Architecture & Design’s Top 12 articles for 2022

Well, we made it.

What a whirlwind that was. 12 months and hundreds of stories to tell. While we can’t recount them all, we thought we’d give you guys a little catch up on the biggest news stories across Australia’s built environment in 2022.

From all of us at Architecture & Design, we thank you for being a part of this publication in 2022, a year in which Australian architecture was rightfully recognised on the world stage for its ingenuity, innovation and intelligence. As you scroll through this article, you’ll realise that is most certainly the case.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all in 2023.

Without further ado, let’s recap the year that was.

Candalepas crowned winner of NGV Contemporary design competition

Angelo Candalepas and Associates’ winning design for the NGV Contemporary was unveiled by the Victorian Government and the National Gallery of Victoria, which upon completion will become Australia’s largest gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design, spanning 30,000 square metres.

The vision for the project features dramatic arched entries, a spherical hall spanning more than 40-metres high and more than 13,000 square metres of display space for art and design, including exhibition galleries and an expansive rooftop terrace and sculpture garden with stunning vistas of Melbourne.

Find out more about this generational project here.

The restored woolshed primed to become one of Sydney’s most loved cultural destinations

The reinvigoration of Pier 2/3 at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct opened its doors this month, with the design created by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects transforming an old wool shed into a state-of-the-art cultural institution. The pier has provided a home to a trio of much-loved Sydney arts institutions: The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare.

“I think it looks amazing. It’s such a big project that you can’t sum it up in a few words. The biggest thing is that it still feels like an industrial wharf. It feels expansive, as opposed to being divided into little boxes, which in fact it is,” says TZG Director Peter Tonkin.

Read all about it here.

Woods Bagot-designed Market Square set to be one of South Australia’s first all-electric workplaces

In what is a major milestone for Adelaide’s push towards a greener economy, the 6 Star Green Star workplace at Adelaide’s Market Square is to be one of South Australia’s first all-electric office buildings, ousting fossil fuels in favour of renewables.

The enormous project can be read about here.

Former Development Victoria Director earns global sustainability role

Samantha Peart, an internationally renowned Australian sustainability leading light has been appointed as the global Head of Sustainability at Hassell.

An entrepreneurial leader in sustainability consultancy, driving organisational transformation for a world-wide roster of clients, Peart’s reputation as an expert in the field is seldom rivalled.

Arcadia brings about change of its own with Indigenous Strategy

Consistently at the forefront of invoking industry-shaping Indigenous change, Arcadia has launched its inaugural Indigenous Strategy to coincide with Reconciliation Week.

The Strategy, which will guide much of the practice’s operations between now and 2030, will see the goals and aspirations of Arcadia formed into something more tangible. The Strategy has been in the works since 2020, conducting internal research and workshops to identify three major tenets: Respect, Community and Advocacy.

Our interview with Arcadia Principal Alex Longley can be seen here.

Melbourne releases its boldest vision for the future since ‘Postcode 3000’

The City of Melbourne has released a set of bold ideas and ambitious plans as Melbourne is forecast to become the most populated city in Australia by 2026.

The strategy plots how Melbourne will look and feel over the next 10 to 20 years – with a focus on affordable housing, tackling climate change, creating jobs and delivering sustainable high-quality development and design.

Read all about it here.

Australia’s next cultural icon: Powerhouse Parramatta

The largest investment for a cultural institution since the Sydney Opera House, Powerhouse Parramatta is shaping up as Australia’s next iconic development. Designed by Japanese-French practice Moreau Kusunoki and local architect Genton, the building has limitless potential, created by an exterior exoskeleton, creating large column free exhibition spaces and extraordinary curatorial flexibility, which enable a constant cycle of ever-changing exhibits, learning programs and cultural and community events.

Architectus reveals bold vision for Brisbane’s Roma Street Precinct

New pedestrian bridges and walkable boulevards, green spaces for gathering and truth-telling, viewing platforms over the river, revitalised heritage buildings, and even a new ‘Grand Central’... these are some of the ideas revealed by multi-award-winning Australian architecture and design studio, Architectus as part of their bold new vision for the Roma Street Precinct in Brisbane.

Take a look at the practice's plans here.

Buchan named Expo 2025 Australian Pavilion designer

Buchan was announced as the Lead Designer of the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2025, to be held in Osaka.

It is the first time the 130-year-old firm has been selected to oversee the design of the pavilion. The entire practice was honoured to have been selected to represent Australia on the world stage after being chosen by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

2022 Sustainability Award Winners announced

After two years of virtual events, the 2022 Sustainability Awards are back in their original and popular live format, this time at Sydney’s Shangri-La hotel.

The 250 strong crowd celebrated the year’s most outstanding people, projects and products in the world of sustainable built design, recognising the contribution that these exemplars have made to the ongoing betterment of our environment. With rapid change needed across the country and the globe, it has never been more important to elevate pioneering design to the national stage, promoting the talent, innovation and technology that will move Australia toward net zero.

Catch up on the full list of winners here.

Woods Bagot takes home 4 awards at World Architecture Festival

Three Australian projects by global architecture studio Woods Bagot won four awards at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), cementing the firm’s reputation as one of the world’s leading design practices.

Read about the practice’s award winning efforts here.

Sydney Modern opens with the air of ambition

The NSW Art Gallery’s North Building, designed by Tokyo-based practice SANAA in collaboration with Architectus, has reached completion, with the design culminating in a world-class facility most worthy of its siting and cultural significance.

Unveiled at an exclusive media briefing on Tuesday, the new gallery is imagined as a series of boxes wrapped in a glass facade that jut out at slightly offset angles and cascade in step with the topography of the site. The intricacies are countless, with handcrafted textures culminating in an ethereal, elegant, light and moving experience.

New South Wales’ biggest cultural project since the Opera House. Click here for more.

Quay Quarter Tower etches its name in the history books

Australia’s built environment has received much critical acclaim in recent times, but 3XN and BVN’s Quay Quarter Tower takes the cake, following the project being awarded the World Building of the Year prize at the World Architecture Festival.

The world’s largest upcycled building, Quay Quarter Tower consists of five glass ‘villages’ stacked on top of one another. 90 percent of the existing building has been maintained, underlining the sustainable approach taken by 3XN and BVN. Approximately 7.3 million kilograms of embodied carbon has been saved in the reuse of the existing fabric.