Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 163 i Architectural Review Asia Pacific

This was always going to be a challenging editorial to write, as it’s my final one for AR after three and a half years of conducting fascinating interviews and commissioning, overseeing or writing (hopefully) informative and edifying content for those within and without the architectural and design industry, but particularly those faced with the practical realities of running their businesses. Endings by their very nature invite a moment to pause and reflect, and this was no different. And then… the virus came. I’m writing this from my desk at home and with the official recommendations and news outside changing daily, who knows where I will be and what I will be doing this time next week, never mind when this issue makes it back from the printer and into the…

Chances are you’ve heard of the international tourism explosion that’s transformed Tasmania from a sleepy backwater into one of the world’s hottest destinations. Overseas arrivals jumped 15 percent to September 2018, and Tasmania was the only Australian destination listed in National Geographic’s Best Trips List for 2020. The emergence of MoNA (Museum of Old and New Art) in 2011 coincided with place-brand expert Guy Taylor starting to consult to Tourism Tasmania (he was later employed by the organisation, and has since launched Place Brand Agency). Since then, tourism operators have launched new offerings ranging from farm-gate experiences to gin distilleries, adding to the array of wilderness walks and pristine landscapes options available for tourists. Together with on point marketing messages, these factors have produced a major upturn in tourism numbers…

THE TROUBLE WITH EVOLUTION IS THAT IT’S SLOW AND CUMBERSOME. Disruption seems to come from out of the blue, and catches everybody in the industry by surprise. It’s often the strongest, most stable, most well-established businesses that are the first to fall. The bad news is you can’t predict where the disruption is coming from – that’s outside your control. But the good news is you can know how ‘disruptable’ your business is – and that is in your control. Here are four clear signs your business is vulnerable to disruption. YOU KEEP MEASURING THE WRONG THINGS The old metrics for success – such as market share, profit and revenue growth – are internal measures. You’re either comparing with yourself or with the rest of your industry. They won’t help…

In the previous issue of AR, we examined the importance of keeping the big picture in mind right from the outset of any project. This time we put the spotlight on that tricky beast – prioritising. HABIT 3 – PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST Put first things first. Sounds simple, right? But what is the most important thing you could do when you arrive at work? And is that the thing that you do? Before you start attacking your weekly tasks, they should be prioritised around your greater goals and values. This is different to simply being busy throughout the week and getting ‘things’ done. Habit 3 is the physical creation of the vision laid out in Habit 2. This is where you break down your weekly and daily tasks against…

Australia’s most acclaimed living architect Murcutt has cemented his reputation by focusing on work domestically and (with some notable exceptions) in the residential typology. Over the next six pages, we take a look at some of his most significant projects from 1974 right up to the present. Magney House, Bingie Bingie 1982-84 At the time of writing, this 100-acre beach house was available for rent through Airbnb at $600 a night. Completed in 1984, it is a quintessentially Murcutt project, taking full advantage of northern sunlight for warmth in winter, providing protection against southerlies and utilising the summer breezes. It even appeared on an Australian postage stamp in 2009. Marie Short House, Kempsey 1974-75 Sitting on stilts, about a metre off the ground, this project was one of the first…

Nothing will ever replace sketching with a pad and pencil, says Jeremy Graham, but as the next iteration after CAD (computer aided design) and three-dimensional modelling, computational design is another tool in the architect’s kit. The first mainstream computational design tool is generally considered to be Generative Components, which was introduced in 2003 and released commercially four years later. But although the tool has been around for some time, it is possible to confuse it with CAD, because the latter also uses computations. There is a fundamental difference, however. A good way of defining computational design is that it uses an algorithm or set of instructions to arrive at some design solution or output. Graham is both a registered architect and the computational design leader at HDR. “Say you wanted…

Why do some architects seem to have all the luck? They win all the awards. They feature in all the architecture magazines. And they have an Instagram following bigger than Shanghai Tower. So, how do they do it? Their success is no accident. It’s got nothing to do with luck (or having ‘inside connections’ with editors and judging panels). It has everything to do with being memorable. Here’s the thing: the architecture sales cycle is like a game of test cricket. It’s long. And exhausting. Your ideal client may need your services in three years, three months or right this millisecond. That’s why you need to be consistently top of mind, so that when your dream project does arise, it’s you they call. You need to be memorable. HOW TO…

Let’s stay optimistic. Specify wisely and you can assist seniors to be positive, fit and healthy (physically and mentally) enough to find a liveable balance even if not becoming a myth-making superhero as with that ‘alphagran’, Jane Fonda. After the devastating 2019 interim report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (final due next November) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced funding for an additional 10,000 high-level homecare packages. At $496.3 million it still nowhere near covers the scale of the demand, but reflects the pressure to respond in a field apparently dominated by two extremes: horror stories of abuse and neglect, mostly institutionalised, on the one hand, and a fruitful later life, characterised by abundant health, wealth and happiness, on the other. “UNIVERSAL DESIGN ESCHEWS CHOPPING…

Architect’s statement. Much-loved Brisbane icon, Torbreck, is home to this mid-century apartment renovation. The design builds on the liveable housing and subtropical ideals inherent in the 1960s tower to create a sensitive, contemporary addition for young professional couple Mat and Steph. Brick and warm timbers in the Heritage building are complemented through a balance of modest and crafted materials, accented by the trademark blue tones of the façade. Entering under the brass lined ceiling, the outlook over Brisbane is the focus. The timber floor articulates the large living room to create distinct pockets of space, anchored by a crafted island bench, a bespoke piece of furniture. The result is a beautiful and functional interior, a true collaboration between craftsman and cabinetmaker, William McMahon, client and KIN Architects. What was the…

The TWA Flight Center, designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, opened in 1962. The building was originally designed for the now defunct Trans World Airlines (1930–2001) as an airport terminal at New York City’s John F Kennedy International Airport. The design was radical for its time, featuring a futuristic soaring wing-shaped roof over the main terminal, space age tube-shaped red-carpeted departure/ arrival corridors and massive windows looking out to the tarmac. Although portions of the original complex have been demolished, the Saarinen-designed main building has now been meticulously renovated and was reopened in May 2019 as an impressive 512-room hotel. The project, overseen by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, with the two elegant new hotel wings designed by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects and Stonehill Taylor, and a 50,000-square metre convention…