heritage
Workplace
Adaptive reuse in WA turns teachers college into workplace
Spaceagency Architects complete executive offices for the Prendiville Group through the restoration and conversion of the State Heritage-listed former Fremantle Technical School Annex.
Events
The winners of the 2026 NSW Architecture Awards
From landmark transport infrastructure and adaptive reuse to inventive housing and regional projects, the 2026 NSW Architecture Awards recognised the breadth of architecture shaping the state.
Project
O’Connell’s Hotel reborn
Fiona Drago Architect refreshes one of Melbourne’s best-known hotels, balancing heritage character with a more open and contemporary hospitality experience.
Project
Newcastle Quay rethinks the harbour edge
Led by SJB, Newcastle Quay is imagined as a mixed-use waterfront precinct where housing, hospitality, public space and heritage work together to reconnect Newcastle with its harbour.
Project
200 years down, 200 to go
Historic Littlebourne Guest House was one of the first settler houses built west of the mountains two centuries ago. Now, a renovation and extension are designed to secure the next 200 years.
Workplace
New FK-led research bolsters the importance of adaptive reuse in workplace design
FK’s Nicky Drobis takes us through a recent poll of 1,000 office workers across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that suggests a preference for reuse – despite an ‘awareness gap’.
Project
Keiji Ashizawa Design transforms historic Singapore restaurant
The Japanese firm brings elements of calm into Loca Niru, a fine-dining restaurant housed in a 146-year-old mansion in Singapore.
Project
Garde Hotel opens a new hospitality chapter in Fremantle
Matthew Crawford Architects and Foolscap rework Garde Hotel’s heritage buildings into a place-aware, craft-rich addition to Western Australia’s hospitality landscape.
Events
GUBI CEO joins the podcast during a visit from Europe
Arranged with the assistance of Cult, Marie Kristine Schmidt joins Timothy Alouani-Roby at The Commons in Sydney.
Project
Omnicom’s Melbourne headquarters revitalises a heritage icon on Bourke Street
The new headquarters for Omnicom in Melbourne’s CBD sees heritage re-invigorated with style and finesse.
Project
Brahman Perera’s contemporary cocoon for One Point Seven Four
A calm, gallery-like boutique by Brahman Perera for One Point Seven Four brings contemporary luxury and craft to Strand Arcade.
Ideas
The future of urban liveability
At Melbourne Design Week, Plus Studio brought together planners, designers and local government voices to unpack the realities of urban densification.
Project
Epula by Luchetti Krelle: A feast for the senses in Sydney’s GPO building
Luchetti Krelle’s timeless design at Epula marries heritage grandeur with classic sophistication, celebrating the spirit of a European piazza whilst remaining unmistakably of its place.
Project
Melbourne Walk opens as Bourke Street Mall’s first new development in 50 years
Buchan weaves heritage and contemporary retail across a 3,600sqm site featuring dual-branded hotels, arcades and revitalised laneways.
News
The Commonwealth Association of Architects marks 60 years of design collaboration
Celebrating six decades of architectural excellence, the Commonwealth Association of Architects launches a year-long campaign.
Ideas
Comment: “Heritage architecture and climate resilience – don’t throw the baby out with the floodwater”
David Gole, principal at leading climate-resilient design practice JDA Co., comments on the intersection between heritage and climate in architecture.
News
Kennedy Nolan appointed to lead next phase at Abbotsford Convent
Abbotsford Convent has appointed Kennedy Nolan to guide the next stage of development at the heritage-listed Melbourne precinct, continuing its evolution as a cultural and community landmark.
Ideas
Uncovering Melbourne’s interior heritage
A new book documents the city’s historic building interiors, from 1800s coffee palaces to post-war modernist spaces.
Project
Hogg & Lamb’s heritage restaurant marks Mt Coot-tha summit
A multi-million dollar revitalisation of the heritage-listed venue at Brisbane’s beauty spot has been completed with The Summit Restaurant.
Events
“We have much to learn from sheds”
A recent exhibition at the Robin Boyd Foundation in Melbourne invited visitors to think deeply about sheds and what this under-appreciated building typology can teach us about construction and living today.
Workplace
Sydney’s multipurpose urban courtyard
Tzannes has completed work at The Brewery in Sydney’s Central Park, marking the culmination of an internationally significant adaptive reuse project.
