Architecture

Northern Territory planning minister Joshua Burgoyne has approved a development application for five residential buildings, up to six storeys in height, and a single-storey office building in Alice Springs’ city centre. The complex is designed to accommodate a mix of public and private housing to accommodate transient workers.
Located on Todd Street, the vacant site was once home to public housing, and later a backpackers hostel known as Melanka, but has remained vacant since 2009. Proposals to redevelop the land have been approved twice before – in 2010 and in 2015.
In a social media post, Burgoyne stated, “We need big investment in our town to get things moving again. I remember seeing the old Malankas [sic] being torn down. After more than 15 years of nothing but talk. We now have a government taking action to rebuild our economy.”

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The approved development has been designed by DKJ, whose director David King Jones has been based in Alice Springs for a decade and in the NT for more than 45 years. The practice’s initial scheme for the site, submitted in mid-2024, proposed 174 apartments. A petition to oppose the project was initiated by councillor Marli Banks in October 2024 due to height and community impact concerns around accommodating fly-in-fly-out workers.
The approved complex includes 144 apartments, 50 percent of which will be acquired by the NT government. According to the architect, “The design specifically rejects an institutional solution and provides a sculptural piece of domestic scale urban art, integrated with the landscape.”
“The design of the Melanka Accelerated Accommodation recognises its contribution to establishing a sense of arrival, acknowledging the existing built form, landscape, and precinct, while concurrently respecting and enhancing the unique visual avenue characteristics of Gap Road and Todd Street,” the architect’s statement reads.
The statement further notes that the scale of the six-building development relates to the adjacent hospital precinct and is united “with a common architectural scale and design language. The finishes, colours and details are restrained to reduce visual bulk and combined with the screens provide modelling, depth and interest to the built form.”
A collection of existing trees, including a boab tree, have been retained with the intention to create urban landscaped spaces that enhance these trees.
According to the architect, “Melanka Accelerated Accommodation Development is conceived as a significant urban and carefully crafted architectural statement that assists with wayfinding, but also acknowledges and enhances the unique qualities of its locality. By contributing to the visual appeal of the streetscape, fostering a sense of community, and serving as a wayfinding landmark, Melanka makes a major contribution to the fabric of Alice Springs.” More

American-born practice Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) has opened a new studio in Melbourne’s Union Bank Chambers building in the CBD.
The business employs architects, designers, engineers and planners to undertake projects. Designed to accommodate up to 24 employees, the 234-square-metre studio is led by partners Scott Duncan, Adam Semel and Doug Voigt; structural engineer Aaron Mazeika; urban designer Michael Powell; and architects Jorge Ortega, Jarrad Morgan, Ariana Rodriguez, Justin Chen and Chris Whelan.

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Located on the third floor of the almost century-old bank chambers building, the studio retains the original architectural framework while incorporating contemporary, low-carbon materials such as Tasmanian oak, marble and polished concrete. According to a communique by SOM, the office is designed with the intention to accommodate different working styles and “encourage staff to work beyond their desks.” As such, the studio comprises quiet rooms, open workstations, a conference room, lounge areas, a wellness room and an outdoor terrace.

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The release adds that the project “has achieved improvements in embodied carbon emissions of 57 percent. This was possible by integrating Circular Economy concepts into the design strategy, such as ‘build nothing’, in-situ retention, and maximising bio-based products such as internal partitions made in Tasmanian oak veneer with MDF [Micro Density Fibreboard] backing in lieu of conventional building materials.”
SOM’s recent Australian commissions include the Melbourne Jam Factory redevelopment and a new tech hub called Central Place Sydney, both of which are under construction.
“This studio marks a significant milestone in our commitment to Australia, after more than 50 years of working here,” said SOM partner Adam Semel. More

Nine individuals have been shortlisted for the Walls Around Us Student Competition, which invites architectural students to reimagine the site of Boyd’s Walsh Street House in Melbourne.
The successful candidate will be awarded a trip to Venice, Italy, to experience the Vernissage of the 2025 Architecture Biennale.
The competition was open to students enrolled in an architectural course at an Australian university during 2024. Entrants were required to conceptualise a contemporary design that engages with themes of circularity and reuse, yet also draws inspiration from Boyd: his ideas, interests and approaches to design. The jury responsible for reviewing the submissions comprises Christine Phillips, Eve Castle and Gerard Reinmuth.
The shortlist includes:

Agnes Leonardi
Alice Stewart
Andy Wilson
Charlie Eastwood
Connor Harris
Felix Tie
Je Yen Tan
Ming Hin Chung
Yu Qin Tan.

The winner of the competition will be revealed on 13 March. An accompanying exhibition of shortlisted designs by Agnes Leonardi, Alice Stewart, Andy Wilson, Charlie Eastwood, Connor Harris, Felix Tie, Je Yen Tan, Ming Hin Chung and Yu Qin Tan will also be presented in 2025. More

The Central Barangaroo precinct has received approval to move into the detailed design phase, with the NSW government calling the development “the final piece of the Barangaroo puzzle.”
The NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, has approved a modification request for the precinct, which was submitted by the NSW government’s development partner, Aqualand. This approval effectively permits the detailed design phase and community consultation to commence, subject to conditions.
Designed by SJB, the proposed 5.2-hectare precinct comprises a total of seven buildings –ranging in height from seven to ten storeys – to be established above the new Barangaroo Metro. The buildings will accommodate a mix of residential apartments, a hotel, retail and hospitality offerings, commercial offices and community facilities.
According to a communique from the NSW government, “at least 50 percent of public open space” will be maintained and two new public plazas will be introduced under the plans.

