Table of contents for Issue 64 September 2018 in Artichoke

In this issue, alongside projects from Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, we feature work in regional cities such as Newcastle, Canberra and Nagambie, showing that architecture and design are slowly but surely sprawling beyond the big smoke. In Newcastle, emerging design studio Prevalent, headed by Ben Berwick, has designed Susuru, a futuristic ramen restaurant (page 32). Berwick’s goal for the restaurant is admirable. He wanted to create a space that would challenge the traditional aesthetic notions of Newcastle and would give something to the newcomers, the visitors and the long-term residents yearning to see the city grow and flourish. In the ACT, Universal Design Studio with Mather Architecture have redesigned the historic 1963 Canberra Centre (page 52) into a vibrant new retail precinct that makes the act of shopping a delight.…

Observatory collection by Lee Broom Launched at the 2018 Milan Furniture Fair, Lee Broom’s Observatory line features seven celestial-inspired lighting products that play with sculptural, spherical form and the refraction and reflection of light. Observatory demonstrates Broom’s technical craftsmanship and signature mix of classicism and modernity. Space Furniture — spacefurniture.com.au Congress by DesignOffice Surrounded by a new wave of bars, eateries and galleries at the corner of Peel and Wellington Streets in Melbourne’s Collingwood, Congress, designed by DesignOffice, is a “friendly neighbourhood bistro.” A large external clock reminiscent of a town square signals the arrival space, while double-height glazing wraps the corner site, exposing the interior to the street. A solid oak ceiling adds warmth and architectural detailing, rising from the entry to an intimate rear mezzanine. Photography…

Standing under convex cantilever balconies wrapped in charred timber, watching the sun go down over Sydney’s Darling Harbour, you might forget that Barangaroo House sits at the edge of one of Australia’s biggest ever urban renewal projects. The effortless curves of the balcony form a stately scaffold, enveloping a multi-storey food and beverage venue that offers a range of experiences, from a casual drink to fine dining. A key piece in the overall redevelopment of Barangaroo, the project had a particularly long gestation period. Base build architects Collins and Turner won a design competition in 2013 that secured the form of the building. Working with H+E Architects, Collins and Turner developed the internal arrangements and workings of the project, with Emilie Delalande of interior design firm Etic being brought on…

A hotel is the latest program to be added to the mix at Paramount House, a multifunctional hub of Surry Hills grooviness. The complex already contains a high-end co-working space, a bar and retro cinema, private offices and a purveyor of specialty coffee and the next in line is a rooftop recreation club. With Paramount House Hotel, the owners broke out of the iconic former Paramount Pictures distribution centre (built in 1940) and into the site next door. Breathe Architecture’s hotel reworks a less architecturally dramatic (but still heritage listed) brick warehouse. Thus, Paramount House is expanding, reaching out its tendrils, meshing with and enhancing this gritty industrial and increasingly hip part of town. Hipness is important to Paramount House’s owner, Ping Jin Ng, as demonstrated by the patience and…

Sway lamp by Made by Pen and Nick Rennie Sway, a collaborative effort by Melbourne-based studio Made by Pen and independent designer Nick Rennie, represents a new concept in floor-lamp lighting. The simple, elegant lamp is untethered to a power cord or electrical outlet of any kind. It can be moved, unfettered, all over the room, whether it be in an office or a home. The lamp’s name is taken from when it is moved or knocked, it begins to sway, causing an almost mesmerizing effect. Made by Pen — madebypen.com Nikkou store by Vanessa Webber Taking its name from the Japanese word for sunlight, Nikkou by Vanessa Webber is a bright, minimalist fashion and accessories store located in The Commons Casuarina in northern New South Wales. Raw…