Project
Bar, bistro and bowling in rural NSW: The Kinross Woolshed strikes it lucky
Technē’s latest pub project gives an iconic old woolshed new life, blending family-friendly community spirit and sentimentality with nostalgic design.
Workplace
Adaptive reuse secures new life for Brisbane Therapy Centre
Jesse Lockhart-Krause, Director of Lockhart-Krause Architects, tells us about a storied building in Queensland that has now become a functional workplace for a therapy centre.
Events
All plus and no minus: Ian Briggs on the newly rebranded Plus Studio
Director Ian Briggs is one of the longest serving members of the Plus team and – with a milestone rebrand complete and a Sydney event just yesterday – he walks us through the state of play at the practice in 2025.
Workplace
“A sense of ease in the workplace”: Hub Australia Martin Place Q&A
Brad Krauskopf, CEO & Founder of Hub Australia, tells us about Hassell’s design for Hub Australia Martin Place.
Project
This interiors pair are at the cutting edge of Melbourne hospitality
Hayley Mitchell and Samantha Eades are creating some of today’s best restaurants, most exciting cafés and bars, and extraordinary hotels and resorts.
Events
Hassell celebrates Capella milestone
The Lands by Capella has had its official naming ceremony, marking the next chapter in the transformation of one of Sydney’s most revered heritage buildings.
Events
Ballarat’s UNESCO Creative City status drives craft renaissance and economic growth
With events such as Craft Lab and The Great Takeaway, the city of Ballarat is centring design and craft for an economic reawakening.
Project
Tilt on preserving heritage in public spaces: How technical innovation is making history accessible
From preserved boat remains to 8,000-year-old hearthstones with First Nations significance, Tilt Industrial Designs shares how their technical work is often directed towards heritage.
Project
A Singapore resort “for those who appreciate both heritage and modernity”
At Raffles Sentosa Singapore, Yabu Pushelberg has crafted a narrative-driven resort experience where heritage, landscape and quiet luxury intertwine to create a deeply immersive retreat.
Events
The cultural value of craft: How craft communities strengthen regional identity
As a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, Ballarat is hosting Craft Lab and The Great Takeaway this month. Nicole Durling, Executive Director at Craft Victoria, tells us more.
Workplace
Classroom-meets-workplace at DesignInc’s new UNSW CBD campus
This clever conversion of a commercial building to a university campus is setting a new benchmark in rethinking vacant city sites.
Workplace
More than just a transitional space: Perth’s Palace Tower receives the Woods Bagot treatment
Woods Bagot has completed a lobby refurbishment inspired by the historic architecture of the Palace Hotel.
Project
All in one at Fellowship Kew
Fellowship Kew LIFE Architecture and Urban Design with SORA and Jack Merlo is multi-residential living at its best, where an apartment meets all the needs for an exclusive clientele.
Workplace
Touring The Commons with Foolscap Studio
We visited The Commons’ recently opened, heritage-rich York Street site in Sydney’s CBD with the team from Foolscap Studio.
Events
Architectus makes a home in Canberra
Having opened a Canberra studio in 2024, Associate Principal and Canberra Studio Leader Alex Lawlor tells us how things are going in the capital.
Project
The fabulous fabulous New Bahru
In Singapore, old meets new and does it with style and grace in FARM’s culturally appropriate, site-specific design. It’s a place that provides connection for everyone who visits.
Workplace
Blending domesticity and commerce
Led by Kart Projects and brought to life within an existing warehouse space, the new HQ for Studio Mass needed creativity, flexibility and a nuanced interplay between both digital and physical places of connection.
Workplace
Frosted with history
Wingates’ design of Greenwood Roche is sensitive to the history of the building without feeling overly nostalgic or heavy-handed.
Workplace
Repurpose with purpose: FK at 500 Bourke Street
The $160 million transformation of 500 Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD has revitalised a 1970s Brutalist icon, originally designed by Godfrey & Spowers.
Project
A destination fit for a king
Contemporary meets heritage at the Sawai Man Mahal in Rajasthan, the perfect place to stay for a holiday in this beautiful region of India.
Ideas
Comment: How to create a compelling design narrative for more successful projects
In this comment piece, Buchan’s Dong Uong discusses the why and how behind the stories underpinning design projects.
Ideas
Troy Uleman comment: Sydney Metro and why we need more great stations
The John McAslan + Partners Sydney studio lead and director writes on the importance of transport infrastructure.
