Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

Monash University

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Not content with creating some of Melbourne's most architecturally interesting buildings of late, Monash University will go again at their Clayton campus with a new complex to front Wellington Road. Initial images show The Learning and Teaching Building will be a new multi faculty complex spanning four levels and will likely encompass an approximate Gross Floor Area of 28,000sqm.

Ground works on the project have commenced, with an overall completion date for The Learning and Teaching Building scheduled for mid-2018.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_0977.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site works for Monash's Learning and Teaching Building during February"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0977.jpg?itok=zIwQU8fU" title="Site works for Monash's Learning and Teaching Building during February" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Site works for Monash's Learning and Teaching Building during February</figcaption></figure>Monash University views the project as key to the University's southern precinct, creating a new focal point for students and providing a new entrance to the campus from Wellington Road. The Learning and Teaching Building forms part of the largest infrastructure development program in the history of the campus.

Included in the sprawling development is a new public transport interchange, additional parking, facilities for cyclists, public plaza and multiple retail outlets. Tiered lecture theatres, flat-floor classrooms, media lounges and laptop bars are also set to feature.

<blockquote>
Open to all students and staff in furthering innovative teaching and learning practices, the building is a physical demonstration of Monash's commitment to the Better Teaching, Better Learning agenda.

More than 60 formal and informal learning and teaching spaces will provide an outstanding student-centred learning experience for Monash University and Monash College Diploma students alike. Comprising four levels, the new building will also be home to Faculty of Education and the Office of the Vice-Provost (Learning and Teaching).

The transformation of the southern precinct is in line with the Clayton Campus Masterplan's vision of developing a vibrant and inviting campus.
<cite>Monash University</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ltb-axis.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Learning and Teaching Building. Image:Monash University"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="310" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ltb-axis.jpg?itok=6Th8V9Oh" title="Learning and Teaching Building. Image:Monash University" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A working image of the Learning and Teaching Building. Image: Monash University</figcaption></figure>The Learning and Teaching Building follows a string of recent investments by the university at their Clayton campus. Buxton Construction have all but delivered a new multi-level car park providing 650 new car spaces while the four new Halls of Residence have been recently completed by Brookfield Multiplex.

The four buildings have added an additional 1,000 student apartments; a follow-up to the award-winning Briggs and Jackomos Halls during 2012.

Add <a href="/news/a-lyons-masterclass">New Horizons</a> and <a href="/news/green-chemical-futures-another-lyons-marvel">Green Chemical Futures</a>, and Monash University's Clayton Campus may just have usurped Melbourne University's Parkville campus as having the most modern and appropriately daring architecture of any university Melbourne-wide.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_0986.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="McBrideCharles Rtyan's Monash Building 90 student accommodation "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0986.jpg?itok=U2qV11NZ" title="McBrideCharles Rtyan's Monash Building 90 student accommodation " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>McBrideCharles Rtyan's Monash Building 90 student accommodation</figcaption></figure>The one Monash Clayton project that has yet to materialise is the new Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music. Revealed during 2012 and with renowned architect Moshe Safdie in tow, the project with a nominated value of $80 million was set to have a completion date of 2016.

In collaboration with Fender Katsalidis, the design duo were to have designed a facility which included a concert hall, jazz club, recording studio, teaching and practice spaces. The status of the project is unknown.

With The Learning and Teaching Building in its construction infancy, see below for a selection of images of the newly completed Halls of Residence.
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silvermb

Monash Clayton continues to evolve with another new construction program

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Another nod to the unique talents of Lyons Architecture opened its doors during the early stages of 2015. Monash University's Clayton campus is home to Green Chemical Futures, a multi-level complex dedicated toward academic and industrial research within the chemicals sector.

