Dock. To enhance circulation, the integration of looped walkways have been put forward.
“To help navigate this complex terrain the lower loop would offer clear and easy access around the island following the original edge. To better connect to the upper loop two new lifts and two new staircases are proposed. The upper loop will circulate visitors around the island taking in the most significant convict heritage and harbour view lookouts,” the draft masterplan states.
“In the design phase, all circulation paths will be reviewed with the intention that they are inclusive and barrier free for people with disability. The draft masterplan also proposes an overall interpretive and wayfinding strategy that introduces the layers of natural and cultural heritage, and supports orientation soon after arrival.”
The draft masterplan has reflected a desire to improve access points along the northern apron slipway for small non-powered recreational vessels such as kayaks and canoes.
The activation of the island through historical and cultural activities has been underscored, with plans for immersive light and sound shows telling the story of the island’s history, site specific art commissions, event and function spaces, artificial reefs to rehabilitate biodiversity and support marine life, boat trips, new parkland with access to the water for harbour swimming, and a drained Fitzroy Dock enabling island-goers to walk inside what is Australia’s last remaining dry dock constructed by convicts.
Feedback on the draft proposal will be accepted until 13 December, 2023. The Harbour Trust has advised it anticipates the finalized masterplan will be published in 2024. More

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation has revealed it will donate the MPavilion 2022, designed by Rachaporn Choochuey of All Zone, to RMIT University with the new home for the award-winning structure to be at the university’s Brunswick campus.
All Zone, a female-led architecture studio based in Bangkok, designed the innovative three-tiered marquee with support from Melbourne-based architecture practice, Zilka Studio; engineering consultants, Tensys; and consulting firm AECOM. The temporary structure was used as the site for more than 352 free MPavilion events across a four-month period, attracting more than 350,000 visitors.
The design team chose to work with soft materials for the layered canopy, with the intention of creating a light environment. The pavilion’s form is not symmetrical, ensuring that its appearance varies from every viewpoint. The upper layer has been composed of bright-coloured fishing nets, adding a tactile quality to the structure, the middle section uses a transparent and weather-proof roofing membrane called STFE, while the lower layer was crafted from a colourful, waffle fabric.

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The pavilion’s form is not symmetrical, ensuring that its appearance differs on every approach. Image:

John Gollings

The pavilion’s new home at the campus will be strategically positioned in the heart of the central courtyard, drawing visitors in from the street.
Founder of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, Naomi Milgrom expressed her delight at the prospect of the structure providing design students with a source of inspiration. “We hope that the pavilion’s innovative design will inspire students and visitors alike at its new permanent home. This is the seventh MPavilion gift to Victoria, and comes as we mark a decade of architectural commissions by the foundation with the opening of Pavilion 10 at the Queen Victoria Gardens on 16 November,” Milgrom said.
RMIT vice-chancellor and president, professor Alec Cameron echoed those sentiments, saying the canopy will serve not only as a motivational symbol of what can be achieved but also as a place of connection for the university community.
“MPavilion RMIT will give our students and staff a new space to come together for activities and events at our Brunswick campus, and act as a site for creative collaborations with the Merri-bek City Council and partners from the Brunswick Design District,” Cameron said.
“We are immensely grateful to Naomi Milgrom for this significant cultural gift and applaud her ongoing commitment to supporting art, design and critical discourse through the annual MPavilion program.
“RMIT is proud to have been involved in the program for many years and we look forward to MPavilion RMIT becoming another dynamic hub of creativity and conversation on campus.”
The structure has earned eight Australian and international awards and commendations. It has also been shortlisted for two accolade categories at the 2023 World Architecture Festival Awards including: Best Use of Colour and Completed Buildings – Culture.
Design director of All Zone, Rachaporn Choochuey said she is thrilled to hear the pavilion will be relocated to the university, which is “recognized globally for its focus on technology, design and enterprise,” she said. “We hope our pavilion will act as a catalyst for future students to explore and test new innovations in sustainable architecture and design.” More

