Table of contents for INDESIGN #81 - Education in INDESIGN

These last months have been an unprecedented time of challenge and change throughout Australia and the world. Who could have predicted this time last year life as we now know it? However we can take heart and strength from our family, friends and colleagues and this is the time to look to the future. Having joined the Indesign team as acting editor in February, I have been encouraged and inspired by my colleagues and especially my publisher who has shown leadership, innovative thinking and a passion in support of the architecture and design community and care for his staff. There are many plans in the pipeline and it is inevitable that new ways of thinking about and presenting design will emerge to become a new normal. As things have changed…

Together, the Italian words forma and fantasma can be roughly translated as “ghost shape”. It was this idea of something ephemeral and shifting, a form or idea that seems to take on new meaning and shape every time you catch a glimpse of it, that Eindhoven-based design duo Formafantasma wanted to capture when they named their studio. “Our practice is not based on formal investigation,” says Simone Farresin, who co-founded Formafantasma with his partner Andrea Trimarchi in 2009. “The form can change and be subjective to different developments according to process, and is something that can change over time.” In keeping with this idea, the pair’s work is a dance between highly experimental research projects that delve into the history of human creation and our relationship with materials, as well…

In a new era of climate consciousness, what does it mean to be sustainable? Burwood Brickworks puts forward a proposal for development and design that gives more than it takes, environmentally and socially. Retail centres don’t typically come to mind when we talk about sustainability. But the new mixed-use development in Melbourne’s Burwood East could be changing that. Burwood Brickworks is on its way to being the most sustainable retail centre in the world: self-sufficient, not exceeding the resources of its location, and containing socially equitable, culturally rich and ecologically restorative spaces that connect people to light, air, food and community. These measures come from the Living Building Challenge™ (LBC™), the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment and the framework Frasers Property applied to the centre. It…

My Grandfather always hated the idea of a retirement home. A horticulturalist and self-confessed handy-man, his days were spent in his garden: pruning roses; chopping wood; expanding his aviary. His life was one of open spaces and independent living, of Saturday tennis lessons and Sunday roasts. And yet, as the years passed, the house grew impossibly large and increasingly empty. Staircases, cavernous baths and split-level living morphed from selling points to hindrances, obstacles that made his home an inherently challenging place to live. Despite this, he resisted moving into aged care. He was in good health – blessed with mobility, agility and quick wit – and in the battle of independence and risk versus safety and regulation, he was willing to hedge his bets. With a population that is both…

Precincts: The engines of innovation Cities are natural centres of innovation, with their concentration of people, organisations and activities providing the firepower to fuel change and growth. But that innovation doesn’t just happen on its own; it requires the right settings for big thinkers such as entrepreneurs, researchers and visionaries to come together with a common sense of purpose, focus and inspiration. Precincts are those places, where the brightest minds and most enterprising people can pool their knowledge, skills and resources to deliver on important government, business and community objectives — and find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From the creative industries to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM), precincts have the power to intensify innovation and enhance outcomes. As hubs for great talent, universities…

Kim Aleksandrowicz Client Engagement WMK Architecture Having been engaged in the architecture and design industry for more than 15 years, Kim’s work is driven by a belief that successful design is to serve and support the people at it’s centre. Her cross-disciplinary experience provides for a unique understanding of client’s needs. Kim is responsible for guiding the critical briefing and discovery phases for major commercial projects across WMK Melbourne’s portfolio. A Digital Readiness Page 140 Sheree Proposch Principal Hassell Sheree is an architect with more than 20 years experience specialising in education, research and health architecture. Her Australian work includes the Life Sciences Precinct and Fishermans Bend Campuses – both major projects for the University of Melbourne. With an artist’s eye and a business brain Sheree sees architecture as a…

From the dark depths of molten magma through the soft texture of the ocean floor to the fluid swirls of white clouds. Nature, science and art come together in the Dekton® Liquid Collection - a new range created by Cosentino in collaboration with pattern experts and designers, PATTERNITY. Cosentino’s latest collection elevates Dekton’s sophisticated, UV, heat, stain and scratch-resistant combination of raw materials with innovative aesthetics that offer a glimpse into the future of global trends. Designed by Anna Murray and Grace Winteringham of PATTERNITY, this new range draws inspiration from the various states of liquidity, in nature, science, art and even spirituality. With the concept grounded in the practice’s sustainability ethos, this collection centres around natural beauty and environmental awareness. Water, as one of the most powerful and precious…

Geoff Warn likes working in teams. The Principal of With_ Architecture Studio (formerly Donaldson Warn) and Western Australia Government Architect since 2013, he sees architecture and planning as inclusive, collaborative processes, commenting: “Architecture emerges from creative engagement with community and is always a function of relationships between people.” Indeed, the tousled-haired Warn is gregarious and insatiably curious — a walking advertisement for life-long learning. He brings to his architecture and the Government Architect’s office a broad frame of reference: his Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture Degrees were punctuated by a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature. His substantial teaching portfolio includes Professor of Architecture at Curtin University from 2005 to 2010. He has recently shepherded into play W.A.’s State Design Review Panel, which he says will bring benefits…

What’s in a name? Well quite a lot actually and these days much can be said about a company by its brand that should encapsulate style, depth and intention of a business. For James Richardson Furniture established in Melbourne in 1956 change has been in the air with the arrival of Georgia Danos who joined as creative and brand director and just happens to be the granddaughter of the founder, David Mandie AM OBE. Danos’ pedigree is of course impeccable however she is also a very savvy business woman in her own right and perhaps, most importantly, she has an enduring passion for design having studied architecture at university. Through her vision, Danos is propelling James Richardson Furniture into the new decade with record speed and the future looks very…

The Nest Childcare Centre, Darling Exchange, Sydney by Davenport Campbell Informed by current pedagogical tenets, Davenport Campbell worked directly with all key stakeholders on The Nest Childcare Centre to ensure an impactful environment that would support a new typology in learning. Focusing on an inclusive approach that saw the family as intrinsic to better learning, The Centre effectively functions as an extension of the home environment. As such – and in keeping with commercial shifts that have seen the workplace aesthetic and layout become increasingly residential – Davenport Campbell’s response is far more domestic than the current typology, as Emma Davenport, Davenport Campbell Director and project lead explains: “The home is the environment that a small child is most familiar with, so the design brings cues from home into the…

With new technologies increasingly used to facilitate learning, it would seem logical to assume current pedagogies can’t be delivered without them. But this isn’t the case. Drones, robots and hi-tech devices are instrumental in today’s schooling, but there are other ways to encourage learning that don’t rely solely on an app or computer. Boosted by creative teaching methodologies and informal learning environments, analogue approaches are producing effective, positive outcomes too, as the recently published international report Innovating Pedagogy 2019 outlines. Authored by The Open University in collaboration with the Centre for the Science of Learning and Technology (Norway), the report identifies the ten trends that will influence education across the globe moving forward. Interestingly, playful learning is one of the key themes expected to have great impact, with advantages for…

Today’s high schools don’t look like they once did – and this is a good thing. Box-like classrooms and an abundance of beige have no place in contemporary learning environments where the goal is to inspire and make students actually want to go to school. Prevailing pedagogies now place the learner well and truly at the centre of the education experience and architects and designers have responded accordingly. The best designs integrate plenty of green space and interiors that are open and agile, with an informality conducive to creativity, collaboration and communication. This is most certainly what MLC School’s management had in mind when they approached BVN to prepare a masterplan for their campus in Burwood, an inner-west suburb of Sydney. The recently completed MLC Senior School is part of…

INDE.Awards 2020 Jury This year has been a challenging one however the brightest light on the horizon is the 2020 INDE.Awards. We received a record-breaking 473 entries, an increase of ten per cent from 2019, and the calibre, diversity and creativity of design has been truly outstanding. Submissions poured in from 14 locations around the Indo-Pacific region and our two special categories for 2020, Best of the Decade Living Space and Best of the Decade Work Space, received an exceptional collection of projects. It goes without saying that the projects, objects, practices and people that have entered the 2020 INDE.Awards is a dynamic group representing the very best in architecture and design that our region has to offer. Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the shortlist. Our…