A culmination of a Federal Government initiative that began during 2000, Green Chemical Futures is the latest Lyons-designed building to challenge conventional design. With the main east-facing facade reminiscent of a molecular structure, Green Chemical Futures also caters for Monash University's School of Chemistry

Green Chemical Futures' lower levels contain teaching and learning spaces while the upper floors will house research and translational facilities. Still the exterior makes the building. In typical Lyons fashion a range of colours, shapes and finishes have been applied to create a world-class form, without needing to sacrifice function.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_6015.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Green Chemical Futures "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_6015.jpg?itok=oo2YOrUT" title="Green Chemical Futures " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Green Chemical Futures</figcaption></figure><h2>Features and capabilities</h2>

<ul>
<li>9500 square metre multi-level, 5 star green rated building</li>
	<li>Budget: $79.56 million - funded by the Federal Government</li>
	<li>Location: North West Precinct at Monash University's Clayton Campus</li>
	<li>In excess of 100 chemists and engineers will work within the complex</li>
	<li>17 specialist sectors, training programmes for industry practitioners and new laboratory spaces</li>
	<li>New laboratory spaces available for over 1000 students and 100 industry partners</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
GCF will support the academic and industrial research within the chemicals sector in Australia and will provide world-class research to expand Australia's 'green workforce'.

Green Chemical Futures will house over 100 chemists and engineers and allow the growth of basic science research to targeted industry-driven research. It will have 17 specialist sectors, training programmes for industry practitioners and new laboratory spaces available for over 1000 students and 100 industry partners.

The lower levels of the building will contain teaching and learning spaces and the upper floors will house research and translational facilities, with double-height foyer and voids spaces linking the levels and collaboration spaces throughout.
<cite>Monash University</cite>
</blockquote>

Capabilities include:

<ul>
<li>Green analytical/separation/polymer chemistry</li>
	<li>Cleaner synthesis - organic, inorganic and organometallic</li>
	<li>Catalysis and bio-catalysis</li>
	<li>Green electro- and photo-chemistry</li>
	<li>Bioconversion - New materials from biomass</li>
	<li>Biomimetic devices</li>
	<li>Nanomaterials</li>
	<li>Professional education and training</li>
</ul>
<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_6025.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="GCF's interior stair case"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_6025.jpg?itok=B2CM8m0a" title="GCF's interior stair case" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>GCF's interior stair case</figcaption></figure>In addition to the main works which were undertaken by Lend Lease, Australian Native Landscape Constructions is in the process of rolling out landscaping and civil works for the project. The area surrounding Green Chemical Futures was designed by Outlines Landscape Architects and includes multiple lawn areas, in excess of 7,000sqm of paving, decking and 5,500sqm of soft landscaping.

The Green Chemical Futures buildings follows in the footsteps of another Lyons design close by, namely <a href="/news/a-lyons-masterclass">New Horizons</a> which was completed during 2013.

<h2>Next in line</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image8_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Brimbank Community and Civic Centre. Image courtesy Lyons"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="317" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_0.jpg?itok=cwnM7Qbx" title="Brimbank Community and Civic Centre. Image courtesy Lyons" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Brimbank Community and Civic Centre. Image courtesy Lyons</figcaption></figure>Melbourne won't have to wait long for the next Lyons project to take shape with their scheme for City of Brimbank's new Community and Civic Centre in its infancy. Kane Constructions are in charge of the project which will see a new 12,000sqm complex replace the former Sunshine Library site at Hampshire Road, Sunshine.

With a new library, community spaces and municipal offices included within the development, the exterior will carry a typically a-typical Lyons finish with orange/yellow highlight drawing upon the City of Brimbank logo and a sawtooth design harking upon the site's former use. Lyons were appointed to the project following an invited design competition.

<h2>Comment</h2>

The staff at Apartments.com.au have had the opportunity to meet and peruse many an architectural office in recent times and often enough the office/work environment is reflective of the firm in question. Whether it's austere, brash or minimalist, a parallel can often enough be drawn.

I haven't seen the internal workings of Lyons' office but I could guess it to be similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I'm an unabashed fan of their work as it hits a point on the design 'spectrum' that no other firm does.

The firm's educational, research and civic projects simply don't conform to sensibility, and that's what makes Lyons Architecture one of a kind… let's see some more!