News
A river-inspired tribute reshaping Melbourne’s skyline
Seafarers’ intricate façade, designed by FK, is set to leave a lasting legacy on Melbourne’s urban fabric.
Project
Once upon a time in Rosebery
Notable for its adaptive reuse and retail presence, Rosebery Engine Yards is a landmark mixed-use project in Sydney’s inner south.
Project
Gelato Messina churns up the heat with a gelateria design to swoon for
Gelato Messina serves up delectable ice cream with a heaping helping of history and a sprinkle of mid-century flair.
Project
Mediterranean Melbourne: Heritage-infused hospitality by McCluskey Studio
Orlo is a melting pot of history and Mediterranean flavour in Collingwood, designed by McCluskey Studio.
Ideas
Performing arts hubs: A case for cross-disciplinary creativity and community with Hayball
In this comment piece, Hayball’s Owen West, David Tweedie and Emma Parkinson make the case for an important dimension of education design.
Project
Going off the rails in Melbourne CBD
Merging heritage, hospitality and education design, Gray Puksand has restored a retired W-class Melbourne to become the CBD’s newest cafe.
News
Curves and Catalonian modernism in the Crown and the Canopy
An exciting workplace high in the sky designed by Hammond Studio is both functional and experiential – just the place to stay, work and relax.
Workplace
Past and future at Maitland Administration Centre
Maitland Administration Centre is rooted in principles of accessibility and community in the workplace.
Project
Renewing a place of knowledge: TZG at the Art Gallery of NSW
Providing increased amenity and a place to linger for every visitor, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG) has created a magnificent interior for the relocated and enlarged Art Gallery of New South Wales Library.
Ideas
AD-APT: Deep floorplates and adaptive reuse with Woods Bagot
Matt Stephenson, Principal at Woods Bagot New York, discusses a number of adaptive reuse approaches for deep floorplates.
Ideas
The good, the bad and the pandemic: The future of hospitality design with Technē’s Sam Sempill
Technē Architecture + Interior Design associate director, Sam Sempill, shares insights into hospitality design.
Project
‘Work hard, play hard’ at Centara Grand in Osaka
A hospitality venue in the heart of Osaka comprising four dining options – a place where nostalgic pastimes meet high-end dining.
Workplace
Homes on one side, businesses on the other – and Industry Lanes right in the middle
Industry Lanes by Architectus is a new mixed-use precinct of interconnected office and retail space in character-rich corner of Richmond.
News
The Verona post coronavirus: Redevelopment set to revive historic Paddington site
The revival of Sydney’s Paddington suburb continues as architecture firm Scott Carver unveils ambitious plans to transform the historic Verona cinema into a mixed-use cultural hub.
Workplace
Encore Cremorne by Fieldwork, a fusion of forms in brick and glass
New seven-storey glazed office tower meets single-storey red brick heritage warehouse at Encore Cremorne.
Project
A winery, a castle and some new architecture. What more could you need?
The reimagining of All Saints Estate by Technē includes new architecture and sensitive interiors for a multifaceted hospitality offering at the regional winery.
Project
Ms. Elliot at Hock Bee, where past meets present in Malaysia
JUJURWORK has created a stellar destination to meet, drink and eat. Through adaptive reuse, this heritage venue has once more come to life in a fashionable and timeless design.
News
Community, adaptability and a proud heritage at Hayball’s Scientia Terrace
With emphases on context, place, STEM and social value, Hayball has created a thriving educational environment in North Sydney.
Workplace
Architectural self-portrait: Chamberlain Architecture and Interiors designs very own studio space
Tackling an interior previously defined by dark and divided space, the practice has reinvigorated this Fitzroy warehouse.
Project
Breaking out prison at CHADA’s Pentridge hotel conversion
Taking on the extraordinary challenge of turning what was a prison into a hotel and hospitality offering, CHADA has made some elegant moves.
News
Adaptive reuse wins the day at BVN’s UQ Brisbane City
BVN’s redesign of this heritage site has created a new city campus in Brisbane featuring a varied range of functional spaces and long-term flexibility.
News
Buchan aims to deliver “a renewed sense of optimism” at Invercargill Central
Invercargill Central has been redeveloped by Buchan with a focus on retail, hospitality, civic, entertainment and commercial zones, all intricately connected by pedestrian pathways.
