Header Image
Weston Street by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. Photography by Tim Soar.
Program.
8.45 am
Arrival and seating
9.00 am
Welcome Katelin Butler, editorial director, Architecture Media
9.15 am
Keynote Karen Alcock, principal, MA Architects (Melbourne)
10.00 am
Keynote Griselda Balian, partner, BAAG (Buenos Aires)
10.45 am
Morning tea
11.15 am
Case study: Culturally empowered housing project, East Arnhem Land Architect: Kieran Wong, The Fulcrum Agency (Perth).
Client: Gregson Lalara, Traditional Owner of the Groote Archipelago and founding chairman, Anindilyakwa Housing Aboriginal Corporation (East Arnhem Land).
Case study: Arkadia, Sydney Architect: Koos de Keijzer, director, DKO Architecture (Melbourne).
Client: Pedro Pan, development manager, Defence Housing Australia (Sydney).
Case study: 443 Queens Street, Brisbane Architect: Elizabeth Watson Brown, design strategy leader, Architectus Australia (Brisbane).
Client: Michelle Fitzgerald, development manager, Cbus Property (Brisbane).
12.45 pm
Lunch
1.45 pm
IBA Melbourne launch IBA (Internationale Bauausstellung) Melbourne is a cross-institutional research project aimed at transforming housing provision in Melbourne.
Alan Pert, director, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne.
Jill Garner, Victorian Government Architect and principal, Garner Davis Architects.
AHMM remains sceptical of models of architectural practice focused on the idea of typological expertise. Instead it pursues the making of everyday architecture that is "ExtraOrdinary." An architecture that is both of this central idea and of the context in which it is situated. The practice therefore pursues opportunities to build out its research, be that in urban or rural situations; be it in a global city like London, an oil and prairie city like Oklahoma or a new technology hub like Hyderabad.
In this talk, Simon Allford will present a series of projects, large and small, that explore the potential for a mix of uses, the implications of the consideration of long-term adaptability, and how various tenures do, or do not, drive an idea for the architecture of the home. In each of these projects the focus will be on "constructing the idea:" building as an incremental research project for the development of an architectural theory.
Australian cities are unique. The subtleties of place, climate, history and diversity all influencing how we live. Within this context, apartment developments are considered commodities first and genuine places to live second. With more of our population transitioning to higher-density housing, we must reassess the direct relationship between apartments and their local surroundings.
How can we learn from the specifics of what we have, to build a better future for apartments in a local context? In a far larger sense, how can architects, developers and governments work together to change the focus of apartment development to achieve the best outcome for our cities?
Hong Kong is widely reported as the most unaffordable city in the world to live in. Although roughly 30 percent of the population lives in subsidised public rental housing, there is a great need for more options for affordable private housing for lower-income people. Subdivided homes are an example of an undesirable "solution" that appears in the city as a direct response to the laissez-faire housing market and its demand.
Maggie Ma will share Domat's works for people living with limited means, including modifications to subdivided homes and new social housing developments in Hong Kong. Due to constraints of the projects, options for design are often limited, as well as being morally debatable. At the same time, can we ignore the situation, or say it is not our responsibility as an architect?
In Buenos Aires, the third most populated city in Latin America, 74 percent of households are apartments. Recently the urban planning code has been changed, allowing a significantly higher density, and a more compact city with less patios and open spaces. The metropolitan area is growing at pace, while elsewhere towns are closing down.
In this scenario, how can architects think about improving the city? How can we generate an integrated and friendly environment between private and common spaces? How to grow and densify without losing the identity and the way of life of a neighbourhood? Griselda Balian will present multi-residential complexes, single family households and other projects by BAAG studio, focusing on strategies used to tackle these challenges.
Case studies.
Culturally empowered housing projects – East Arnhem Land, NT
Despite significant Territory and Federal Government investment over the past decade, health, education and housing outcomes in Indigenous communities remain poor. In particular, limited Traditional Owner involvement and lack of climatically and culturally responsive housing design has resulted in sub-optimal housing outcomes and growing frustrations within the various communities that comprise the Groote Archipelago, East Arnhem Land, NT.
Over the past four years, TheFulcrum.Agency has been working with the Anindilyakwa Land Council to significantly improve the lives of Indigenous people across the Groote Eylandt Archipelago through better housing design and health hardware. By travelling regularly to the archipelago, The Fulcrum Agency has been able to engage directly with traditional owners and community stakeholders, developing a deep understanding of the complex social and cultural patterns underpinning each community and building strong relationships in the region.
