Architecture

The ACT government has appointed Architectus, Henning Larsen and Arup to design the redevelopment of Canberra Theatre Centre.
The redevelopment and expansion will include the adaptive re-use of the existing Canberra Theatre as a multipurpose space for performances, concerts and events, as well as a new theatre building with a 2,000-seat facility, the refurbishment of the Playhouse theatre and the significant expansion of the courtyard studio. The project will be the centrepiece of a future civic and cultural district in Canberra.
In 2022, the ACT government sought submissions from Australian and international consortia for a design and technical partner for the project.
The winning consortium envisions a vibrant, multi-event, inclusive venue designed in consultation with First Nations peoples as per the ACT government’s brief, which stressed that diversity and inclusion would be a priority in the tender submissions. Architects were asked to create designs that were supportive and inclusive of people with disabilities and those of the LGBTIQ+ community.

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Preliminary designs of Canberra Theatre Centre redevelopment by Architectus, Henning Larsen and Arup. Image:

Architectus, Henning Larsen and Arup

Preliminary designs submitted as part of the tender indicate a facade that reflects formal landmarks around Canberra.
“We will approach the design process through the lens of the audience and the performers,” said Architectus principal and public sector leader Stephen Long. “We will continue to work from the inside out to create a National theatre with an international reputation. We will also work from the outside-in to create a theatre that is enmeshed in the city and landscape, one that holds its place in the context of Canberra’s ensemble of National culture and arts buildings and brings vibrancy to the Canberra Civic and Cultural District. We seek to create a project that is an exemplar of elegance, function and sustainability.”
Henning Larsen partner and design director Viggo Haremst added, “Our design ambition is for the centre to become a national landmark and an international destination, drawing artists and audiences from around the world to Canberra’s new cultural heart.
“Together with Architectus and Arup, we’ve approached the design with great care considering the architecture and all other elements of design to create a vibrant and inclusive place that honours the history and beauty of the land. A cultural hub that celebrates the community, its diverse heritage and artistic expression, where people come together to share in the power of performance and storytelling.” More

A popular live music venue in Adelaide is set for an $8 million redevelopment if designs submitted to Planning SA are approved.
JPE Design Studio has proposed an addition to the eastern side of Thebarton Theatre that will accommodate a new entry foyer, a lift and stair to the upper level, and front-of-house amenities for the 2,000-seat theatre. A loading dock will also be added to the northern side of the existing building.
The original theatre was constructed in 1928 and called Thebarton Town Hall. It was designed by Kaberry and Chard, who designed more than 50 grand theatres around Australia (including the Enmore Theatre in Sydney).
According to its statement of heritage significance, Thebarton Theatre is “the most intact example of four theatres which remain in Australia […] designed by Kaberry and Chard, Theatre Architects.”
“Architecturally, the complex is of major significance for its outstanding integrity and interior. It is an excellent example of the late Edwardian/early Art Deco transition period, being sensitively designed and showing great attention to detail,” the statement reads.

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Proposed additions to Thebarton Theatre by JPE Design Studio. Image:

JPE Design Studio

Proposed additions have been designed to sit below the eaves of the original Theatre and Council Office Building, and the new entry will have an arched form.
“The curved arch form is a softer yet bolder response that also sits comfortably alongside the existing Theatre building,” the architects said in the planning application.
“There is a subtle reference to the arched parapet of the existing building, but this curved form has a unique character and sense of play that is more associated with the Theatre use. This form relates more to the curved edges proposed to the new building as a way of amplifying the contract between the new and old built form.”
The $8 million project is funded by the West Torrens Council, which owns the theatre, and the South Australian government. If approved, the project is expected to be complete by 2025. More

The Australian Institute of Architects has welcomed measures in the 2023–24 federal budget aimed at boosting housing supply, diversity and affordability. The federal government committed to boosting the housing supply by 1 million new homes from 2024. The budget included measures to halve the rate of withholding tax on build-to-rent developments from 30 percent to […] More

Thomson Adsett has designed a $50 million mental health hospital for Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The proposed eight-storey building, accommodating 80 beds, will occupy the site of a former warehouse on Tilley Lane in Frenchs Forest. The project will include a variety of living and dining spaces, a gymnasium, in- and outpatient facilities, treatment rooms and […] More

The Australian Institute of Architects has announced it has appointed a new national president-elect. Jane Cassidy, the current ACT chapter president, will take up the role following the Institute’s annual general meeting on 31 May. Cassidy is a director of GHD Woodhead, and the practice’s Asia-Pacific technical services leader for architecture and design. She is […] More

Renewal SA has unveiled its vision to transform the former Adelaide Bus Station into a mixed-use precinct with affordable housing designed by Woods Bagot.
To be named Tapangka, which means “the experience of journey” in Kaurna, the precinct is being marketed as “a journey of reconciliation, a journey of home ownership, a journey towards sustainability and a journey of collaboration between the city and the state to achieve the best outcomes for the community.”
Renewal SA will purchase the site in order to redevelop it into what its hopes will become the first carbon neutral precinct in Adelaide CBD.
The precinct will comprise two mixed-use towers and a central civic building. It will accommodate 392 apartments, 137 of which will be classified as affordable housing. There will be 85 rental units and 51 for-sale units.
The precinct will also include a 208-room hotel and a series of laneways, which will be populated with food and beverage venues.