Enjoy the image set of Monash University's Green Chemical Futures building below.
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Green Chemical Futures another Lyons marvel

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Recently editor Mark Baljak <a href="/news/monash-university-claytons-design-and-construction-boom">took a look at the construction program</a> currently underway at Monash University's Clayton campus. As a follow-up piece, I'll explore the happenings at Monash's Caulfield campus which was/is subject to some grand plans.

In years gone by Monash Caulfield was subject to a $300m 'Monash Village' scheme, to be delivered jointly between the tertiary institution and developer/builder Equiset. The failed project would have included 436 student apartments across numerous buildings, two office buildings, a shopping centre and an underground carpark, all designed by NH Architecture.

Additionally the scheme would have included a new a multi-level Law faculty building designed by BVN Architecture with a major new library at its core. The project was due to be completed by December 2011.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/monash_village.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Monash Village. © NH Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="285" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/monash_village.jpg?itok=V2ockByv" title="Monash Village. © NH Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The failed Monash Village proposal. Image © NH Architecture</figcaption></figure><h2>Campus vision</h2>

<blockquote>
The Caulfield campus will be recognised as a prestigious inner-city campus. The balance of urban intensity and high quality public realm will be further enriched by strong connections to the surrounding region.

The mix of professional and creative courses will draw together a diverse campus community united by a shared commitment to education.
<cite>Campus Masterplan 2011-2030</cite>
</blockquote>

The GFC has failed to dampen the ambitions of the University for its Caulfield campus. Monash University's Caulfield Campus Masterplan 2011-2030 prepared by MGS Architects aims to better integrate and unify an otherwise disparate assortment of buildings and develop a centralised spine of quality public realm in addition to more intimate pockets.

The masterplan calls for the design of buildings with strong permeability at the ground plane and key pedestrian interfaces to create a localised Campus Village with an accessible transport network at its door step.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/monash_caulfield_masterplan.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Campus Masterplan 2011-2030. © MGS Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="409" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/monash_caulfield_masterplan.jpg?itok=eqXPCcGu" title="Campus Masterplan 2011-2030. © MGS Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Campus Masterplan 2011-2030. Image © MGS Architects</figcaption></figure><h2>NH Architecture returning to the fold?</h2>

Following the failure of Monash Village, Monash University have directly engaged NH Architecture to continue work on the western precinct via the NRAS funding scheme. Included within the design is a highly recognisable 26 level residential tower dominated by shades of pink to red.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/monashcaulfield_07.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The distinctive Pink Tower. Image © NH Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="662" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/monashcaulfield_07.jpg?itok=s1qjWRby" title="The distinctive Pink Tower. Image © NH Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The distinctive Pink Tower. Image © NH Architecture</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
NH Architecture’s design for Monash Village on a 1.6 hectare site consists of a collection of six new 14-26 storey buildings comprising 1,000 student apartments, commercial office space, educational facilities, retail tenancies, a supermarket, and car parking.

The network of vibrant open spaces between the buildings incorporates a north-south pedestrian street with lanes feeding into it from the existing retail strip to the west and the University campus to the east. The plan links into and reinforces the local streets, campus pathways, and connections to public transport.
<cite>NH Architecture</cite>
</blockquote>

While a new set of project images have appeared on the NH Architecture website, little has been said publicly of the project's fate or intentions of Monash University regarding redevelopment of Caulfield.

<h2>Law Business and Economics Complex?</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/mumcrimage30.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Monash LBEC. © MCR"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="480" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mumcrimage30.jpg?itok=MPcm033F" title="Monash LBEC. © MCR" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Monash LBEC. Image © MCR</figcaption></figure>Adding to uncertainty is the status of a key anchor to the redevelopment of the campus's western precinct. The new Law Business and Economics Building which would see a consolidation of the various faculties into one, is a result of an invited design competition in which McBride Charles Ryan were successful. Having been <a href="/news/an-architectural-gem-on-the-horizon">previously covered</a> by Apartments.com.au, its status is currently unknown with the Law faculty's involvement reportedly in doubt.

