Old Freo Power Station area to be revitalised

Picture from Wikipedia

There’s just something I love about this old power station. Check out here and here for some shots of the amazing interior (this graffitti at least should be protected) . So I’ve been watching the progress of what is due to happen in this area with some interest. I originally thought it was to be knocked down but now it seems it may be up for reuse. The City of Cockburn has finally approved the masterplan for the area, which will eventually cater for 10 000 residents and a mix of commercial and recreational facilities. There’s so much development happening along this little piece of coast – is this better than sprawling out into the ‘burbs ad nauseum? Or the destruction of our precious natural resources?

Life Architecturally

For those who missed the premiere at the State Library a few weeks ago, there’s still an opportunity to catch this documentary on McBride Ryan, in the comfort of your own home (at a much reduced price!). It is airing tomorrow night (Feb 28th) on the ABC at 10pm.

Life Architecturally is a WA-made production, focussing on Victorian husband-and-wife architectural team Robert McBride and Debbie Ryan, as they go about their lives, over the course of a year.

“The stakes are high. The vision is bold. It’s the embodiment of a Life Architecturally.”

More info and a cool preview here. I assume it will be available on iView for two weeks or so, if you miss it.

Officer Woods featured on Australian Design Review

The beautiful work and practice of Officer Woods has been featured in a very well-written interview on Australian Design Review. Some really nice sentiments on their design theories and mode of practice.

First Piece of the City Link up for grabs

The State Government’s City Link project has reached another milestone today with the release of five hectares of prime real estate for Expressions of Interest by developers. It is hoped the successful developer will have “appropriate experience and the capacity to deliver high quality, environmentally sustainable designs.”

Developers are being asked to provide expressions of interest for five hectares of prime central business district land; the first to come to market from the state government’s Perth City Link urban revitalisation initiative. Development proposals are expected by November 10, which will then be shortlisted with proposals completed sometime next year.

 

2011 ArchiAwards

So a bit late, but …

George Temple Poole Award

one40william : Hassell

Jeffrey Howlett Public Architecture Award

State Theatre Centre of Western Australia : Kerry Hill Architects

Award : Albany Entertainment Centre : CH&BW in assoc with Roberts Gardiner

Commendation : VTEC Training WA Metal Fabrication Training Facility, Kalgoorlie : Armstrong Parkin Architects

Commendation : The Grove Library : CH&BW

Ross Chisholm Commercial Architecture Award

one40william : Hassell

Award : The Boulevard Hotel : Taylor Robinson

Margaret Pitt Morison Heritage Architecture Award

Legislative Council Chamber Upgrade : Oldfield Knott Architects

Award : Fremantle Prison Main Cell Block Conservation : Philip Griffiths Architects

Marshall Clifton Residential – Houses Award

Florida Beach House : Iredale Pederson Hook Architects

Award : Silver Creek Residence : Officer Woods Architecture

Award : Pennell Road Residence : Hartree + Associates Architects

Award : The Coombe Mosman Park : Richard Szklarz Architects

Commendation : 199 Hammersley Road : Paul Wellington and Elizabeth Karol Architects

Commendation : Kooringal Retreat : Coniglio Ainsworth Architects

Marshall Clifton Residential – Alterations and Additions Award

Hope Street : Vittino Ashe

Award : Maylands Additions : Jonathan Lake Architects

Commendation : Barlee Street Residence : Klopper & Davis Architects

Commendation : Lyon Residence : Walter Hunter and Penny Watson Architects

Harold Krantz Residential – Multiple Award

Beachside Leighton North : Kerry Hill Architects and Space Agency in assoc with Mirvac Design

Award : Glamacourt Residences : Nash+Ghersinich Architects and Interior Designers

Commendation : Square One Development, Money Street, Northbridge : Philip McAllister Architect