As a global company based in Sweden, Bolon has been at the pinnacle of design and manufacture of woven flooring for some 70 years. After all, it was the founder of Bolon, Nils-Erik Eklund, who invented the process back in 1949. This new decade marks a time for even more groundbreaking initiatives from the company and reinforces Bolon as a market leader producing products that are practical, functional and of course beautiful. Today, Eklund’s grand daughters, sisters Annica and Marie, are driving the business forward and together they and their staff are forging ahead with even more creative plans and sustainable actions. The brand is ever evolving and in the last few years there has been a change of leadership. Annica, once Managing Director has transitioned to Creative Director, while…

If you engage an architect or an interior designer, you choose them for their specific skills and obviously their talent! However, being a ‘good client’ is more difficult to define. Recently I spoke with an architect who said if you had one or two great clients in your entire career, you should be thankful. What does it mean to be a ‘good client’? I have spent the past year renovating my own house with architect Robert Simeoni. It received two named awards from the Australian Institute of Architects (Victorian Chapter). Many have congratulated me on this achievement, often with the comment, ‘but you were a good client!’. When I reflect on this comment, my answer is: ‘Yes, I was a good client, but why shouldn’t I be!’ I chose Simeoni…

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Central by fjmtstudio Original Broadway Podium design by Lacoste + Stevenson with DJRD Like RMIT in Melbourne, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is an urban campus. But when it was founded in 1988, it was more of a suburban campus, as the city edge essentially ended at Central Station. What is interesting about UTS today is that it not only responds to the recent urbanisation of Sydney CBD’s south-western edge, but has become an increasingly important driver of local urban regeneration as light industrial and commercial sites have transformed into a vibrant mix of high-rise residential, retail and hospitality accompanied by the re-invention of the streetscape. The UTS building and landscaping programme, in conjunction with a policy to maintain a high level of porosity…

Richmond High School, Melbourne by Hayball Vertical schools are not a new phenomenon, particularly overseas in high-density areas such as New York, London and Hong Kong. However, in Australian cities such as Melbourne, the concept is relatively novel – that is, until now. Hayball recently completed its first multi-level primary school in South Melbourne. Richmond High School, located between Highett and Griffiths Streets in Richmond, is its latest. A number of government-run schools were closed during the 1990s, but with a new demographic settling into the inner city, this educational program to reintroduce inner-city public schools will strengthen. “High school students living in Richmond were previously required to travel to neighbouring suburbs. There just wasn’t an option,” says architect David Tweedie, a director at Hayball. This site, formerly occupied by…

Not so long ago, the boundaries between people’s learning and working lives were very clear. High school students would complete their studies, typically transition into university and then enter the workforce. These days, with the rise of the millennial-age worker, they have become less distinct. This blurring of borders has seen the phenomenon of lifelong learning take effect as the younger generation of workers question the need for traditional university degrees, looping in and out of the workforce to complete them. As a result, co-working spaces that accommodate both learning and working are on the increase, incubators positioning industry experts within educational contexts are becoming more common and current pedagogies are being steered towards enabling students to get business focus. These fluid frameworks have enabled architects and designers to deliver…

Our recent work within education design has been informed by a recognition that children are regularly engaging with technology before they commence formal education. Students are arriving at school pre-loaded with a digital skill set that is already being utilised by the pedagogy of today, so it must be supported by the education spaces we design for tomorrow. Formal learning structures of the past can be accused of an arrogant approach to the student experience. When once we accepted the authority of our educational institutions and their didactic approaches, acquiescing that the student is shaped by the school, we have now entered an era where our schools are the ones learning, by adapting and responding to the needs of their students. Learning is not an activity that takes place only…

Project Manager: We have had a fee variation submitted by the engineers. Client: Why’s that? I didn’t think we had changed the brief. Project Manager: You haven’t. The VE process has changed the ceiling design so they need to re-document the services. Client: Sorry, still not understanding. We haven’t changed anything. On the well-worn path to design nirvana, we can all agree that you start broad, aspirational, and push boundaries. As things progress through design development and documentation, the design is refined, matched to the services and synchronised with the available budget so that when the tender set is issued it broadly matches. Of course, no one expects perfection but close enough is a reasonable goal… or it used to be. Can someone please explain when we added a new…