The Australian Insitute of Architects has published the findings of its national Diversity and Inclusion in the Architectural Profession survey, with accumulated data revealing a perception that the field is male-dominated.
The online survey, comprising 57 questions, was commissioned by the Australian Institute of Architects for voluntary completion between 1 May and 28 May, 2023. The objective of the inquiry was to collect anonymous data and use that as a guide for improving diversity in the architectural workforce.
1,673 members and non-members responded to the survey, which was divided into three sections – demographics and diversity, inclusion, and open-ended comments. At the completion of the survey, respondents were invited to participate in confidential, virtual focus groups facilitated by an external consultant, of which 75 people put their hand up to participate in.
Five key findings were revealed as a result of the survey, including:
1. Many respondents reported the architectural profession as being “dominated by older males” and “inaccessible to those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.”
A third of respondents were aged under 35 and 56 percent of survey respondents were born outside of Australia, yet results still showed practice owners and principals were significantly more likely to be older, Australian-born males, feeding perceptions that there is more to be done to promote diversity and inclusion in the profession.

While many statements from respondents acknowledged that some progress had been made in promoting gender diversity, a great deal still flagged issues about cultural and socio-economic diversity within the profession, with particular concern for tokenistic attempts to address these issues.

2. Female respondents were “more likely to report that they combine career with caring roles” than males, as well as more likely to report that “their career was negatively impacted” by a caring role.
31 percent of female respondents combined a career in architecture with a caring role, in comparison to 6 percent of male respondents. “Females (65 percent) were more likely to report that taking parental leave has hindered their career prospects (compared to only 10 percent of males) and they were significantly more likely than men to say that accessing flexible working arrangements (24 percent) has impacted their career opportunities.”
Several concerns were raised by parents and caregivers regarding a lack of support around caring responsibilities. These included the need for consistent and flexible work arrangements, financial barriers for those working part-time, issues of bias, and the representation of mothers in leadership positions.
3. “Only 51 percent of respondents said that the architectural profession values diversity and inclusion,” however, “nearly three quarters said progress is being made in their individual workplace.”
While 73 percent of respondents agreed that their workplace promotes diversity and inclusion, only 51 percent believed that is reflected throughout the overall profession.
According to the survey, participants were more inclined to confirm that their respective workplaces were inclusive of all genders, ages, sexual orientation, abilities, religious beliefs, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic circumstances, than the profession as a whole.
Data showed it was uncommon for employers to have diversity and inclusion programs in the workplace. There was also a general sense that some efforts made by practices felt superficial, as the diversity and inclusion goals set by the practice did not align with the experience of workers.
4. Female respondents “were significantly less likely than male respondents to agree that the architectural profession values diversity and is inclusive of minority groups.”
While 70 percent of male respondents reported that they believed the profession is inclusive of all genders, only 44 percent of female respondents held the same belief.
Male respondents were also more likely than females to agree that the profession is inclusive of people of different cultural, racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as those who have a disability, identify as LGBTIQ+ or are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage.
Many open-ended responses and statements in all focus groups highlighted gender inequity issues in the profession. While gender diversity progress was acknowledged, “many still expressed concerns about gender loss in the profession, lack of representation in leadership and lack of support in retaining diversity of talent.” Many also shared inappropriate stories of harassment and exclusion.
5. Respondents reported witnessing or experiencing harassment or discrimination in the workplace in the past 12 months
11 percent of respondents reported witnessing or experiencing sexual harassment, 14 percent revealed they had witnessed or experienced racial harassment and 11 percent witnessed or experienced age-based harassment in the architectural profession at some point in the past 12 months.
Female respondents and those who identify as LGBTIQ+ were more likely to say they had witnessed or experienced sexual harassment (17 percent for both respectively). Female respondents were also significantly more likely to have witnessed or experienced discrimination in hiring, promotion or development opportunities than other groups.
Questions relating to discrimination and harassment were frequently raised in the survey and focus groups, with many responses highlighting the need for awareness training, for removal of registration barriers and improved gender diversity in leadership roles.
As to who took part in the survey, 11 per cent of respondents were sole practitioners, 18 per cent worked in a practice comprising 2-5 staff members, 27 per cent worked with between 6-20 colleagues, 16 per cent worked in practices with 21-50 staff members, and 27 per cent worked in with practices with more than 50 employees.
Institute CEO, Cameron Bruhn thanked all who participated. “For many, this would not have been an easy task, and we truly value your time and honesty,” Bruhn said.
“I would also like to thank the Institute’s National Council for commissioning this project, the work of the National Committee for Gender Equity (NCGE) for their insights, and our hardworking policy and advocacy team for their research, analysis and presentation of findings.
“A project of this nature and scale is unprecedented within the Institute’s history, and will play an important role in moving forward, towards enacting cultural changes in the architectural profession. We want architectural practices to be more representative of the communities they serve, and to be inclusive of different ways to live, work and learn.”
Where possible, the anonymous collated data was cross referenced using Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census, ABS Survey findings, Department of Treasury and Department of Health data and the Institute’s membership records. More