Project
narrm ngarrgu, a place of learning and celebration by Six Degrees Architects
A new community hub has opened in Melbourne – narrm ngarrgu celebrates and showcases the voice and presence of Kulin people.
Project
Technē touches up a rich history RACV City Club
At Melbourne’s RACV City Club, Technē has pulled off a significant refurbishment of the ground floor and Gallery Lounge without losing a sense of history.
Workplace
Wardle’s new workplace where three heritage buildings collide
Collaborating with property investor ISPT, Wardle has revitalised 477 Pitt Street to become a new mixed-use precinct with significant heritage features.
Project
Left Bank luxury and a hint of nostalgia in Paris
The Left Bank of Paris has a rich and vibrant history encapsulating the city’s joie de vivre. Jan Henderson revisits Hotel Louis 11 after some years and a total renovation.
Workplace
Oroton’s magical new home by Richards Stanisich
Re-establishing Oroton’s place in the highest echelons of Australian fashion, the Richards Stanisich design is poised, sophisticated and richly layered.
Project
Decluttering Central Station for space, light and circulation
The Northern Concourse at Sydney’s Central Station, a significant infrastructure project in the context of the city’s evolving transport system, has recently been completed by Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan + Partners.
Project
University neighbours: Solari Architects’ very own Cuba Street office
Solari Architects has recently relocated to 191 Cuba Street, joining the Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Architecture. The two-storey office fit-out blends modern functionality with local heritage.
Project
A home in which a team can live: Refinery House by Carr
Adaptive reuse projects are creating a new and important genre of design where the past and present combine in a new and exciting direction. Case in point is Refinery House, recognised with an Honourable Mention at INDE.Awards.
Project
From blank piece of paper to organic form: Indesign Luminary Patrick Keane in profile
INDESIGN Luminary, Patrick Keane, dovetails artisanal crafts with digital fabrication to produce sustainable projects at a substantial scale. We republish a recent piece from INDESIGN Magazine.
Ideas
Mapping concrete and Brutalist architecture across Australia, Asia and beyond
From concrete Tokyo to Brutalist Sydney, Blue Crow Media provides a way into new cities — or perhaps a closer look at familiar ones — for the architectural connoisseur, especially those with a keen interest in the twentieth century history.
Project
Mouthwatering design: Cumulus’ immersive whisky distillery in Tasmania
In the town of Oatlands, Cumulus has delivered Callington Mill Distillery. It’s a new venue that manages to be visually striking and functionally adept at the same time as engaging sensitively with the important local heritage.
Events
“Collector of stories”: Tim Ross is designing another legacy on television
The first series of Designing a Legacy aired in 2020 and self-proclaimed design nerd, Tim Ross, is back with a two-part series on ABC. It’s a chance to bring important architectural issues to a national broadcasting audience.
Events
Print Kitchen mixes it up at Melbourne Art Book Fair
Presented below the spectacularly beautiful stained glass ceiling of the NGV Great Hall for the duration of the Melbourne Art Book Fair, Print Kitchen will play with the connection between printmaking and food-making.
NSW
One year in Bundanon: A retrospective on The Bridge and Art Museum by Kerstin Thompson Architects, part one
Kerstin Thompson Architects’ work at Bundanon recently marked its one-year anniversary. Having garnered such international attention, and with Thompson having recently been awarded the AIA Gold Medal, it’s a fitting time for a mini-retrospective on this architectural success story.
NSW
Oozing elegance: The new hotel in the historic heart of sandstone Sydney
Make Architects has completed work on an iconic sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD. With light heritage touches and an emphasis on public connection, Capella Sydney is a new hotel filled with architectural grace.
NSW
Nimbleness with Nimbus: On the agility of a small, focused practice
Nimbus Architecture and Heritage, based in Parramatta, is a boutique practice with – as the name suggests – a focus on heritage work. Timothy Alouani-Roby spoke to co-director Jesse Mowbray to find out what drives the design there.
NSW
The gateway to Bondi Beach: TZG balances old and new to restore an iconic Sydney site
Recently nominated for awards in public, heritage and sustainable architecture, this milestone project marks the start of a new era for one of Sydney’s most renowned sites.
VIC
Younghusband marries old Melbourne heritage site with carbon neutral adaptive reuse
‘Younghusband’, the historic woolshed site in Melbourne’s inner-north-west, will be transformed into both an A-grade commercial location and a model of sustainability.