<h2>Comment: the future</h2>

Together with the multi-staged Caulfield Village development to the south-west, the Caulfield campus presents an opportunity to redefine central Caulfield as a National Employment Cluster as set out in Plan Melbourne. A series of other mid-rise residential developments directly opposite the campus on Dandenong Road hint at the transformation about to occur in the area.

It is key that the campus integrates itself into the community. Dandenong Road doesn't help the cause particularly when it comes to providing a pleasant and welcoming pedestrian environment as well as a 'front door' to the campus, but hopefully the ambitions and intent of the master plan come to fruition soon enough, along with some daring architecture.

See more images on the NH Architecture <a href="http://nharchitecture.net/projects/monash-university/">project page</a>.
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Laurence Dragomir

Monash University Caulfield Campus: From bust to boom?

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Monash University have been for some years now steadily overseen the delivery of a string of marquee buildings at their <a href="/new-apartments/clayton-vic-3168">Clayton</a> campus. In and amongst numerous smaller projects designed to foster a 'Campus City' environment, seven mainline buildings have been or are in the process of being delivered in order to boost the quality of facilities, resulting in a high level of design integrity.

<blockquote>
The Clayton campus will evolve as an engaged and dynamic University City. Monash Clayton will be a showcase campus: a leader in education and research, distinguished by world-class environmentally sustainable infrastructure, design and landscapes.

The campus’s success will be underpinned by excellence in infrastructure, quality teaching and learning spaces and facilities.
<cite>Clayton Campus Masterplan 2011-2030 / MGS Architects</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Recent builds</h2>

First in Australia to receive a 5 Star Green Star Design rating in its class, the <a href="http://melbournedesignawards.com.au/mda2012/entry_details.asp?ID=11050&amp;Category_ID=4763">Briggs &amp; Jackomos</a> student residences by <a href="/architects/bvn-architecture">BVN Architecture</a> delivered 600 studio apartments to campus during 2011. Designed to hotel standards, the complex contains various amenities within the cutting-edge external timber design which focuses on sustainability, accessibility and an open layout.

The two buildings thereafter won gongs at the 2012 Melbourne Design Awards, 2012 British Architects International Awards and the Frederick Romberg Award at the 2012 National Architecture Awards relating to residential architecture excellence.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image17.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Student residences &amp; New Horizons. Housing images courtesy melbournedesignawards.com.au/"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="545" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image17.jpg?itok=_3nMqXdM" title="Student residences &amp; New Horizons. Housing images courtesy melbournedesignawards.com.au/" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Student residences &amp; New Horizons. Housing images courtesy melbournedesignawards.com.au</figcaption></figure>2013 heralded the completion of New Horizons, with the Lyons facility dedicated toward research and teaching in future manufacturing. Biomedicine, transport, aerospace and mineral processing are key platforms researched within New Horizons which has been <a href="/news/a-lyons-masterclass">previously highlighted</a> by Apartments.com.au.

<h2>Currently under construction</h2>

Bringing additional colour to campus are four separate student accommodation buildings at varying stages of construction. Brookfield Multiplex are delivering the combined <a href="http://www.mrs.monash.edu/capital-development">1000 new studio apartments</a> atop what once were at grade car parks.

In order of appearance below, <a href="/architects/mcbride-charles-ryan">McBride Charles Ryan</a> Architects, <a href="/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> Architects - Richard Middleton Architects and <a href="/architects/jackson-clements-burrows-architects">Jackson Clements Burrows</a> Architects have conceived the new student halls which much like Briggs &amp; Jackomos are expected to achieve a Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star ‘5-star As-Built’ rating.