The Quay Quarter Tower, designed by Danish practice 3xN and executive architect BVN, has earned international recognition after being named 2023’s Best Tall Building Worldwide by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).
The 49-storey office tower, located at 50 Bridge Street in Sydney’s Circular Quay, is composed of five volumes, with each volume stacked at a slightly different angle to delineate the building into human scale “vertical villages” or hubs.

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The 49-storey office tower, located at 50 Bridge Street in Sydney’s Circular Quay, is composed of five volumes, with each volume stacked at a slightly different angle. Image:

Martin Siegner

The project involved repurposing the existing and out-of-date AMP Centre tower, built in 1976 by Peddle Thorp and Walker. Principal of BVN, Matthew Blair said “AMP Capital had an extraordinary vision to turn two city blocks at Circular Quay into liveable, inspirational and adaptable places that are knitted into the fabric of the city. The upcycling of Quay Quarter as part of this vision sets a new standard for reimagining tall buildings to sustainably develop our cities to diverse, liveable, accessible, long lasting places.”
By evading the wasteful activities of demolition and replacement, the design team managed to retain 65 per cent of the original structure such as beams and slabs, and 95 per cent of the building’s core. The project saved approximately 8,000 tonnes of embodied carbon emissions, as well as managed to achieve a 6-Star Green Star rating.
Using the existing bones to build upon, the architects prove the adaptive reuse of an ageing building can result in a beautiful, contemporary finish. The twisted Jenga-like form, composed of concrete-filled steel tubes, now optimizes views to the Sydney Harbour, while also reducing harsh heat absorption through external sunshade hoods.

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The design team managed to retain 65 per cent of the original structure such as beams and slabs, and 95 per cent of the building’s core. Image:

Aran Anderson

Internally, floors are connected by a spiral staircase. Open atrium spaces assist the wayfinding process, while also encouraging social and visual interaction between users. Communal terraces, including a rooftop terrace are positioned around the tower to create a sense of community between office employees.

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The project involved repurposing the existing and out-of-date AMP Centre tower, built in 1976 by Peddle Thorp and Walker. Image:

Aran Anderson

In addition to being crowned best worldwide, Quay Quarter was selected overall winner in six categories: Best Tall Building: Oceania, the Construction Award, the Structure Award, the Repositioning Award, and the Space Within Award.
Quay Quarter Tower was completed in early 2022 and is part of AMP Capital’s Quay Quarter Sydney precinct, which includes four other buildings designed by Studio Bright, Silvester Fuller, Carter Williamson and SJB, and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios. Quay Quarter Lanes also received the Urban Habitat Award. More