Bangkok Apartment and Chonburi Multi-Purpose Building: Suphasidh Architects
In Thailand, I retraced an old technique of building with rammed earth, with the conviction of its value to the local building industry. Although the technology was prevalent for thousands of years, it has been disregarded for its labor-intensive and time-consuming nature of manually compressing earth. I re-learned this construction technique with our local builders, allowing them the instinctive mastery of the expertise through trials.
Burudi Gurad, Burudi Ora: Critical spatial, relationalities of care
Design and planning across Australia is founded upon Terra Nullius and tabula rasa. These ideas of no man’s land and a blank slate continue to inform how we think about healthcare design
Wattleseed: Scott and Ryland Architects
Wattleseed is a collaboration between Scott and Ryland Architects, Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney Community Greening, IndigiGrow, Taronga Zoo, Powerhouse Museum and Western Sydney University. The design draws on existing Biophilic design and Living Future Institute research and aims to facilitate environmental education through the retrofit of early childhood centres.
Wellbeing in a crisis
“If you choose to fail us, we will never forgive you” – eleven words aimed at the neck of the world by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg via address to the UN’s 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York City.
NextSense: WMK Architecture
The NextSense centre for innovation at Macquarie University by WMK Architecture has opened heralding a new era for hearing and vision loss in Australia.
How architecture can support the wellbeing of building users
Architecture is not just about creating aesthetically pleasing buildings; it plays a crucial role in creating environments that support the health and wellbeing of those who live, work, and play in those spaces. This concept has gained recent attention, as studies highlight the impact of indoor environments on our physical and mental health and how architects are playing a leading role in an increasingly wellness-focused world.
Wellbeing for whom?
What do you think accessibility means? Does it mean compliance with AS1428.1 or the ability to enter a building and spaces within it? Is it about usability? Even if it means all these things, the word accessibility is too limited to encompass all the considerations for people with disabilities and generally does not account for the psychosocial or psycho-emotional experiences of a building.
The state of wellbeing in the architectural profession
A recent ground-breaking study into the Wellbeing of Architects in Australia, (based at RMIT and Monash Universities, funded by the Australia Research Council and supported by numerous industry partners) found that working in the profession isn’t necessarily easy. In fact, many architects display concerningly low levels of personal wellbeing.
Abbotsleigh School Library & Centre for Science and Art: AJC Architects
The built environment in education settings is often referred to as the ‘Third Teacher’ from the Reggio Emilia philosophy acknowledging the significant role the built environment has on student learning and engagement. So significant the Australian Children’s Education & Care Authority has a quality area dedicated to it, citing that “Behind educators and families, physical spaces hold the potential to influence what and how children learn.”
How can architects measure the impact of design on wellbeing?
Design decisions made by an architect have a fundamental impact on an inhabitant’s quality of life. Decades of research have shown how good design can enhance both people and the planet’s sense of wellbeing.
