Architecture
Brisbane architect designs Iraqi parliament
Design

Brisbane architect to design Iraqi parliament

23 Jan 2014

Brisbane expat Peter Besley of London-based architecture firm Assemblage is behind the redesign of the new Iraqi parliament. Having worked on projects in the UK, Australia and the Middle East, the firm won an international competition run by the United Nations in 2011 to design new housing and towns in Iraq. Assemblage has since been awarded the opportunity to design Iraq’s new parliament in Baghdad. Drawing on ideas of citizenship, a transparent, democratic relationship between citizens and government, accessibility and positive progression of the government has led to an urban design with green spaces and opportunity for interaction between politicians and the public. more

Architecture
Queensland Architecture Awards
Design

Nominations open for Queensland Architecture Awards

16 Jan 2014

The ball has started rolling towards the announcement of the 2014 National Architecture Awards, with nominations now open for the Queensland Architecture Awards. Categories for the Queensland chapter include Public Architecture, Residential Architecture – Houses (New), Commercial Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design and Heritage, amongst others. Nominations close on Friday January 31, with the Brisbane event to be held on May 16. Submit your project via the Australian Institute of Architects. Image credit: Wesley House by Fulton Trotter Architects in association with Architectus. Photographer: John Gollings. more

Architecture
myer centre brisbane
Design

The Myer Centre gains refreshed food court

12 Dec 2013

Food courts are funny places. Fluorescent lighting beams down from overhead, casting your meal and the skin of the people around you in an odd yellow glow. The aromas of foods from greasy franchises and Chinese banquets mesh and compete to win over your tastebuds. Convenience is key, with the food and service designed to be fast, and your meal delivered in easy-to-carry packaging, ensuring you can eat quickly on the run, in the food court or back at your desk. more

Architecture
archipelago architects
Design

Designing a cityscape to be proud of

05 Dec 2013

There is a lure, a fascinating pull, that draws us to visit particular cities of the world. Rich with culture and history, these cities, both small and large, draw us in, where the impressive facades of buildings captivate us in their construction, period style and fine details. more

Architecture
Archi-tour Brisbane
Design

The archi-tour: a local design concept

28 Nov 2013

While touring architecture in our own city (think Brisbane Open House) and while travelling abroad is a commonly enjoyed pursuit, an archi-tour where architects get to visit the work of other local architects is an uncommon practice. From private homes to public bars, the doors to the prized creations of Brisbane’s architects are swung open to likeminded eyes in collaborative architecture tours. Taking an afternoon out from the daily grind, both emerging and established Brisbane architects hop between the latest finished projects of their peers to admire the lines, light and shadow, and intricate details, and to ask questions and give feedback. The Weekend Edition tagged along on one leg of a recent archi-tour to take a few snaps at one of James Russell Architect’s houses. more

Architecture
Cooroy Library sets a new bar for rural design
Design

Cooroy Library sets a new bar for rural design

21 Nov 2013

Delivering a touch of the contemporary to the sleepy rural town of Cooroy, Brewster Hjorth Architects designed the Cooroy Library and Digital Information Hub as part of the Mill Place Master Plan for Cooroy. Providing a vibrant connection between the existing art gallery at the Butter Factory and the main street, the project was awarded the Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year at the Sunshine Coast Regional Architecture Awards earlier this year. The building consists of two curved pavilions, with one dug into the slope of the site and covered by an earth-sheltered grass roof, which acts as the link between the gallery and the parklands. The environmentally sustainable design features a low-energy shell and a natural-light-filled interior featuring digital training and community rooms, a lounge, reading areas and a cafe that opens onto a large covered verandah. more