Project
An exclusive tour of Cox Architecture’s new heritage home
Today’s designers talk the talk on adaptable workplace design and sustainability, but how often do they walk the walk? Timothy Alouani-Roby paid an exclusive visit to Cox Architecture’s new Sydney studio to find out how the firm is making a home there by practicing what it preaches.
QLD
All roads lead to Barcaldine with the arrival of The Globe Lookout
The Globe Lookout is the newest tourist attraction in the Outback Queensland town of Barcaldine, joining the award-winning Tree of Knowledge (2009) and The Globe Hotel (2016). It’s all part of the master-planning that has cemented Barcaldine’s position as a regional tourist destination.
NSW
Elegant decadence, relaxed formality, future nostalgia: 66 King Street by Cox Architecture
A grand stage demands a grand performance and the interior architecture at The Charles Grand Brasserie and Bar lives up to its surroundings at 66 King Street. With multiple hospitality functions offset against music venue TIVA down below, these elegant spaces contain more than a hint of Old World decadence.
News
Bee-inspired: University of Queensland’s Arcadian garden of reconciliation
A new Reconciliation Garden at the University of Queensland’s (UQ) Herston campus showcases the power of collaborative design. The project saw a partnership between Arcadia, Multhana Property Services and representatives of Traditional Owners of the land.
Project
Let there be (well designed) light!
Responding to a request to update the lighting for St Mary’s Church in Warwick, two hours south west of Brisbane, Gillard Group CEO Jenni Gillard put the church at the heart of the community.
Project
Award-winning Olderfleet: “A place where brilliant minds thrive”
This collaborative project — designed by Grimshaw alongside Carr as collaborating interior designers, Mirvac, Suntan REIT and anchor tenant Deloitte — is winning awards left, right and centre. Welcome to the cutting-edge workplace.
Project
Mount Pleasant Wines in most pleasant surroundings
With touches of Australian architectural vernacular, Luchetti Krelle has created a rustically charming winery experience fit for today. The design stuns from the inside and out.
Project
Sam Crawford Architects and the fire-ravaged puzzle of Parramatta Park
In 2016, a fire destroyed a cafe in Sydney’s Parramatta Park. With a sensitive touch, both materially and historically, the architects have brought new life to the site by designing a pavilion that respects what was there before.
Project
Sydney sporting history echoes through Cox Architecture’s new stadium
Cox Architecture brings a new level of functional sophistication to the Sydney Football Stadium site while also reinforcing its strong connection to place. It’s a new architectural landmark for the city.
Project
Stylish showroom, historic space: Vitra’s new home in London
Iconic furniture pieces are displayed against the richly patinated industrial backdrop of the Grade II listed Tramshed building at Vitra’s new showroom in London.
Project
Ace Hotel Sydney rises from within the historic Tyne House warehouse
Bates Smart director Guy Lake walks us through the architectural aspects involved in transforming a heritage 1915 brick factory into the Ace Hotel Sydney.
Project
Enhancing heritage: PTID’s revival of the arts
Retaining the best of the old and adding the style and facility of the new, PTID has designed the new Firbank Arts precinct for a school with a proud heritage of its own.
Project
New life for a colourful heritage: Portarlington Grand Hotel
In a comprehensive redesign, Technē has opened a new chapter for this Bellarine Peninsula institution. Ranging from grand facade to boutique furniture details and everything in between, step inside this reinvigorated hotel.
Project
m3architecture’s masterful restoration of the Treacy Precinct
Ten years in the making, the restoration of the Treacy Precinct in Boondall, Queensland by m3architecture is well worth the wait.
Articles
Good Design Doesn’t Date
British architecture practice, McLaren. Excell champions emphatic design, adaptive reuse and design for longevity in the fourth short film to be released as part of On Design, an online series produced by VOLA.
Articles
The history of James Richardson Furniture
Family owned and imbued with a sense of designer pride, the history of James Richardson Furniture is one driven by integrity, and exemplifying the story of Australia’s interest in design.
Project
When Kennedy Nolan does a co-working space: 25 King Collective
Could your office headquarters double as a collective workspace? When Excelon Group acquired an ageing office space they had big ideas, and a very loose brief. Kennedy Nolan overcame distinctive heritage features (that staircase!) to vividly imbue the historic 19th-century building with modern functionality.