Ready for occupancy during January 2016, the buildings will line a planned 'Main Street' &amp; pedestrian walk.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image34.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Images courtesy Monash Residential Services"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="458" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image34.jpg?itok=N8VO6mNh" title="Images courtesy Monash Residential Services" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Images courtesy Monash Residential Services</figcaption></figure>Elsewhere contractor Lend Lease are applying the finishing touches to the new Lyons-designed <a href="http://fsd.monash.edu.au/capital-major-works/projects/green-chemical-futures">Green Chemical Futures</a> complex. The $80 million building consists of 9,300sqm over five storeys and will house the School of Chemistry in addition to associated research facilities.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1854.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Green Chemical Futures October 2014"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1854.jpg?itok=vN3NsCTq" title="Green Chemical Futures October 2014" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Green Chemical Futures October 2014</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Green Chemical Futures will house over 100 chemists and engineers and allow the growth of basic science research to targeted industry-driven research. It will have 17 specialist sectors, training programmes for industry practitioners and new laboratory spaces available for over 1000 students and 100 industry partners.
<cite>Monash University</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Enter Moshe Safdie</h2>

In many ways the big ticket item yet to appear at Monash Clayton is the new <a href="http://www.australiandesignreview.com/news/25724-moshe-safdie-unveils-new-monash-university-design">Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music</a>. Famed international architect Moshe Safdie has collaborated with Fender Katsalidis to deliver the project which had a nominal start date of 2014, but has yet to break ground.

<blockquote>
Architecture has an extraordinary impact on our lives. It impacts how we work, live, and experience our environment. With that comes a great responsibility.

For me, the foundation of architectural thinking is this impact on people. And the solutions evolve from characteristics of place, culture and contemporary life. In this way we can create buildings that belong and thereby enrich the community.
<cite>Moshe Safdie on the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image37.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Images courtesy Australian Design Review"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image37.jpg?itok=ioc30IPJ" title="Images courtesy Australian Design Review" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Images courtesy Australian Design Review</figcaption></figure><h2>Monash Clayton indicative of others</h2>

Monash Clayton is indicative of many other tertiary institutions around Melbourne and Victoria for that matter in that the ubiquitous brick buildings of the mid part of last century on campus have been superseded by a new breed of interesting, sustainable and well considered buildings mark a new era.

Melbourne University <a href="/new-apartments/parkville-vic-3052">Parkville</a>, La Trobe University <a href="/new-apartments/bundoora-vic-3083">Bundoora</a> and Deakin <a href="/developments/burwood-vic-3125">Burwood</a> have all welcomed new additions in the last year that are highly expressive and considerate of their surrounds. Monash Caulfield is next in line with a raft of new developments envisaged; although the project hasn't been without its issues.

As for Monash Clayton, the masterplan suggests campus students will increase from a figure of 26,700 during 2011 to a predicted 36,000 come 2030. In light of such growth Clayton's new building boom is warranted; that they are each of a high quality is now the welcomed norm and a benchmark for future developments.
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Monash University Clayton's design and construction boom