Just over a year ago I commenced my tenure as President of the Design Institute of Australia. In my first Comment column, I signalled a call to action – challenging our members and the design community to think about the different conversations we engage with and to question what we mean by “the voice of professional design” in Australia. How do we harness the myriad and sometimes conflicting views of a diverse group of creatives and disciplines? In my view, it’s not about finding a one-size-fits-all solution – rather, it comes down to getting things done at an individual level through the strength of the connections we make within a network of like-minded practitioners of design. Since that first column I’ve spent time getting to know DIA members across the…

Located in Melbourne’s leafy, premier suburb of Armadale, Bouzy Bar à Vins is a petite wine bar influenced by those quintessential bars found on most corners of “gay Paree.” Bouzy is the product of hospitality sage Jason M. Jones and partner Brahman Perera, an up-and-coming designer, and represents the progression of Melbourne’s hospitality scene – “small bites and a glass of wine after work; it’s about making a special occasion of every day,” explains the duo. Occupying a corner site in the historic Kings Arcade, the brilliantly preserved arcade and former milk bar tenancy gives Bouzy two distinct yet connected dining experiences. The arched walkway is lined with timber banquettes softened by an assortment of traditional Côte d’Azur blue cushions, offering a sheltered alfresco setting complete with requisite cane bistro…

The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) presented the 2018 winners of the DIA’s Australian Graduate Of The Year Awards (AGOTYA) at Denfair in Melbourne on 15 June. The overall winner of the 2018 AGOTYA and recipient of the Madeline Lester Award was Jessica Gregory, a fashion design honours graduate from RMIT University in Melbourne. The Madeline Lester Award is given to the overall AGOTYA winner for demonstrating outstanding design capabilities and employment potential. Gregory’s AGOTYA-winning portfolio includes a range of contemporary fashion pieces that incorporate various printed extracts from social media messaging. The judges said that Gregory’s work “encapsulates the best qualities of a design graduate,” shows “clear evidence of high level thinking and process invested in the works” and demonstrates that she is “broadly literate across the design process,…

Exposure to music, reading and physical activity is known to aid a child’s early development. Could the same line of thinking be expanded to include good design? The City of Sydney seems to be positing that well-designed environments for early learning are an important part of a child’s education, as well as an integral part of urban renewal. In 2017, the City of Sydney inaugurated the East Sydney Early Learning Centre by Andrew Burges Architects. This critically acclaimed project is an adaptive reuse of a multi-storey warehouse. In another part of the city, Green Square, the new Waranara Early Education Centre designed by architecture firm Fox Johnston similarly reuses a disused hospital building and transforms it into a key part of the Green Square urban renewal project. The elegant 1935…

Rachael Bernstone is a writer who specializes in architecture and design. She recently moved from Sydney to Perth and is embracing all the wonders of the west. Intercontinental Perth City Centre (page 92) David Clark has worked in the interior design industry for more than thirty years. As editor-in-chief of Vogue Living Australia for nearly a decade (2003 – 2012) he helped to define an era in Australian residential interior design. In 2012 he was international editorial consultant to Condé Nast for the launch of AD China. Milan Design Week 2018 (page 47) Maria Danos heads boutique architecture and interior design practice Maria Danos Architecture. Based in Melbourne, the practice specializes in residential, hospitality and commercial architecture that is conceptually driven, honest, expressive, finely crafted, informed by context and imbued…

Gallery Chair by Schiavello and MAP Schiavello and MAP’s Gallery Chair was designed by Chris Connell for the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) Triennial. Incorporating a high-carbon steel frame, a nylon mesh seat and back and removable polyester-blend upholstery, the chair was inspired by Leonard French’s stained glass ceiling in the NGV’s Great Hall. Designed to blend in with the overall look of the gallery, the chair references the ceiling’s geometric angles within its form and stitch detailing. Schiavello — schiavello.com Willow Urban Retreat by Meme Occupying two double-storey heritage buildings in Armadale in Melbourne, Willow Urban Retreat by Meme consists of a wholefoods cafe, a “movement and meditation” studio and a spa. Its design is informed by both Eastern and Western traditions, with the integration of technologies…