Design 10 Years Ago: 4 of the Best Projects of 2014
As we revel in the innovation that defines contemporary Australian architecture, we take a look back at some of the designs that have shaped the current landscape of our urban fabric from a decade ago. Here, we look at some of the brick projects that were defining the design space 10 years ago, pioneering the dynamic architecture we see today while standing the test of time themselves.
- Australian Embassy in Bangkok
Thailand’s Australian embassy asserts diplomatic respect for place while striking a delicate balance between two contrasting architectural styles. Designed by BVN, the project takes cues from the Thai tradition of both exterior and interior aquatic elements, the undulating red brick façade is encased by a generous rectangular vessel of water to unify the building as one. Choosing red brick, though uncommon in Bangkok, hails to the red-dirt deserts of central Australia – its organic landscape reflected in the building’s soporific curvature. A nod to Thailand’s ‘it mon dang’ bricks, the 450,000 bricks used in the Australian embassy used nine different radii to create the surprisingly smooth texture of its thick exterior walls.
- John Livingston Building, Kirwan State High School
Responding to the unique demands of Northern Queensland’s harsh tropical climate, Deicke Richards’ renovation of the John Livingston Building was the first development at Kirwan State High School in almost 40 years. Named in honour of its great advocate and the school’s widely admired late principal John Livingston, this exemplary project received a commendation at the 2016 North Queensland Regional Architecture Awards. The project addresses the strong connections within the community and reinforces the school’s vision to provide educational excellence for future generations. Establishing an assertive identity in its sweeping façade, the revitalised building uses Austral Masonry Grey blocks to create a distinctive contemporary feature that protects the school from busy parallel roads. To combat the humid climate, internal circulation was embedded in the building with its generous spaces and full-length glazing over windows, offering ample ventilation and views across the school’s greenery.
- UNSW Kensington Colleges
Winning the opportunity to reimagine UNSW’s historic Kensington Colleges, Bates Smart created a modern student accommodation precinct designed to unite the university’s lower and upper campus areas. The project reimagines contemporary student housing, offering a variety of accommodation with communal areas, private and shared bathrooms, direct access to an expansive courtyard, leafy outlooks and more. Using Austral Bricks Glazed Bricks in a myriad of bold colours, each of the four colleges – Baxter, Basser, Goldstein and Fig Tree – boast three neutral shades of face brick that cover them, displaying a unified front amongst residents and the wider UNSW community. In the centre of the accommodation area lies a landscaped courtyard for residents to relax, participate in activities and socialise. The project went on to win the commercial category of the Think Brick Awards for 2014.
- Dr Chau Chak Wing Facility for UTS Business School
Designed by globally-renowned architect Frank Gehry, the University of Technology Sydney’s Dr Chau Chak Wing facility holds a remarkable resemblance to a gently scrunched brown paper bag. Highlighting the essentiality of imperfection in the pursuit of education, the Business School building appears alive in its form, using 320,000 custom bricks to establish this fluid effect seamlessly. Additionally, the warm neutral tones of the brickwork emulate sandstone, referencing Sydney’s coastal architectural roots while creating a striking contrast between the outwards material and the concrete, timber and polished metal features inside.
These projects offer a glimpse into some of the notable projects Australian architects were producing 10 years ago, marking the continuous evolution of local design paving the way for the impeccable standard of projects designed today.
“Choosing red brick, though uncommon in Bangkok, hails to the red-dirt deserts of central Australia – its organic landscape reflected in the building’s soporific curvature.”
“Choosing red brick, though uncommon in Bangkok, hails to the red-dirt deserts of central Australia – its organic landscape reflected in the building’s soporific curvature.”
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