The Sydney Swans HQ at the Royal Hall of Industries | Populous
Sydney Swans HQ is the adaptive re-use of The Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park into a unique high performance training facility. Established by the Royal Agricultural Society, for over a century the RHI has been an integral part of the city’s event life.
The Redevelopment has breathed new life into the hall, seeing the building operating all year round. The design team collaborated closely with the club to meticulously plan the internal layout of the facility while respecting and enhancing the hall’s original features to showcase the ornate roof trusses and defined entry porticos.
By repurposing and revitalising this beloved landmark, the Sydney Swans HQ stands as a testament to the adaptive reuse of historical architecture and a showcase of the city’s commitment to both sporting and community engagement. The facility is targeting a 5-star Green Star certification and has established a new home for the football club.
Taroona House | Archier
On a steep and densely forested hill overlooking Hinsby Beach, three rectangular structures assembled like tree branches that fall down the hill and pile on top of one another. Utilising prefabricated elements the main house consists of two of the ‘branches’ stacked at a right angle, with the third, an art studio, separated by an outdoor deck. Segmentation of the house allows expansion and contraction according to the number and needs of occupants, reducing conditioned floor area and thus reducing energy usage. Cantilevering forms create openings between the structures and the hillside, offering pathways for local wildlife and a concealed entry for the main house, below the upper floor. Interior spaces feature a dark timber palette amplifying the activity of the bushland surrounding the house, while the dwelling is wrapped in a prefabricated timber window system, minimising steel and maximising the connection to the powerful Derwent River.
TERROIR Hobart Office | TERROIR
As the impacts of climate change are now felt in real time, the idea of sustainability in architecture is being questioned. TERROIR aim to challenge sustainability in Architecture through the concepts explored within their own office fit out in lutruwita / Hobart.
Occupying a space within an abandoned mid-century office fit out, the design is a cannibalisation and reappropriation of what was already there. This project is an experiment that challenges the paradox of ‘sustainable architecture’. This project may be small in size, but heralds a disproportionately large manifesto for a different sort of practice that is more and more urgent to embrace. Its lessons are already informing our practices larger projects in our quest to continue making places which support the interactions of people and place, but in a way that uses less resources than ever before.
The Boulevard | Archier
Equal parts landscape and house, The Boulevard is predominantly underground, overcoming the challenge of a steep topography by building into the hillside, concealing the structure as much as possible, and using the garden to extend the environment of the Yarra Flats into the site and mind. Entering the property via rooftop parking, winding landscape stairs and stone water feature descend through foliage to the entry hall, offering a view out over the back garden.
This project embraces a small yet efficient floorplan, decreasing the buildings impact and cost. The relationship with the surrounding garden is crucial to the houses spacious feel, embracing, enhancing, and extending the ecosystem of the surrounding environment.
Surrounding earth offers thermal stability to the building, adding an insulative effect and improving sustainability. Connection to landscape is accentuated by extensive use of operable glass offering views between spaces and across internal courtyards.
The Friends’ School Redevelopment Project | Bence Mulcahy with H2o Architects
The Friends’ School Major Redevelopment Project included, a gymnasium, adaption of the WN Oats Centre, site accessibility/safety improvements, a major substation, North Block repairs and new outdoor courts.
Approaches driving the project included the establishment of precincts within the campus, small strategic interventions to improve site accessibility and safety, utilisation/adaption of existing buildings, and Quaker values, simplicity, community and environmental stewardship.
Key projects are the WN Oats Centre refurbishment and the Revell Sports Centre.
The WN Oats Centre was adapted to accommodate x7 GLAs, specialist spaces, breakouts, offices, student/staff amenities in a light, robust, flexible and engaging environment.
The Revell Centre includes a gymnasium, offices, community/student amenities and x2 GLAs. Moderated by domestic scaled additions and street level detailing, its scale and siting draws from Carr Street precedents. Setbacks and landscaping tie the building into the campus, and materials strike the balance between utility and context.
Suite Shed | alsoCAN
We retain traditional facades and streetscapes, but what about backyards?
The existing building had been a sleepout in a working backyard dotted with fruit trees. We wanted to keep this quality and this purpose.
From the outside, the result retains the same profile. Nearly all the existing structure has been kept, but now insulated and wrapped so its waterproof and warm. From the inside all the studwork, cladding and roofing remain, so it looks just like it did before with new fittings.
The new building adds no new floor area. However, we now have a larger bedroom, a refitted bathroom and a large space for living.
A critical part of the design was to make the building fully accessible. There are handrails around the outside of the rooms with sensoractivated lighting, along with more generally accessible aspects such as wheelchairaccessible benchtops, rails, a shower seat and talking kitchen appliances.
Sunkissed Higgins | RADS
Aussie culture has always been bound to allure of the coast. Sunny days lathered in coconut-scented lotions. Sun blushed skin becomes tanned over the longer days. Rising early to hit the surf before the wind picks up. Salty hair, sandy feet and sinking cold Coronas with friends while the kids run amok.
Welcome to Sunkissed Higgins: A home for 80’s Babies who skipped the big smoke to live the coastal dream.
Yiew!
Sweetwater House | Christopher Botterill and Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
Located in Frankston South on Bunurong Country and backing onto Narringalling (Sweetwater Creek), Sweetwater House provides flexibility and sanctuary for our family of four. Designed and built during Melbournes Covid lockdowns, the home reflects an inventive response to lowcost, multigenerational living while telling a story of personal and ecological renewal.
Drawing on knowledge and experience gleaned from previous masstimber projects, the home was constructed using a prefabricated construction methodology.
Our ambition was to create a materially honest and highly sustainable home. We developed a plan arrangement that could adapt to the changing needs of two teenage children and allow for multigenerational living. The gravitational heart is an open plan living room and kitchen overlooking the creek. Encircled by tree ferns and eucalypts, the homes warm timber palette nurtures a sense of welcome and calm.
T3 Collingwood | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
Responding sensitively to its rich industrial context, the design of T3 Wellington positively contributes to Collingwoods urban streetscape and sense of community.
The highquality 15level commercial building provides an activated ground plane with a cafe. A glazed facade and canopies further enhance the street frontage and pedestrian experience.
The building form references surrounding warehouse building typologies, with a rhythmic and visually cohesive brick facade to ground and podium levels, and upper levels to the east. Large, punched window openings form the facade, with metal surrounds providing solar shading.
Achieving bestpractice sustainability, the project exemplifies mass timber construction, building performance, occupancy comfort and urban environment.
Southern Ocean Lodge | Max Pritchard Gunner Architects
The iconic Southern Ocean Lodge (opened 2008) was destroyed by the devastating fires on Kangaroo Island in 2020.
The success of the original lodge allowed our clients to offer more options for guests, including a newly designed wellness building, and a super luxury 4 bedroom Villa; The Ocean Pavilion. The redesigned Suites were described by journalist Christine McCabe in the Weekend Australian December 16th 2023:
‘Whilst the footprint of the Lodge remains largely unchanged, there are major tweaks and improvements. SOL’s island born architect Max Pritchard has cleverly re-orientated and redesigned the suites. Where once rooms pointed at the ocean, almost like a telescope, they are now gently curved, easing around that wonderfully dynamic view, offering wider vistas, but a cosier more intimate feel. It’s a mood enhanced by rich Tasmanian blackwood panelling …”