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A long and winding road persists regarding <a href="http://www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au/" target="_blank">McBride Charles Ryan</a>'s intriguing design for Monash University's new state-of-the-art teaching and learning centre located within the Caulfield campus' Western Precinct. Although The Law Business and Economics Complex (LBEC Building) is still on track, construction remains at least one year away.
Post the 2012 announcement of McBride Charles Ryan successfully snaring the commission, the intended project program has progressed to the point where approved design development is due this month. With the development's progression tied to a major fundraising campaign, construction tenders are tentatively due early next year with early works potentially beginning April 2015 according to project consultant <a href="http://www.citylab.com.au/" target="_blank">Citylab</a>.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/MCR-A-Views-Hero.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hero perspective from Dandenong Road.. Image © MCR"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="724" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/MCR-A-Views-Hero.jpg?itok=voJPqyG2" title="Hero perspective from Dandenong Road.. Image © MCR" width="580"></a>
<h2>Project Summary</h2>
<ul>
<li>
		Monash University Law Business and Economics Complex (including MBA)</li>
	<li>
		10 levels, 28,000 sqm space</li>
	<li>
		Target = 6-star Greenstar As-Built rating</li>
	<li>
		Western Plaza including 3000 sqm of retail outlets</li>
	<li>
		Total project cost approximately $150 million</li>
</ul>
<h2>External Excess</h2>
The design was submitted to the 2013 World Architecture Festival under the Future Project Category. The <a href="http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/" target="_blank">World Buildings Directory</a> carries the following excerpt describing the exteriors:
<blockquote>
	Monash LBEC complements this assemblage with an entire building as a beautiful wall. The complex mediates the interface with Dandenong Road with a highly formed and articulated concrete panel cladding, protecting the northern aspect from acoustic and thermal considerations in a play of lightness and solidity. Facing the pedestrianised public realm of the Western Plaza, the wall exhibits a 3-dimensional complexity: it is permeable and fragmentary.
	At the western interface, the meshing of these two conditions integrates the heritage facades along Derby Road, providing Monash Caulfield with a street front address, as well as signifying a memorable ‘gateway’ to the precinct – a sentinel in the suburbs – acknowledging passing traffic and facing the Melbourne CBD.
</blockquote>
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/mumcrImage30.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="External renders. Image © MCR"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="480" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mumcrImage30.jpg?itok=01CpBJFJ" title="External renders. Image © MCR" width="580"></a>
<h2>Warning: Contains Architecture Lingo</h2>
Of the internal layout, one can only assume the architect provided this description:
<blockquote>
	Activities within the complex are distributed according to their preferred aspect and temporal considerations. The planning is distributed around four atria aiding passive ventilation of the internal environment. Two of these are located at the periphery of the complex and act as an environmental buffer to the adjacent office environments.
	Facing and north and west (respectively), these atria incorporate shading and glazing strategies to harness the heat generated immediately within the building fabric to induce air movement drawn from passively preconditioned sources, assisting greatly with the thermal comfort of users.
	The shared learning and teaching spaces are stacked vertically between the faculties, combining formal and informal learning environments and establishing a direct interface with the Western Plaza.
</blockquote>
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/mumcrImage33.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Internal renders. Image © MCR"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="388" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mumcrImage33.jpg?itok=7Gm-N1Z2" title="Internal renders. Image © MCR" width="580"></a>
McBride Charles Ryan have the Midas touch permeate all their designs and the LBEC Building is no exception. I'm sure I speak for all when I say just build it already!
Further reading &gt; <a href="http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/project.cfm?id=5115" target="_blank">World Building Directory project page</a>
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An architectural gem on the horizon

