Australia’s first skyscraper, ICI House (now Orica House), has celebrated its 60th anniversary and will welcome Hub Australia as a new tenant in 2019. Completed in 1958, Bates Smart’s 19-storey glazed curtain wall tower set the standard for modern vertical workplace design and propelled Melbourne to become the modern city it is today. ICI House was Australia’s tallest office tower when built and remains a highly sought-after workplace for its slim, flexible floorplates and classic design. Bates Smart Director, Kellie Payne, said ICI House’s design was human centred and it thought through how people would work in the future and provided the ideal environment; surpassing even today's modern wellbeing criteria. “The design focused on integrating the ground plane into landscaped courtyards with water features. All parts of the floor have great access to light and views,... more

Property management company, Greenland Australia has held an official topping out ceremony at its master-planned project in north-west Sydney, nbh at Lachlan’s Line, signifying the structural completion of the highest floor of the development. The first stage of the development includes four towers of 17, 14, 14 and 11 storeys and is set to comprise 592 apartments and 5,000 square metres of retail floor space. Greenland Australia’s Managing Director, Sherwood Luo, said Macquarie Park’s strong business community and central location means it is fast becoming one of Sydney’s most sought-after residential suburbs. “The area is well serviced by major transport connections such as the nearby North Ryde Metro Station, which is only 200 metres from site, with nbh residents to have direct access to the CBD via the Metro when it reopens for business in mid-2019, courtesy of a ... more

Country Garden Australia’s first project, Ryde Garden, officially reached completion this week.  The $580M Bates Smart Architects-design residential high-rise project includes 830 apartments which span across three towers. The towers vary in height from 12 to 28 storeys and are positioned around a picturesque 4,000 square metre park. Resident amenity includes parking for 730 cars and 336 bikes, a private 30-metre lap pool, gymnasium, childcare facility, street-level retail and concierge, in addition to Aspect Studios-designed rooftop gardens and other generous green plane areas. Ryde Garden’s luxury one, two and three-bedroom apartments will ultimately become home to roughly 2,500 residents, all of which will all enjoy uninterrupted views of the city and surrounds. Image courtesy of Country Garden Australia.[/... more

Australia's largest coroner's court and forensic medicine facility, the NSW Forensic Medicine and Coroners Court Complex, has officially opened its doors. The $91.5 million building in Lidcombe replaces the existing facility at Glebe, which was home to coronial and forensic medical services for more than 40 years but was no longer a fit for current or future needs. The brand-new NSW Forensic Medicine and Coroners Court Complex building was designed by leading architectural practices Cox Architecture and Silver Thomas Hanley and features additional courtrooms for the NSW Coroners Court and modern/expanded clinical facilities for NSW Health Pathology’s forensic medicine service. Cox Architecture Director, Nick Tyrrell, said the design solution for the facility included colour psychology, the integration of art, access to daylight, an engagement with nature and a highly-crafted ... more

The first stage of turning the 30-year old Sydney Football Stadium into a modern, world-class venue has been approved by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment but the approval remains subject to strict conditions. Earlier in the year, an intense design competition was held between the best architectural firms in Australia. After a thorough assessment period, Cox Architecture’s design for the stadium was eventually selected for its state-of-the-art roof structure and beautiful response to the stadium’s surroundings. The Sydney Football Stadium redevelopment is set to feature seats for 40,000 spectators and will be complete with weather protection, state-of-the-art technology, and modern food and beverage offerings. On Friday 7 December, Stage One approval for the project was received and Lendlease was awarded the demolition and construction contract. Minister for ... more

A $206 million design and construct contract has been awarded to Watpac Limited for the Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) Saint Teresa of Kolkata Building in Melbourne. Located on the edge of the city at ACU’s campus in Fitzroy, the project includes construction of a new 13 storey tower with roof-top sports courts, above a seven-level basement on Victoria Parade. Designed by Lyons Architects, the Saint Teresa of Kolkata Building is set to include centralised teaching facilities and informal learning spaces, a library, congregational hub and shared facilities for staff and students. Watpac will also build three additional levels above the existing heritage-listed Mary Glowrey Building, which will feature staff workspace access via new lifts from the lower levels, with stair access supporting floor to floor staff circulation within the staff focussed levels. Watpac Con... more

Positioned between Victoria Street and Darlinghurst Road in Pott’s Point in inner Sydney, the striking new $320 million 20-storey Omnia apartment building has officially been opened. Developed by Greenland Australia, the building features 132 luxury apartments and is already gaining widespread attention for its curvaceous hourglass angles, atop a unique sculptured retail podium. Construction on the project began in March 2017, becoming Greenland Australia’s fourth completed project since commencing in Australia in 2013. Greenland Australia’s Managing Director, Sherwood Luo thanked the project team for creating such an iconic landmark for inner Sydney. “Probuild have been responsible for Omnia’s high-quality construction, Durbach Block Jaggers for its distinctive design, and SJB and Studioaria for its premium interiors,” said Mr Luo. “This exceptional build qu... more

Participants from more than 50 countries submitted concept proposals to the 2018 Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) competition, but only NH Architecture and the collaboration team were deemed victorious for their entry; Light Up – a large-scale public art and urban design initiative that produces clean energy.   Designed in collaboration with Ark Resources, John Bahoric Design and RMIT Architecture, the proposal combines solar, wind, plant fuel-cell energy harvesting, and battery storage into the landscape of this year’s site, the St Kilda Foreshore. NH Architecture said the design response was a lightweight tensile structure formed of approximately 8,600 solar panels that would create a light-filtering canopy over Jacka Boulevard, providing shade for visitors and improving links between existing public, pedestrian and street networks. The firm also states that Light Up ... more