Public Spaces
Wander through city squares, public installations, towns, parks and more.
Bamiyan Cultural Centre in Afghanistan by M2R Arquitectos
The centre arises in the wake of tragic events that date back over twenty years, to March 2001 when the Taliban destroyed two colossal Buddha statues that towered over the Bamiyan Valley. The statues, carved into the stone cliff-face approximately 1500 years ago, were considered the largest standing Buddha sculptures in the world, forming an […]
News
April 29, 2022
Pascoe Vale Primary School in Melbourne by Kosloff Architecture
Led by co-founders Julian Kosloff and Stephanie Bullock, the Kosloff Architecture team responded to the brief by creating a generous annexe with a gently curved facade, largely realised in traditional red brick to mirror that of the original structure. Panels of perforated brick detailing adorn its exterior, continuing the framework established by the street-facing windows […]
Architecture
November 26, 2021
Final days: ‘Intersections’ by Ian Strange lights up Sydney nights
Ian’s latest work, titled ‘Light Intersections II’ from the Intersections series, has recently landed in Surry Hills as part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About program. The artwork sees 120 metres of LED light beams dramatically break through a graffiti-tagged terrace house. The light is used to draw attention to the Victorian architecture […]
Art
July 2, 2021
Guðlaug geothermal baths in Iceland by Basalt Architects
Sought after for its health benefits and healing powers, geothermal bathing is an ancient tradition in Iceland which dates back to the 12th century. The Nordic island nation is located on a fissure between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, placing it directly above geothermal activity that heats reservoirs of water underneath the earth’s crust. The piping hot water – the quintessence of geothermal bathing – can be accessed by drilling or it might rise to the earth's surface naturally.
Architecture
March 18, 2021
‘By the people, for the people’: Waterfront Clubhouse by Abin Design Studio
In early 2017, the state government of West Bengal in India offered all state clubs and associations a sum of two lakh rupees (approx. AU$3500/US$2750), to be used for the promotion of sports and extra-curricular activities within its communities. Though not enough funding to immediately fulfil their ambitions, one of the local football clubs in the city of Bansberia was prompted by the stimulus to approach Abin Design Studio (ADS), tasking them with the design and construction of a compact clubhouse for its young and passionate footballers.
Architecture
February 23, 2021
Sydney’s biggest pool since the 2000 Olympics is now open
An impressive aquatic centre with extensive fitness and wellness facilities is the jewel in the crown of a major recreational project in the Epsom Park precinct of Sydney’s Green Square. Featuring four swimming pools, one becoming the largest to appear in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics, the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre was designed by Andrew Burges Architects and Grimshaw with landscaping by Taylor Cullity Lethlean.
Public Spaces
February 11, 2021
The Aboriginal Art and Cultures Centre by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Woods Bagot
Born from a partnership between New York-based architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Australian practice Woods Bagot, the Aboriginal Art and Cultures Centre (AACC) is one step closer to realisation with the unveiling of the building’s updated designs. Planned for the city of Adelaide in South Australia, the AACC will honour the past, present and future of Aboriginal cultures while also pledging support to contemporary art practices and events.
Architecture
February 10, 2021
Open for business: Shigeru Ban’s transparent toilet blocks in Tokyo
We’ve all been there. Miles from home – or just far enough – and the urge to, ahem, ‘go’ strikes. But there are two factors that prevent most people from willingly seeking out the nearest public restroom. "The first is cleanliness," explains Shigeru Ban, one of the ‘creators’ invited by The Nippon Foundation to participate in The Tokyo Toilet project. "The second is whether anyone is inside".
Architecture
August 31, 2020
The Ocean Grove surf club by Wood Marsh casts a quiet gaze over Bass Strait
“It captures a robust ruggedness through the ‘dune’ and ‘stack’ components, represented in the relationship between the horizontality of the club building obscured in the dunes and the verticality of the more prominent control tower,” says the architects. “Each element appears to be softened by years of weathering.” The expanded program of the new Ocean […]
Architecture
July 7, 2020