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'Thought into Form', <a href="http://www.artdes.monash.edu.au/#">Monash Art Design &amp; Architecture</a>'s (MADA) inaugural publication was this week launched by Dean, Shane Murray. The publication showcases the work of the faculty's staff and students, giving an insight into the processes and methodology of art, design and architectural learning at an undergraduate level and providing 'the starting point for discourse about how the multidisciplinary will help shape and inform our future.'  Apartments.com.au was invited to the launch at ACCA, an evening which included keynote speakers such as John Warwicker, Professor of Design MADA &amp; editor of Thought Into Form; a jetlagged but highly entertaining Juliana Engberg, Artistic Director, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art; Roger Wood, Wood Marsh Architecture; Tara McDowell, Director of Cultural Practice at MADA.  All of whom discussed the possibilities and future of collaborative creative practice.
MADA located within Building F at Monash's Caulfield Campus, which it shares with the <a href="http://www.monash.edu.au/muma/">MUMA </a>gallery (which this author was lucky enough to work on), providing a studio based curriculum which promotes multidisciplinary learning and the cross-pollination of ideas throughout the various schools which make up the faculty - a step away from the typical model of art, design and architectural schools which have generally confined themselves to the walls which house them.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image4_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Stills taken from MADA's event flyer. Images © Monash University"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image4_12.jpg?itok=CzuOfExW" title="Stills taken from MADA's event flyer. Images © Monash University" typeof="Image"></a>
The three schools, while sharing a common brand in the form of MADA have also been given their own identity by a team led by Professor John Warwicker and are likely to evolve and adapt over time at the hands of John's communications students. A more comprehensive write up on the branding and ideology can be found <a href="http://desktopmag.com.au/features/mada-%E2%80%94-thought-into-form/#.UkQiScZi1W8">here</a>.
Initially, I wasn't quite sure what direction to take with this article but eventually decided to provide a bit of a commentary on architectural pedagogy in Melbourne, based on my own architectural education. 
I studied architecture at RMIT's city campus between 2005-2009, where we shared levels 11 &amp; 12 of Building 8 with landscape architecture students and held joint exhibitions but otherwise had little to no involvement with them.  The focus was on research, investigations in form and materiality and the implications of these on the architecture that you developed with the ultimate aim of having students position themselves amongst the school's "pillars of architecture". The vast majority of work produced was speculative with no real world outcomes, which meant plenty of models and drawings either thrown away or locked away never to see the light of day despite the hours spent slaving away to produce them.
The learning was largely driven by the idea of the individual and despite working in groups, you were ultimately assessed as an individual. This isn't limited to RMIT - it has more-or-less been considered 'the norm' in architectural education the world over. 
“Built environment is a product of teamwork, the educational setting still places emphasis on individualistic work.”
“We are trained and we train architects as individualistic creative people to develop their senses and design ability to create a better world. However, as any practicing architect would argue the act of architecture in the real world is all about teamwork, starting with a client, and working with other professionals, including  officials, colleagues and builders.” – Hana Alamuddin, architect, extract from Architectural Education Today, Cross Cultural Perspectives. 
How you were trained as an architect at university wasn't a true representation of the 'real world' of an architect. You are not trained to work with others from different disciplines despite the fact that as an architect you will need to work with teams of consultants made up of structural, civil &amp; services engineers, landscape architects, builders etc. There was no scope for developing the skills to be able to competently collaborate with other disciplines, nor was there really ever the platform to allow for this to occur.
RMIT's award winning,brand-spanking new, Sean Godsell-designed and aptly named <a href="http://www.designhub.rmit.edu.au/about/overview">Design Hub</a> is a step in the right direction - providing a place for cross-disciplinary collaboration in research, at a post graduate level and a public interface for displaying the outcomes. 
So how is MADA's architecture school, launched in 2008, different?  This is best summed up by the following description, taken from MADA's website:
Art, design and architecture students have designed products to help people with disabilities, created installations that comment on social issues. and developed emergency relief structures. The applications are limitless.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image5_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A new working space - RMIT Design Hub. Image © seangodsell.com"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image5_11.jpg?itok=B0tj7hIA" title="A new working space - RMIT Design Hub. Image © seangodsell.com" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>
This is evident in projects such as the <a href="http://architectureau.com/articles/stawell-steps/">Stawell Steps</a> project - a collaboration between Japanese artist Hiroshi Nakao and Monash architecture students under the supervision of <a href="http://www.nmbw.com.au/">NMBW</a> principal, Nigel Bertram. Part spillway, part brick ruin and part playground it successfully and carefully marries architecture, art and landscape to provide a multi-faceted installation that can be sat, walked or climbed on. The 'Steps' were developed over the course of a semester, with a prototype being built in MUMA's Ian Potter Sculpture Courtyard before a more permanent installation being built in Stawell. 
The Stawell Steps were shortlisted in the Regional Category at the AIA Victorian Chapters architecture awards - an award won by Marysville Police Station (another project I was fortunate enough to work on). What does that mean? Well, like Brett Seakins, who did the write up of the steps for Architecture Australia (linked in the previous paragraph), I can't help but be envious of what the Monash students have been able to achieve - something I wasn't able to until I began working in an architectural office... 
 
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Thought into Form and why it should MADA

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Only rarely would a project come across the desks of UrbanMelbourne.info that has the ability to stupefy all that see it.  Denton Corker Marshall (<a href="http://www.dentoncorkermarshall.com/" target="_blank">DCM Architecture</a>) recently upgraded their website and nestled in amongst a gaggle of great projects was their unsuccessful bid for Monash University's forthcoming Law, Business and Economics Complex at their Caulfield campus.