In this Case Study, Kieran Wong and Gregson Lalara will discuss their unique approach to delivering planning and housing projects across the Groote Archipelago in East Arnhem Land. This work is unique and extraordinary, combining long-term community planning and cross-cultural co-design processes. The presentation will describe how this work is a radical shift from historic colonizing governance processes, moving toward a truly community-led and culturally empowered program of projects.
Elizabeth Watson Brown will share 443 Queen Street, a project that she says will be the new benchmark in high-rise residential architecture for the subtropics – truly a "building that breathes."
The project is a radical departure from traditional "sealed" residential towers. The open-cluster plan of pavilions within generous, lush habitable gardens maximizes natural light and air, views for all and superior privacy. Shared zones such as arrival gardens, lobbies and walkways are airy gardens. Common plant and services are therefore minimized and each residence can autonomously tune and monitor energy use. This ensures 443 Queen Street halves the usual energy consumption of traditional residential buildings in Brisbane.
The project capitalises on its unique riverside site and generously provides public open space and a connection from the city to the river. This is rational, responsible and responsive subtropical architecture of a type that we hope is replicated throughout the city for the benefit of all.
Arkadia is a collaboration between DKO and Breathe Architecture – the winning proposal of a Design Excellence Competition – with the response driven by three key motivations: community, environment and architecture.
For this major urban infill development, DKO set out to design a building that adds to Alexandria’s neighbourhood, mediating between the scale of the existing industrial block and the fine grain historic terraces. Focusing communal spaces to the north – including the publicly accessible Huntley Green – Arkadia shields residents from the Sydney Park Road while building a connection to the local community.
Sustainability has been incorporated into every aspect of Arkadia, from extensive bike storage in the basement, to extensive gardens and proposed apiary on the rooftop. The project has been designed to minimise CO2 emissions, including a high thermally efficient envelope of half a million recycled bricks.
Architecturally, the single continuous building has been "broken" into four smaller communities, related by iconic grand brick arches and through-links. Visual bulk is reduced by floating the building above the ground plane and vertical slots that articulate the form.
Arkadia heralds a new wave of large-scale residential developments that bring together the best of community, sustainability and good design.
Gregson Lalara represents the client for planning and housing projects across the Groote Archipelago in East Arnhem Land. At Housing Futures, he will present the project alongside Kieran Wong of the Fulcrum Agency.
Gregson is a Warnindilaywaka man and a traditional owner of the Groote Archipelago in East Arnhem Land. He is the founding chairman of the Anindilyakwa Housing Aboriginal Corporation (AHAC) and a Traditional Owner representative and board member of the Anindilyakwa Land Council. Gregson has worked tirelessly to advocate for better housing, infrastructure and planning for the townships and satellite communities of Groote and has played a pivotal role in engaging with community members on housing design, masterplanning and implementation.
Michelle Fitzgerald represents the client for 443 Queen Street, Brisbane. At Housing Futures, she will present the project alongside Elizabeth Watson Brown of Architectus.
Michelle Fitzgerald is a development manager at Cbus Property. She is currently the development manager of 443 Queen Street, a unique project that will be a new benchmark in environmentally driven high-rise architecture.
Before joining Cbus Property in 2013, Michelle commenced her career in architectural practice after achieving an honours degree in architecture from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Science (Arch) degree from the University of Newcastle.
Pedro Pan represents the client for Arkadia, Sydney. At Housing Futures, he will present the project alongside Koos de Keijzer of DKO Architecture.
Pedro Pan is a senior development manager at Defence Housing Australia and has carriage of the overall project delivery responsibilities for a number of apartment and mixed-use projects. This includes Arkadia, a high-quality residential development consisting of a mix of 152 studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom and terrace-style apartments in a prime inner-city suburb of Alexandria. Designed with strong focus on sustainable principles, the project features extensive use of recycled bricks, solar panels, and the reuse of rainwater for irrigation to communal areas.
Stuart Harrison is a Melbourne architect who has worked in architectural practice, teaching and media. Stuart in an advocate for good design and the re-use of buildings and believes in a strong link between history and contemporary practice. He is director of Harrison and White Architects, has worked extensively in public radio and authored three books on housing.