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The project has undergone several design iterations, including a proposal that featured a 20-storey tower, which sparked public outcry and a legal dispute due to concerns over building heights.
In their statement, the NSW government mentioned that the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure had “carefully assessed the historic view impacts of the proposal, particularly between Observatory Hill and Sydney Harbour.”
Among the conditions that the project must meet is a requirement for the “height of the northern part of the block facing Nawi Cove to be reduced from eight storeys down to five storeys,” as a means to preserve views of the harbour from Observatory Hill.
NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper stated that the project has been stuck in “planning purgatory for over a decade.”
“Now that planning approval has been granted, we can get on with the job of delivering the final piece of the Barangaroo puzzle,” he added.
On the nearby Central Barangaroo foreshore there are also separate plans for the Harbour Park, a new 1.8-hectare waterfront public park, for which designs were unveiled in July 2023. Harbour Park was the subject of an open design competition, which led to a consortium named Akin – comprising Yerrabingin, Architectus, Jacob Nash Studio, Studio Chris Fox and Flying Fish Blue, and Arup – being awarded the project. A formal planning and consultation process is now in progress to determine the final design of the park.
Construction on the mixed-use hub is anticipated to begin in late 2025, with the first stage of the project expected to be completed in 2030. More

The City of Perth has appointed a new pool of members for its Design Review Panel. According to their media release, it comes “amidst a continued period of significant growth and development for the city.”
A total of 15 design, planning and architecture experts have been selected to sit on the panel for a two-year period. They are supported by continuing panel member Emma Williamson, the government architect of Western Australia.
During the applications period at the end of last year, panel members were sought from a range of disciplines, including architecture, town planning and urban design, heritage, landscape architecture, sustainability and environmental design and land tenure and strata titling.
The appointed panellists will provide independent design advice on significant projects and development applications in the areas of Central Perth, West Perth, Nedlands and Crawley, Northbridge, East Perth and Claisebrook.
The appointments are as follows:

Dominic Snellgrove
Fred Chaney
Philip Gresley
Peter Lee
Chris Maher
Rebecca Moore
Denise Morgan
Peter Ciemitis
Marc Beattie
Michael Memeo
Tony Blackwell
Oliver Grimaldi
Prasanna Suraweera
Scott Bellerby

This pool of members will sit on the panel until 31 December 2026. More

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A new $35.8 million community hub is on the horizon for Blacktown in Sydney’s west, along with six other major projects planned for the area under the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants program. Designed by Welsh and Major and unveiled by Blacktown City Council, the Seven Hills Community Hub is intended to catalyse the revitalisation of the suburb’s town centre, integrating facilities for the community with sustainable initiatives, both inside and out.
Situated adjacent to Seven Hills train station at Boomerang Place, the new two-storey building is envisioned to replace the current mobile library service with a new permanent library, study spaces for students, meeting and event spaces for community groups, a recording studio and a multifunctional space accommodating up to 250 people.

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“This hub is more than just a building, it’s more than just a library, it’s a long-term investment in our community, providing much-needed facilities for learning, creativity and connection,” Blacktown City Council mayor Brad Bunting said. “I know local residents will love it and make it a true community centre.”
According to a statement from the architect, the design approach recognises the project’s responsibility to repair and re-connect with Country. Working with First Nations consultant Djinjama, Welsh and Major have drawn inspiration from the forms of the Cumberland Plains woodland in the form and structure of the building, which also features colours, patterns and stories of water from Country.

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Sensitivity to environmental factors has played a key role across both the built form and its surrounding landscape. According to the architect, “Sustainability initiatives are at the heart of the design, with a hybrid CLT structure combined with green concrete, natural ventilation strategies, water capture and reuse, and PV power generation.”
Landscape architecture firm SMM were consulted for the design of the site’s new public plaza, shaded street colonnade and landscaped play spaces for library users. The architect’s statement notes that these are intended “to provide shade and reduce urban heat, bring people together and create a new green heart for Seven Hills.”

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Welsh and Major principal architect Chris Major commented, “We are delighted to collaborate with Blacktown City Council on this project. Our design will ensure the hub is not just functional but a joyful and welcoming place, fostering learning, creativity, and community spirit.” More

The Alice Springs Town Council have released concept plans to undertake revitalisation works along the riverside of the desert town’s city centre. The proposal is part of council’s commitment to delivering the Regen­er­at­ing the Alice Town Cen­tre project, which aims to engage with the Alice Springs com­mu­ni­ty in order to enhance the city for the benefit of local individuals, businesses and visitors.
Fol­low­ing community feed­back, council have hit a halfway point in the design devel­op­ment proposal, which includes upgrades to Todd Mall and Todd Street, a new activated link between the mall and Hartley Street, as well as areas along Leichhardt Terrace and the Hartley Street car park. The designs for the new public playground and sporting infrastructure, art installations, bench seating, landscaping and lighting are now open for pub­lic comment.

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The milestone succeeds a process of stakeholder engagement, including a multi-day co-design workshop, held over late 2023 and early 2024, and early conceptual designs prepared by Adelaide-based planning, landscape architecture and urban design studio Jensen Plus. According to their website, the practice’s research into the successes of, and risk factors for, pedestrian malls helped inform their design proposal for Todd Mall, which is “a well-loved community and tourist street … suffering from age, alternative shopping options, and well-publicised anti-social behaviour and crime (actual and perceived).”

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Bennett Architecture was awarded a design tender to translate these concepts into a detailed proposal in 2024. “These visionary plans, created in consultation with stakeholders, are poised to bring significant and positive changes to Alice Springs,” the firm noted on its social media. “We are honoured to collaborate with the council on this […] project and look forward to contributing to the transformation of Alice Springs’ town centre.”
According to the council, the next step will involve refining the proposal and preparing the project for construction.
The plans can be viewed online and are open for comment until 25 February. More