Very rarely does a design of this ilk come along which oozes a certain landmark status; unique in both looks and quality it would have been a building unlike any other in Melbourne.  With two main volumes divided by a trademark splash of yellow the DCM scheme would have been incredible if realised.  The renders within the article slideshow show the design from even more impressive angles yet the image below highlights the cantilevered nature of the design.

The seemingly haphazard nature of the scheme's windows leads to a fascinating facade but for mine the designs best feature - the continuation of the facade treatment to the under floor of the overhung sections. It's likely they wouldn't have been transparent, yet if they were  transparent what a sight that would be for the fortunate few looking down.  Simply a design that makes you think - Dammit! Just build it anywhere in Melbourne and I'd be happy!

 <a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image4_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="DCM's Law, Business &amp; Economics complex. Image © DCM Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image4_10.jpg?itok=VCBhS0gJ" title="DCM's Law, Business &amp; Economics complex. Image © DCM Architects" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Of the initial forty or so entires for Monash University's new building a shortlist of five schemes were assembled for consideration. Joining DCM Architecture at the time were OMA and Donovan Hill, Grimshaw Architects with NMBW and Kerstin Thompson Architects, ARM Architecture and McBride Charles Ryan. 

Quoting <a href="http://architectureau.com/" target="_blank">ArchitectureAU</a>, " The proposed new Law, Business and Economics Complex is expected to bring more than 6,300 students and 714 staff to Caulfield, transforming the campus into the hub of Monash’s social sciences teaching, learning, research and public programs, as well as adding significantly to the diversity of the campus and community surrounds.  Occupying a prominent corner site on Dandenong Road (Princes Highway), the complex will have about 20,000m2 of floor space with teaching spaces, seminar rooms, lecture theatres, small group (syndicate) rooms and offices."

Seen below is an image of the joint Grimshaw Architects + NMBW + Kerstin Thompson Architects scheme, that was kindly passed on by <a href="http://www.kerstinthompson.com/" target="_blank">Kerstin Thompson Architects</a>. The nine level complex featured a heavily glazed southern facade as opposed to the Dandenong Road frontage which featured a facade dominated by vertical fins punctured only by protruding glass pods.

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Station%20View1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kerstin Thompson's Monash university scheme as seen from Caulfiled Train Station. Image © Kerstin Thompson Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Station%20View1.jpg?itok=9mL03fc_" title="Kerstin Thompson's Monash university scheme as seen from Caulfiled Train Station. Image © Kerstin Thompson Architects" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

As disappointing as seeing designs the calibre of DCM's unrealised, much solace can be taken from McBride Charles Ryan (MCR) <a href="http://www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au/#/projects/monash-university-law-business-and-economics-complex-lbec/" target="_blank">winning the design competition</a> for Monash University's requirement.  With projects such as Grocon's <a href="http://www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au/#/projects/carlton-united-brewery/" target="_blank">CUB site</a>, MAB's <a href="/news">The Quays</a> and the <a href="http://www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au/#/projects/victorian-comprehensive-cancer-centre-vccc/" target="_blank">Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre</a> under their belt there can be two certainties for Monash University; the design will be spectacular and there will be MCR purple in the design.

MCR was revealed as the winning design late 2012 with the accompanying image below.  Construction is expected to start during 2015 following an extensive fundraising campaign that according to media reports is currently underway with the final design due to be released shortly.  Admirers of quality design wait with baited breath...

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/mcr%20monash.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="McBride Charles Ryan's successful Monash competition entry. Image © MCR"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/mcr%20monash.jpg?itok=ZBK04yoe" title="McBride Charles Ryan's successful Monash competition entry. Image © MCR" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

See below images of DCM Architects, KTA + Grimshaw + NMBW and OMA + Donovan Hill's unsuccessful bids for Monash University's Law, Business and Economics Complex.
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