Solaris Apartments | TVS Architects

Solaris is a large mixed use development that was initiated to facilitate moving the Council’s community facilities from a suburban site to this central beachside location. This first stage of the development comprises a residential apartment tower with 56 units, a restaurant and commercial space, and the Forster Civic Centre comprising a Library, Community Lounge, Visitor Information Centre and Customer Service Point for MidCoast Council.

The philosophy behind the master-planned community precinct was to provide the community with a wide variety of amenities in an architectural context which facilitates adaptability and future flexibility for an evolving population. The diverse mix of uses future proofs Solaris to better cater for the changing needs of an evolving population. The amenity enriches the public experience, creating a new social precinct to engage with the local community through its built form and presence near the lake and beachside commercial precincts.

South East Centre for Contemporary Art (SECCA) | Sibling Architecture

The South East Centre for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Bega, has undergone a significant transformation. This revitalization solidifies Bega as a vibrant cultural destination, aligning with SECCA’s vision to strengthen ties between the local community and the global arts scene. Co-located with the library, council offices and civic centre; SECCA emerges as the cultural heart of the town. Its expansion, encompassing over 500 sqm, includes diverse exhibition spaces, upgrade to amenities and services enabling it to host anything from prestigious touring shows to beloved community arts groups.

The main gallery has been transformed in volume with a new roof structure and high window voids. The former council chambers are adapted into additional exhibition and project spaces and connect seamlessly with the rest of the civic precinct. A new facade and window vitrines extend the gallery’s influence into the surrounding town, fostering a stronger connection with the community and surrounding landscape.

Riverfront house | Shiro Architects pty ltd

Designed by award winning Japanese architect Hiromi Lauren’s team at Shiro Architects, this modern, minimalist, streamlined Parramatta River waterfront house follows the contours of its site, raking towards the cliff on which the house stands, to give its client direct access to the river at water level without adding visible building height from the street.

Offering a complete 180 degree scenic journey throughout, with nothing interrupting its view of the river and parkland opposite, its design seamlessly blends with its exterior, to bring the outside in.

In a highly visible location, adjoining public parkland, its minimal features, and organic materials concrete walls with softening timber ceilings are a perfect complement to the nature in which it exists.

And its design enables both a large, extended family to gather together, while providing the immediate family generous and comfortable private living and bedroom areas distinctly separate from such shared spaces

Rosedale House | Scale Architecture

On Yuin country, Rosedale is a beautiful oceanside bushland setting. During the black summer fires of 2019 and 2020, the seaside community was completely razed, and the original Polish style summer house, was lost to fire. With this project, we found a way to make a small but meaningful contribution to the bushfire recovery effort.

Clad entirely in red corrugated iron, its hip roof profile is an unashamed reference to the modest tin shacks that once lined our coastal towns. The monochromatic response might appear in contrast against its bushy coastal suburban context, but at the same time is so fitting, that it almost hides in plain sight.

Rosetta | Architects Nicholas and Associates

Rosetta is locally listed with a heritage residence, originally designed in the Inter War Mediterranean Style with Georgian Influences. The L shaped plan, cradles two sides of the courtyard garden adding to the enclosed nature of the sunken garden, the other two sides are defined by significant trees.

This is a delicate restoration of the house and a skillful re-imagining internally for modern use, creating new living spaces that relate to the rear well established garden and kidney shaped pool. The existing buttressed sandstone retaining wall is extended to create the podium base that supports the house above, five new archways punctuate the new stone wall.

The scope of work is consistent with the Inter War Mediterranean context and the use of sympathetic materials and details mitigates the visual impact of the changes.

Royal National Park Amenities | Breakspear Architects

Established in 1879, The Royal National Park is the second oldest national park globally and is a place of natural splendour with rich cultural and environmental significance. The Dharawal people, the original custodians of this land, have left an indelible cultural legacy with numerous sacred sites throughout the landscape.

The Audley picnic area, situated at the confluence of the Hacking River and Kangaroo Creek within the Royal National Park, underwent enhancements by Breakspear architects in collaboration with NPWS. Aiming to improve amenities, pathways, and landscaping on two riverbank sites, the project showcased a unique blend of new architecture, heritage restoration, landscaping, and civil works, all within a modest $1.25M budget. Despite its relatively small size, the project was complex. A strategic approach focused on an efficient structure, simple materiality, and a single impactful gesture, ensuring effective cost management and a transformative impact across the significant site.

Salesforce Tower at Sydney Place | Foster + Partners and Architectus

Salesforce Tower at Sydney Place, located between George and Pitt Streets. has reinvigorated Sydney’s iconic Circular Quay with a network of pedestrian laneways that criss-cross the site at different levels. Closely integrated with the tower above, the laneways are lined with restaurants, cafes and bars.

The tower makes a distinctive contribution to Sydney’s skyline with its innovative facade a series of external cross-braces derived from structural stress diagrams. The entire elevation is vertically articulated to modulate its visual impact on the skyline. The expressed structure also allows flexibility in interior layouts with the core offset to one side. Salesforce Tower was designed to support new ways of working in the 21st century, suitable for a whole range of organisations, from new start-ups to large companies.

The offset core and column free workspaces maximise views of Sydney Harbour, and create a workspace that optimises community, collaboration, wellbeing, and productivity for workers.

Sandringham House | Tonkin Zulaikha Greer

Sandringham House is a split level home for intergenerational living that responds to an exposed southerly aspect and its sandy surrounds. The house is expressed in sand toned Krause bricks that speak to the wind swept dunes of Botany Bay. The curvilinear cutaway achieves massing that responds to post war brick bungalows lining the street.

The importance of family, community and cultural heritage to the client is reflected in the architecture. Multiple living spaces, terraces and gardens are built around the pool providing protection from the wind while offering large spaces for regular gatherings of forty or more. A ‘forever home’ for the client, the Sandringham House was designed with longevity and sustainability in mind. Sustainable initiatives including a state of the art geothermal system supports efficient heating and cooling.

Point Piper House | Tony Owen Architects

The client sought a much lighter and very luxurious home. The first challenge was to re-unify the house by connecting all levels using a steel spiral staircase. We then rationalised the structure introducing fewer columns, and simpler beams. This resulted in a very clean and open flow. The top floor was changed to a master bedroom suite. The roof terrace was extended. The entire house was rendered. The uppermost level was reclad in transluscent profilit glass, which continued through the lower levels and the house was re-rendered and painted white. This considerably lightened the exterior and the large expanse of profile it and connecting voids lightened the interiors. The result is a luxurious dwelling that lives up to its prestigious address.

Powerhouse Castle Hill | lahznimmo architects

In 2018 CreateNSW engaged lahznimmo architects to design a new 9,000 m2 facility for Powerhouse Castle Hill. The facilities in the 130 metre long building serve the needs of a variety of groups including staff, volunteers, education groups, researchers, artists, scientists, industry partners and the general public. In addition to increasing storage space, it expands the site’s ability to hold public exhibitions, providing a much needed museum facility for the people of Sydney’s northwest.

The storage facility must maintain a constant temperature and relative humidity to protect the collection and is essentially designed like a large esky.

The material palette throughout is minimal and elemental, with the raw expression of materials on display to showcase their natural properties including mill finish aluminium, off-form concrete walls and polished concrete floors. The colour palette continues the cool tonal range from white, through greys to black.