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The proposed Tapangka precinct designed by Woods Bagot. Image:

Courtesy Renewal SA

“Adelaide is ready for a bold new approach to city living,” said Woods Bagot principal Alex Hall. “Our design for Tapangka reflects this and puts human experience at the heart of the built environment.”
South Australian minister for housing and urban development Nick Champion said, “This city-defining project, driven by affordable housing, will open the door to inner-city living for South Australians who find themselves locked out of a market under significant pressure.
“We are bringing the Build-to-Rent model into the CBD for the first time, providing another way to help address housing shortages and ease the rental squeeze.”
Renewal SA was chosen by the City of Adelaide to develop the site, which the council will retain until 2025 as an on site car park during the redevelopment of the nearby Adelaide Central Market, also designed by Woods Bagot.
“The State Government’s proposal will help accelerate investment and growth within our city,” said lord mayor Jane Lomax-Smith. “Adelaide needs more affordable housing, so I’m pleased this plan includes 35 percent affordable housing, more than double the 15 percent requirement – as well as build-to-rent apartments and an opportunity for investment in community space.
“There will also be space for retail and hospitality outlets, and a mixed-use development, which will no doubt enhance and support the much-loved Market District.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with completion anticipated in 2029. More

The Land and Environment Court of New South Wales (NSWLEC) has quashed a developer’s bid to demolish the first commercial skyscraper in North Sydney.
In 2020, developer Investa Property Group submitted an application to North Sydney Council to demolish the former MLC building, which was designed by Bates Smart and McCutcheon, and replace it with a new office tower designed by Bates Smart.
The council refused to grant permission, and the developer appealed to NSWLEC to overturn North Sydney Council’s decision.
The court ultimately dismissed the appeal and upheld the council’s refusal.
In its decision, the court determined that “the complete demolition of the MLC will have significant, irreversible heritage impacts.”
The former North Sydney MLC building, completed in 1956, was the first high-rise office block in North Sydney and the largest building of its type in Australia at the time of its construction. It is listed as an item of local heritage.
In 2021, NSW arts minister Don Harwin directed the item be listed on the state’s heritage register on the recommendation of the Heritage Council; however, in 2022, NSWLEC ordered the NSW Heritage Council to remove the listing because the minister had failed to “consider mandatory considerations under the Heritage Act.”

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Proposed North Sydney tower designed by Bates Smart. Image: Supplied

Nonetheless, in determining the development application, the court acknowledged that “there is almost unanimity within the professions of architecture and heritage historians that the MLC is of State, if not national, heritage significance.”
“The MLC ‘skyscraper’ (MLC), when erected in 1957 and viewed from the same perspective, dominated the North Sydney skyline and boldly declared modernist planning daring use of materials and technology as well as function-over-fussy-ornamentation. It was a contemporary architectural statement described at the time as ‘a glossy beacon of modernity,’” the court found.
The developer argued that “the existing building has reached the end of its design life. As such, it submits that the public interest in developing the site and the financial burden of refurbishing the building, either in whole or part, mean that it is ‘not reasonable to conserve’ the heritage item,” the judgement stated.
“The applicant claims that no rational user of land is likely to refurbish the building, with the consequence that the building will be land banked – to degrade progressively at increasing levels of vacancy on this strategically crucial site in North Sydney’s CBD.”
However, NSWLEC senior commissioner Dixon SC found that “the applicant is unable to demonstrate that there is no acceptable alternative to demolition.”
“Without a proper analysis of the adaptive reuse of the MLC based on the principles in the Burra Charter, or a heritage scope of works, I do not accept that the applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated the alternative options to demolition. The applicant has not provided reasons objectively assessed, as to why the refurbishment option is not acceptable,” the decision said. More

The Tasmanian government has released preliminary documents in its plans to create an arts, entertainment and sporting precinct at Macquarie Point in Hobart.
In April 2023, the federal government announced it would contribute $240 million towards the project, which will transform the last remaining waterfront and urban development site in Hobart.
The Tasmanian government will develop a refreshed precinct plan for the area, which spans from Macquarie Point to crown land at Regatta Point.
A multipurpose, 23,000-seat stadium will be the centrepiece of the project. It will have the capacity to host a range of activities such as major concerts, conferences, exhibitions and sporting events.
“The Urban Renewal project has a multipurpose stadium at its core, which will inspire economic activity around it and strengthen our economy for decades to come,” said Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff.
The project will include a focus on transport connections, housing and upgrade to Hobart port.
Regatta Point will be developed through a public-private partnership and include affordable homes and housing for critical workers and veterans.
“This exciting precinct plan will provide real affordable housing for Tasmanians, real jobs and new transport solutions,” said prime minister Anthony Albanese.
“This sets up Macquarie Point as the future jewel in the crown for Hobart. A place where people can live, work and come together.”
Documents released by the Tasmanian government include a business case for the project, as well as a site selection report produced by MCS Management and Consulting in conjunction with Philip Leighton Architects and an initial stadium views analysis undertaken by Liminal Architecture.
An architect has not been appointed for the design of the stadium. The design process will begin after consultation with key stakeholders has concluded.
The total funding requirement for the urban renewal project is $715 million. The Tasmanian government has committed $375 million, the AFL will contribute $15 million, and the remaining $85 million will be funded through borrowings. More