Commendation : One Brighton : the Buchan Group, Perth

Commendation : Oceanique Apartments : Banham Architects

Commendation : Scene Apartments : Gresley Abas

Iwan Iwanoff Small Projects Award

Hope Street : Vittino Ashe

Award : Perth Zoo Eco Toilet Facility : Chindarsi Architects

Award : Mt Lawley Addition : John Murphy Architect

Commendation : Irene McCormack College Covered Area : Parry & Rosenthal Architects

Commendation : Wing House : Copraxis Architects

John Septimus Roe Urdan Design Award

one40william : Hassell

Award : Parliament House Fountains and Forecourt Redevelopment : Pendal and Neille

Commendation : William Street Urban Renewal : Philip Griffiths Architects

Commendation : Central Park, Mandurah : Gresley Abas

Commendation : Morley City Centre Master Plan : Hames Sharley

Walter Greenham Sustainable Architecture Award

The Grove Library : CH&BW

Award : Main Roads Greater Southern Regional Complex : Hassell

Commendation : 199 Hammersley Road : Paul Wellington and Elizabeth Karol Architects

Julius Elischer Interior Architecture Award

State Theatre Centre of Western Australia : Kerry Hill Architects

Award : Sentinel Bar and Grill : Taylor Robinson

Award : 199 Hammersley Road : Paul Wellingotn and Elizabeth Karol Architects

Commendation : Florida Beach House : Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects

Commendation : The Boulevard Hotel : Taylor Robinson

Commendation : Legislative Council Chamber Upgrade : Oldfield Knott Architects

Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture

VTEC Training WA Metal Fabrication Training Facility, Kalgoorlie : Armstrong Parkin Architects

Mondoluce Lighting Awards

Bindoon Bakehaus and Cafe : Fratelle Group

Commendation : Legislative Council Chamber Upgrade : Oldfield Knott Architects

Commendation : State Theatre Centre of Western Australia : Kerry Hill Architects

Commendation : 199 Hammersley Road : Paul Wellington and Elizabeth Karol Architects

 

Phew – that seems like a lot this year! We didn’t enter anything so I didn’t get to go to the Awards this year – did everyone enjoy themselves?

Oh, and there’s a PS talk on tomorrow (Tuesday)  at The Bakery at 6pm, should be quite good. Featuring a Dulux Tour attendee, the EmaGN Emerging Architect Prize WA winner, the editors of The Weather Ring … hope to see you there.

WA rep on GBCA Board

Fred Chaney, of CH+BW (although now reported as ‘the Perth studio of Cox Architecture’ – has this changed?) has been nominated, and accepted, to the Board of Directors of the Green Building Council of Australia. “Board membership of the GBCA is an excellent platform through which to understand and communicate benchmarks and achievements in environmental design and to ensure that WA equals and exceeds the performance of other states around Australia,” Mr Chaney has said.

What does an Architect do on the weekend?

For an insight in to what architects get up to on the weekend, check out this Saturday’s West Weekend magazine featuring Joe Chindarsi of Chindarsi Architects as the ‘Weekend Warrior’. Its good to hear that other architects have piles of paper overload on their desks and that there is an emerging interest in climate change and how to go about minimising its effects.

WA’s First 4 Star Green Star Multi Res Building

Image from GBCA website

Read the case study here.

Competition – Help Greenpeace stop Heathrow Airport Extension

Greenpeace is currently running a pretty damn awesome competition, designed to halt expansion of Heathrow Airport. They’ve bought a one-acre plot of land on the airport site, which has since been ‘distributed’ to tens of thousands of owners around the world. It stands in the way of the development of a BAA-proposed third runway and sixth terminal. They hope that this will be enough to stop the development, but just in case, they are looking for a design for an “impenetrable fortress” to physically block construction.

This is a really interesting concept, and quite a fascinating competition. Who will want to put their name towards something like this? The idea of a piece of architecture purposely designed to stop other architecture is really intriguing. I think  the Architect as Activist is quite an interesting concept to explore our talents as sculptors of our built, natural and social environment.

Some pictures of the site from Greenpeace: