Author: katec

NSW President says our construction industry needs nothing short of a revolution

20 July 2019

Kathlyn Loseby

The magnitude of the crisis currently facing Australia’s construction industry demands nothing short of a revolution, turning current building practice on its head to put quality and safety back on top where they belong.

As an architect with three decades’ experience working on all manner and complexity of projects in Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, I can’t overstate how serious and urgent the situation has become. It is a worldwide issue with construction failures such as the ‘leaky condo’ crises in Canada in the 90s, the ‘wet building syndrome’ in New Zealand in the 90s – early 2000, the Latvian supermarket roof collapse in 2013, and Grenfell fire in the UK in 2017. We are not alone in our concerns.

The issues are systemic and reach right around this wide brown land of ours. However, the issues have managed to unite industry, and now hopefully governments, on the need for reform and a consistent national approach to fix the mess.

This week’s agreement by the nation’s building ministers is a welcome step towards implementing solutions that can both address the legacy of defective buildings and prevent history from repeating as we move forward.

It is good news for consumers and has also created a sense of cautious optimism among building professionals.

But this national approach, encouraging as it is, doesn’t mean anyone is off the hook. There is an enormous amount of urgent work yet to be done, starting with the rectification of buildings that have already been identified as posing a risk from flammable cladding and other defects. Victoria has stepped up to the plate with a package enabling this work to
commence. We call on NSW and every other state and territory to follow suit. The sooner the better.

The Commonwealth must also play its part, together with industry. The safety of our built environment is a collective responsibility that needs collective action. At the Institute of Architects we are actively engaging with all stakeholders from developers, designers, engineers and builders through to strata owner consumers to foster an holistic approach focussed on finding effective, lasting solutions.

These solutions must address the root cause of the problem, namely a culture and practice that has put time and cost (or greed and speed to put it bluntly) above quality. That equation has seen quality lose out, jeopardising both people’s safety and their economic security. It’s an equation that must now be reversed.

At the same time, continuous, truly independent oversight by a properly registered and qualified professional must be reintroduced; this is the only way quality will be maintained.

People’s homes are, in most cases, their greatest asset. They are also a sanctuary, the secure base from which we live our lives. They must be protected. Stronger regulation and greater compliance are essential but on their own they are not enough, especially for complex projects. The only way to achieve the level of lasting change required is to embed quality into the construction process from start to finish and at all points in between.

This is at the heart of the Australian Institute of Architects’ concerns with the reform proposals put forward by the NSW Government. While the Building Stronger Foundations discussion paper, for which submissions are due next week, includes many meritorious measures, it also has some glaring gaps.

We, together with much of industry, wholeheartedly support the creation of a Building Commissioner, the introduction of a new building practitioners registration scheme and legislating a duty of care to building owners.

What’s missing, though, is the mechanism to ensure that as buildings are being constructed corners aren’t being cut, the specified and approved materials aren’t being substituted out for inferior products and that the best interests of the owners (current and future) are being served.

As part of a profession whose members have been regulated for almost a century now, I can attest both to the importance of registration but also to the fact that, in isolation, it’s no silver bullet. That’s why the February 2018 Shergold-Weir Building Confidence report put forward a suite of 24 recommendations, including the penultimate one that said they were to be treated as ‘a coherent package’. The authors stipulated a three-year timeframe for implementation. The clock is ticking.

While there have been many contributing factors to the current crisis, a significant part of the problem has been the rise of a method of procuring building services called the design and construct (D&C) contract. Essentially, D&C contracts see the developer hand over decision-making powers to the builder. Whereas previously other building professionals, such as architects, would have maintained a direct relationship with the developer, today that is no longer the case.

The consequences are that it is much harder to override, challenge or even effectively communicate concerns about decisions that can have an adverse impact on quality. And quality is what it all comes down to. Because without it the government and industry will never win back the public confidence that has been shaken and cracked just as surely as the physical structures.

This op-ed was published in the Sydney Morning Herald Sat 20 July 2019

State’s best architecture celebrated at New South Wales Architecture Awards

FRI 5 JULY –Winners of the 2019 New South Wales (NSW) Architecture Awards have been announced, honouring the state’s leading architecture, with public projects dominating across multiple categories.

Across 12 categories, 51 awards were given including named awards, architecture awards andcommendations from 97 shortlisted projects and 212 entries. Awards were also given to outstanding public and commercial projects across the NSW Architecture Medallion, 2019 NSW Premier’s Prize, 2019 City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize, Blacket Prize and Enduring Award categories.

The winners were announced at a dinner hosted in Sydney by the NSW Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects on Friday 5 July.

The prestigious NSW Architecture Medallion, honouring an exemplary project across all awards categories, was given to Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI with McGregor Coxall for illustrating the power of architecture in the civic realm by improving connectivity between the Hunter River and the main street of Maitland.

Peter Poulet, Chair of Juries for this year’s NSW awards program, describes the Maitland Riverlink project as an architectural centrepiece that improves connectivity and celebrates the history, value and ambition of Maitland in regional NSW.

‘A strong civic gesture, this building acts as a public living room, attracting and celebrating the coming together of the community. The town and its river and proves the power of public architecture to deliver change, celebration and a legacy for the future,’ says Poulet.

Another one of the evening’s most recognised projects was Green Square Library and Plaza by Studio Hollenstein in association with Stewart Architecture and HASSELL, which took four awards including the John Verge Award for Interior Architecture, two architecture awards across the Public Architecture and Urban Design categories and the 2019 NSW Premier’s Prize.

Sandra Furtado, Jury Chair for Interior Architecture and Commercial Architecture, acknowledged that the Green Square Library and Plaza reflected the integral role libraries are playing in supporting a city’s social infrastructure.

‘It is immediately obvious that this library is loved by its staff and the wider community – this building is already the vibrant heart of the community,’ says Furtado.
NSW Chapter President Kathlyn Loseby says that the awards are a time to reflect and celebrate the role that great architecture plays across the state.

‘The strength of our industry and its impact on the places we live is undeniably positive and at times revolutionary. Today we celebrate with our clients, consultants and contractors who helped make these projects come to life, and for the fortunate people who live, work and play in these environments which are designed to stand the test of time,’ says Loseby.

Loseby also highlighted the invaluable connection between good procurement practices and great design outcomes, a theme which resonated throughout this year’s winning projects. ‘Good design is far more than aesthetic achievement – it takes collaboration amongst willing clients, good builders and appropriate procurement methods to make it an enduring success,’ says Loseby.

‘The awards celebrate achievement and reward the best of 2019, it is an annual review of our professional output, our capacity, as well as our skills, potential and vision for a better built environment,’ adds Poulet.

Projects that received an architecture award or a named award will now progress to compete in the National Architecture Awards program. The shortlist will be announced by the Australian Institute of Architects in the coming months.

The full list of winners can be found below.

ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sophie Watson
Communications Collective
(03) 9988 2300
sophie@comunicationscollective.com.au

NOTES TO EDITOR:
High resolution images and jury citations are available for download by registering at –
https://nationalarchitecture.awardsplatform.com/profile/complete/lbyJlmXA

The National Architecture Awards and respective state and territory Architecture Awards programs are run by the Australian Institute of Architects. Images and information are provided only for use in articles relating to the Institute’s Architecture Awards. The Awards program must be attributed as the Australian Institute of Architects’ National/State/Territory Architecture Awards.
All images must credit the Institute, the architect and photographer. Use in any other context is strictly prohibited without written permission from the submitting architect.

2019 New South Wales Awards: Winners

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)
37 entries / 12 shortlisted projects / 2 commendations / 2 awards / 1 named
WILKINSON AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE (NEW)
GB House | Renato D’Ettorre Architects
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Merewether | SAVIO PARSONS
Sunrise House | MCK Architects
COMMENDATIONS
Castle Cove House | TERROIR
Bay Guarella | Peter Stutchbury Architecture
Residential Architecture – Houses (New) Jury
Ed Lippmann (Chair) | Lippmann Partnership
Miriam Green | Atelier M
Matt Chan | Scale Architecture
Linda Morris | Sydney Morning Herald

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
32 entries / 13 shortlisted projects / 2 commendations / 3 awards / 1 named
AARON BOLOT AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – MULTIPLE HOUSING
North Rocks | Candalepas Associates
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Imperial | Stanisic Architects
Iglu Redfern | Bates Smart
OneA | Breakspear Architects and KANNFINCH
COMMENDATIONS
Arlington Grove | Smart Design Studio
Mezzo | CHROFI and KANNFINCH
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing Jury
Conrad Johnston (Chair) | Fox Johnston
Ines Benavente-Molina | HDR
Paulo Macchia | Government Architect NSW

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
30 entries / 11 shortlisted projects / 1 commendations / 1 award / 1 named
HUGH AND EVA BUHRICH AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSES
(ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)
Five Gardens House | David Boyle Architect
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Redfern Warehouse | Ian Moore Architects
COMMENDATION
Moreton Manor | CO-AP (Architects)
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) Jury
Ed Lippmann (Chair) | Lippmann Partnership
Miriam Green | Atelier M
Matt Chan | Scale Architecture
Linda Morris | Sydney Morning Herald

Interior Architecture
25 entries / 10 shortlisted projects / 2 commendations / 2 awards / 1 named
JOHN VERGE AWARD FOR INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Green Square Library and Plaza | Studio Hollenstein in association with Stewart
Architecture
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Castle Cove House | TERROIR in collaboration with Pascale Gomes- McNabb
Design
Dangrove | Tzannes
COMMENDATIONS
Redfern Warehouse | Ian Moore Architects
Caroma On Collins | Archier
Interior Architecture Jury
Sandra Furtado (Chair) | Furtado Sullivan
Tony Grist | HASSELL
Amber Stewart | ARM Architecture

Public Architecture
14 entries / 8 shortlisted projects / 1 commendation / 3 awards / 1 named
SULMAN MEDAL FOR PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE
Maitland Riverlink | CHROFI with McGregor Coxall
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Cabarita Park Conservatory | Sam Crawford Architects
Shellharbour Civic Centre | DesignInc in association with Lacoste+Stevenson
Green Square Library and Plaza | Studio Hollenstein in association with Stewart
Architecture
COMMENDATION
State Library of New South Wales | HASSELL
Public Architecture Jury
Jonathan Evans (Chair) | Tzannes
Jamileh Jahangiri | Cox Architecture
Jasmin Williamson | John Wardle Architects

Small Project Architecture
11 entries / 3 shortlisted projects / 1 commendation / 1 award / 1 named
ROBERT WOODWARD AWARD FOR SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE
Bungarribee Parklands Shelters | Stanic Harding Architects with Paramatta Park &
Western Sydney Parklands Trusts
ARCHITECTURE AWARD
Renewal of the Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre | Scott Carver
COMMENDATION
Punch Park Amenities | Carter Williamson Architects
Small Project Architecture Jury
Elisha Long (Chair) | Long Blackledge Architects
Ava Shirley | Peter Stutchbury Architecture
Luigi Rosselli | Luigi Rosselli Architects

Educational Architecture
18 entries / 10 shortlisted projects / 1 commendation / 3 awards / 1 named
WILLIAM E KEMP AWARD FOR EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
University of Sydney F23 Administration Building | Grimshaw Architects
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Taronga Institute of Science and Learning | NBRS ARCHITECTURE
St Pius X High School, Library | SHAC
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School | BVN
COMMENDATION
The University of Sydney Life, Earth & Environmental Services Building | HDR
Educational Architecture Jury
Jonathan Evans (Chair) | Tzannes
Jamileh Jahangiri | Cox Architecture
Jasmin Williamson | John Wardle Architects

Urban Design
10 entries / 6 shortlisted projects / 1 commendation / 2 awards / 1 named
LLOYD REES AWARD FOR URBAN DESIGN
Harold Park | Mirvac Design, Government Architects Office (GANSW), City of
Sydney and HASSELL
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Green Square Library and Plaza | Studio Hollenstein in association with Stewart
Architecture and HASSELL
Maitland Riverlink | CHROFI with McGregor Coxall
COMMENDATION
Elizabeth Bay Marina | lahznimmo architects
Urban Design Jury
Conrad Johnston (Chair) | Fox Johnston
Ines Benavente-Molina | HDR
Paulo Macchia | Government Architect NSW

Heritage
14 entries / 9 shortlisted projects / 3 commendations / 3 awards / 1 named
GREENWAY AWARD FOR HERITAGE
House in Darlinghurst | Tribe Studio
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
Tayim | Welsh + Major Architects
State Library of New South Wales | HASSELL
Paramount House Hotel | Breathe Architecture
COMMENDATIONS
Balmain Rock | Benn + Penna Architecture
The Burcham | Allen Jack+Cottier
St John’s College Library | Hector Abrahams Architects
Heritage Jury
Elisha Long (Chair) | Long Blackledge Architects
Ava Shirley | Peter Stutchbury Architecture
Luigi Rosselli | Luigi Rosselli Architects

Commercial Architecture
18 entries / 8 shortlisted projects / 3 commendations / 1 award / 1 named
SIR ARTHUR G. STEPHENSON AWARD FOR COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE
Dangrove | Tzannes
ARCHITECTURE AWARD
Paramount House Hotel | Breathe Architecture
COMMENDATIONS
Rail Operation Centre | Jacobs with Smart Design Studio
Barrack Place | Architectus
2 Bligh Street | Bates Smart
Commercial Architecture Jury
Sandra Furtado (Chair) | Furtado Sullivan
Tony Grist | HASSELL
Amber Stewart | ARM Architecture

Sustainable Architecture
7 shortlisted projects / 2 awards / 1 named
MILO DUNPHY AWARD FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School | BVN
ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
UNSW Roundhouse | Tonkin Zulaikha Greer
My Ideal House by Mirvac | Mirvac Design with Madeleine Blanchfield
Sustainable Architecture Jury
Rod Simpson (Chair) | Greater Sydney Commissioner
Mary Casey | HKA
Adam Russell | Roberts Day

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture (NSW)
St Pius X High School, Library | SHAC

COLORBOND® Award Jury
Jonathan Evans | Tzannes (Jury Chair, Public Architecture and Educational Architecture)
Ed Lippmann | Lippmann Partnership (Jury Chair, Residential Architecture – Houses
(Alterations and Additions) / Houses (New)
Sandra Furtado | Furtado Sullivan (Jury Chair, Commercial Architecture and Interior
Architecture)
Conrad Johnston | Fox Johnston (Jury Chair, Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
and Urban Design)
Elisha Long | Long Blackledge Architects (Jury Chair, Heritage and Small Project
Architecture)
Rod Simpson | simpson + wilson (Jury Chair, Sustainable Architecture)

NSW Architecture Medallion
Maitland Riverlink | CHROFI with McGregor Coxall
NSW Architecture Medallion Jury
Peter Poulet (Chair of Juries)
Jonathan Evans | Tzannes (Jury Chair, Public Architecture and Educational Architecture)
Ed Lippmann | Lippmann Partnership (Jury Chair, Residential Architecture – Houses
(Alterations and Additions) / Houses (New)
Conrad Johnston | Fox Johnston (Jury Chair, Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
and Urban Design)
Sandra Furtado | Furtado Sullivan (Jury Chair, Commercial Architecture and Interior
Architecture)
Elisha Long | Long Blackledge Architects (Jury Chair, Heritage and Small Project
Architecture)
Rod Simpson | simpson + wilson (Jury Chair, Sustainable Architecture)
Kathlyn Loseby | Crone Architects (Jury Chair, Enduring Architecture)

2019 NSW Premier’s Prize
Green Square Library and Plaza | Studio Hollenstein in association with Stewart
Architecture and HASSELL
NSW Premier
Gladys Berejklian

2019 City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize
Barrack Place | Architectus
Harold Park | Mirvac Design, Government Architects Office (GANSW), City of
Sydney and HASSELL
Lord Mayor of City of Sydney
Clover Moore

Enduring Architecture
350 George Street | Edward Raht
Enduring Award Jury
Kathlyn Loseby | Crone Architects (Jury Chair)
Jennifer Preston | JPA&D
Howard Tanner

Emerging Architect
Cameron Anderson | Cameron Anderson Architects
Emerging Architect Jury
Kathlyn Loseby | Crone Architects (Jury Chair)
Ben Coulston | TERROIR
Amelia Holliday | Aileen Sage Architects & 2018 Emerging Architect Prize Recipient
Isabelle Toland | Aileen Sage Architects & 2018 Emerging Architect Prize Recipient
Murray Chaloner | AWS

10 point plan for restoring public confidence in the construction industry

Kathlyn Loseby – NSW Chapter President

A spate of recent incidents, generating extensive media coverage, has brought significant attention to the safety and quality of Australia’s built environment and has severely impacted public confidence. These include the Lacrosse Tower Fire, Melbourne 2014; the Grenfell Tower Fire, UK, 2017; the Opal Tower building evacuation, Sydney, December 2018; the Neo200 Apartment Building Fire, Melbourne, February 2019; the CBD walkway collapse, Perth, June 2019; and the Mascot Towers building evacuation, Sydney, June 2019.

Australian Federal, State and Territory ministers, through the Building Ministers Forum, commissioned a review by Dr Peter Shergold and Ms Bronwyn Weir. Their report, Building Confidence, was released publicly early in 2018 and an implementation plan in March 2019. The Australian Institute of Architects has supported and publicly called for the urgent adoption of all recommendations.

For NSW to overcome the huge dip in public confidence in the construction industry, 10 key issues need to be addressed.

1. #SafetyFirst is paramount, but in a first world country we should also expect #Wellbeing

The Australian Institute Architects Code of Conduct expects architects to ‘improve standards of health and safety for the protection and welfare of all members of the community.’ This is an important distinction beyond the basics of safety, and it is not just for the client, the developer or the financial institution, but for everyone.

Architects strive for a built environment where you can walk your children down the street, stop in a café for an ice cream, shop for your groceries, grab a book from the library, and return home all the while feeling safe, secure and enriched.

2. Certification by qualified, independent, registered professionals with PI insurance = consumer protection

Certification should be limited to qualified registered professionals who have professional indemnity insurance, are trained, have their capabilities assessed prior to registration and who keep up to date through continuing professional development. This is required for architects in NSW under the Architects Act which is designed to protect the consumer. In NSW, this is not the case for engineers, building designers or project managers, so these titles can be used by anyone without proven credentials, registration or regularly assessable standards to maintain.

We recommend maintaining a ‘third party’ distance between builder and certifier, that is, those that certify should be independent and not be employed directly by the builder.

3. Stop self-certification

The current system of allowing sub-contractors to self-certify does not put safety or quality first.

For example, at the beginning of a project the mechanical engineer will design the air-conditioning system. Under a Design and Construct contract the builder typically replaces the mechanical engineer with a mechanical sub-contractor who will redesign the mechanical system to get the cheapest possible outcome. The mechanical sub-contractor is the installer and also the certifier of the system. Not only is the sub-contractor not independent, but they will not be paid by the builder until they produce the certification. The building certifier relies on these sub-contractor certificates to produce the final certificate so effectively the sub-contractor is self-certifying.

There needs to be much greater clarity on the roles, rights, responsibilities and risks of all parties in the building chain. We need an industry standard as recommended in the Shergold Weir report.

4. Contracts need to place #Quality over #speed and #greed

Procurement practices are principally driven by three factors: time, cost and quality. They are a balancing act.

It is a misconception to presume that every reduction in time and cost produces a better outcome. When quality is affected, the long-term maintenance costs and ‘construction cracks’ are very expensive and time consuming to rectify.

5. Contracts need to reconsider risk allocation

Pushing risk onto sub-contractors who then go into receivership does not work. Likewise, the risk-return trade-off needs to be appropriate relative to fees. It should also be relative to the level of professional training, code of conduct, regulation, ongoing and measured professional development and adequate insurance pertaining to the entity absorbing the risk.

6. Documentation by appropriately registered professionals to the National Construction Code (NCC)

The adequacy of documentation in the building approval process has been an issue of concern to the profession for some time. As per Shergold Weir, we recommend building approval documentation must be prepared by appropriately registered professionals, demonstrating that the proposed building complies with the National Construction Code.

7. Value engineering should include a quality judgement

Bronwyn Weir has stated: ‘Value engineering cuts on costs that can compromise safety; it can make the building cheaper to build but more expensive to maintain.’

Design and Construct contracts in particular can place undue focus on reducing costs through value engineering. For too long these contracts and value engineering have prioritised time and cost (speed and greed) over quality.

Safety and basic amenity should never become second to time and cost; too often we see it has.

8. Substitution of materials

Substitution has become a dirty word. It doesn’t have to be, but again when minimising time and cost drives a decision to substitute a product or material, without any consideration for the quality impact, safety and future maintenance costs are often the losers.

9. Partial services and ‘shopping’ consultant services

The current market sees developers and builders breaking up the design, documentation and site observation stage services of the professional team (architects and engineers). Instead of maintaining consistency, they shop around the market mid project to change the team and reduce fees. This process makes no attempt to justify itself in regard to achieving quality outcomes. The rationale is that the risk of a loss in quality can be offset by the potential cost savings.

What happens? Vital project knowledge is lost so cost drivers trump quality and the consumer loses.

Maintaining the same professional team from design through documentation and overseeing construction means the best equipped and project knowledgeable team is watching the project the whole way through.

10. Delight, beauty and inspiration

In the words of the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Mr Rob Stokes: ‘We can do better than liveability, we can do delight, we can do beauty, we can do inspiration.’

An architect spends five years at university, a minimum of two years of practical experience, and further professional registration examinations to be accredited as an architect. To maintain the title requires annual continuing professional development. Underpinning every part of this process is a commitment to ensuring that architectural outcomes are always more than a sum of their parts. Safety, quality, time, cost, liveability, delight and inspiration never have to be mutually exclusive.

Notes:

7. Brownyn Weir quote from Warning dangerous building flaws will continue without industry overhaul, Mon 17 Jun 2019, 12:38pm, By Stephanie Smail on The World Today

8. Rob Stokes quote from Rob Stokes’ push for Sydney development: no more nasty surprises, by Jacob Saulwick May 31, 2019 — 5.43pm

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rob-stokes-push-for-sydney-development-no-more-surprises-20190531-p51tbp.html

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/adelaide/programs/worldtoday/warning-dangerous-building-flaws-will-continue-without-overhaul/11215750

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rob-stokes-push-for-sydney-development-no-more-surprises-20190531-p51tbp.html

Fixing a failing construction industry means quality and safety before speed and greed

The diminished role of architects combined with poor procurement processes and a failing regulatory system has caused a perfect storm for multiresidential developments with consumers and consumer confidence just the first casualties, says Australian Institute of Architects (the Institute) NSW Chapter President Ms Kathlyn Loseby.

‘While it is not clear from much of the media discussion about recent high-profile multistorey residential complexes, NSW State Environment Planning Policy no 65 (SEPP 65) stipulates that an architect must be responsible for the design of these buildings,’ said Ms Loseby. ‘Through their training and professional codes, architects are uniquely positioned to deliver positive outcomes for end users.’

An architect has five years’ professional education, a minimum of two years’ practical experience, has passed the Architectural Practice Examination, and has been admitted to a Register of Architects managed by a state or territory Architects Registration Board. In NSW architects must undertake formal continuing professional development to maintain registration.

Registered architects who are members of the Australian Institute of Architects must abide by a code of conduct which stipulates strict obligations to clients, the profession, colleagues and, critically for consumer protection and community safety, to the public. Members must strive to improve the environment and quality of life within the communities in which they work, to be fully mindful of the effect of their work on the interests of all stakeholders, and to improve standards of health and safety for the protection and welfare of all members of the community.

So what has gone so wrong to result in failures such as Opal Tower, the more recent Mascot complex, and the many other cases that don’t make news headlines?

‘Changes in procurement practices in recent years have seen the role of the architect commonly reduced from lead consultant involved from go to whoa to design consultant with often minimal involvement,’ Ms Loseby explained. ‘Typically these practices correlate with an emphasis on time and cost of building – ie speed and greed – at the expense of quality, to which safety is integral.’

Value engineering, particularly in the popular design and construct procurement model, prioritises time and cost over quality, choosing the false economy of immediate cost reductions that lead to vastly more expensive maintenance and remediation. The results of this have too frequently been highly unfavourable for the built environment and disastrous for owners and renters who suffer the consequences. Their misfortune is compounded by holes in the insurance system the Institute is calling on government to address to provide better consumer protection with regard to multistorey residential buildings.

‘While consumers are hit first, a lack of consumer confidence will also come back to bite developers and governments in turn will struggle to meet housing targets,’ said Ms Loseby. ‘There are no real winners in this scenario.

‘It is too early to say what has gone wrong in the specific case of the Mascot apartment block recently evacuated due to safety concerns,’ continued Ms Loseby. ‘It is clearly established however that there exist deeply concerning problems in the building and construction industry that require strong and swift governmental response to restore consumer confidence and ensure safety. Implementing key recommendations from the Shergold Weir report and final Opal Tower report will be an important step toward this.’

The Institute has been at the forefront of industry calls for better regulation and enforcement of Australia’s building and construction industry. In particular, the Institute stands in support of measures that bring the regulation of other building practitioners closer into line with the standards applicable to professionals like architects.

‘Regulations must also support independent and qualified certification and insurance,’ said Ms Loseby. ‘Certification should only be done by registered professionals qualified in the domain in which they have professional indemnity insurance, and who are trained and regularly assessed of their capabilities.

‘Furthermore, the current market sees developers and builders undermining the design, documentation and site observation stages of the professional team of architects and engineers, and ‘shopping around’ to change the team and reduce fees. This erodes quality as project knowledge is lost, and the consumer loses.’

The Institute is also calling for the procurement of building projects to prioritise quality. This means design protocols have to be measured not only at the beginning of the project but all the way through to completion. It means qualified professionals concerned about the safety and quality of all the community must be involved to their full capacity from start to end, including post-occupancy evaluation which should become mandatory.

Ms Loseby advised: ‘Increasing quality may increase the construction costs and time, but evacuating people from an unsafe building costs substantially more and takes longer to fix – as does stakeholder confidence.

‘Quality must become the top priority,’ she continued. ‘We want a built environment where you can walk your children down the street, stop in a café for an ice cream, shop for your groceries, grab a book from the library, and return home all the while feeling safe and secure.’

For media enquiries contact:

Kate Concannon

State Manager NSW

Australian Institute of Architects

e kate.concannon@architecture.com.au

2019 NSW Awards shortlist announced

1 May 2019

Led by Chair of Juries Peter Poulet, this year’s juries for the 2019 NSW Architecture Awards have revealed their shortlist of 97 entries. The shortlist was developed following an intensive schedule of presentations and juries will now undertake site visits of shortlisted projects across 12 categories.

This year’s program attracted a wide range of projects, from major civic, cultural and commercial buildings to small public amenities, from high-end luxury residences to sustainable, adaptable homes.

The winners in each category will be announced at the 2019 NSW Architecture Awards ceremony on Friday 5 July in Sydney’s Alexandria.

The winner of the NSW Architecture Medallion for best entry across all categories will also be announced, along with the winners of other prestigious awards including the NSW Premier’s Prize, the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize and the Enduring Architecture Prize.

‘This year we have seen notable increases in entries for the Houses (New) and Multi-Residential awards categories,’ said NSW Chapter President Ms Kathlyn Loseby.

‘Across residential projects we saw a strong trend towards a material palette of timber and off-form concrete combined with planting and courtyards.

‘Sustainability is gaining even greater emphasis for architects and their clients,’ Ms Loseby added. ‘This year we are also pleased to have established a more formal entry process for the Sustainability Category, which received 97 entries.’

Site visits by juries will take place in early May.

‘Jurors across categories are looking forward not only to experiencing the shortlisted projects in the flesh, but also to the discussions and debate about architectural excellence that will flow from this next and critical stage in the judging process,’ said Mr Poulet.

Entries that earn NSW Chapter Awards and Named Awards will progress to be considered by the National Jury for the National Architecture Awards later this year.

View the shortlist

View the image gallery

Download high resolution images

Please note that you will need to register to obtain the pictures and information. When using the pictures, please credit the appropriate photographer.

For media enquiries and interviews, please contact:

Sophie Watson
Communications Collective
ph: (03) 9988 2300 e:Sophie@communicationscollective.com.au

Joanne Tramontana
Communications Collective
ph: (03) 9988 2300 e: Joanne@communicationscollective.com.au

2019 Newcastle Architecture Awards winners announced

Jury Prize winner: Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI Architects with McGregor Coxall. Photo by Brett Boardman.

21 March

The Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI Architects with McGregor Coxall has emerged as the preeminent project in this year’s Newcastle Architecture Awards, collecting a swathe of honours including the prestigious Jury Prize.

This public building provides a gateway uniting two key aspects of Maitland’s key identity for the first time – its architecturally rich High Street and the environmental amenity of the Hunter River. It supports revitalisation of the central business precinct and creates a ‘public living room’ for locals and tourists to enjoy.

Impressed with its elegant simplicity, which feels like it is just ‘meant to be’, the jury also recognised the project’s achievements with the Award for Public Architecture and the Award for Urban Design. ‘The architecture has a strong civic presence in a street full of historic buildings and is a landmark when viewed from the river…It will no doubt be the catalyst for further revitalisation of this dynamic regional community.’

Two other civic projects – both by EJE Architecture – took out the Award for Heritage Architecture: The Newcastle Signal Box and The Station. SHAC also had a double-win with their St Pius X High School Library, which received both the Award for Educational Architecture and the COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture.

Five outstanding residential projects earned awards and commendations. Austin Maynard Architects’ expertly crafted and playful Greenacres won the Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New), while CKDS Architecture’s flexible and contextually responsive project The Edge earned the Award for Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing. The Award for Sustainable Architecture went to True North Architects for the Graham Whiteing Residence.

The jury also recognised readiness to work across design disciplines and in close association with building trades to deliver strong outcomes in the case of the winner of the Award for Interior Architecture, Derive Architecture & Design’s Ginger Megs X project, which cleverly transforms a late 20^th century theatre into a bar and restaurant.

Jury chair Georgina Wilson of Georgina Wilson Architect said this year’s entries are ‘a testament to the local architects and community… It was wonderful to witness the energy, commitment and ambition of the community towards achieving great imaginative outcomes for the built environment of this area.’

NSW Chapter President Kathlyn Loseby concurred with Ms Wilson that the region is emerging as an inspiring example of a continuously rejuvenating and dynamically evolving built environment. ‘Greater Newcastle will continue to be an exciting place to watch into the future.’

In total the jury bestowed 14 awards and commendations. The Institute congratulates all the practices that participated in the 2019 Newcastle Architecture Awards program and thanks this year’s jurors, who contributed their time and expertise with great generosity.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR:

High resolution images and promotional summaries are available for download here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7blggohx16p55je/AAAuppBvSiljO2w9WKrbXjl2a?dl=0

All images must credit the Institute, the architect and photographer. Use in any other context is strictly prohibited without written permission from the submitting architect.

The Awards catalogue including jury citations is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/74n5ttuynw1joum/NAA19_AWARDSBOOKLET_Newcastle_Final.pdf?dl=0

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Newcastle Jury Prize – Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI Architects with McGregor Coxall

Educational Architecture

Award – St Pius X High School Library by SHAC

Public Architecture

Award – Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI Architects with McGregor Coxall

Residential Architecture – Houses (New)

Award – Greenacres by Austin Maynard Architects

Commendation – Twenty One Flowerdale by SDA

Commendation – Macmasters Beach Courtyard House by Matt Thitchener Architect

Residential Architecture – Houses (Multiple Housing)

Award – The Edge by CKDS Architecture

Heritage

Award – The Station, Newcastle by EJE Architecture

Award – The Newcastle Signal Box by EJE Architecture

Interior Architecture

Award – Ginger Megs X byDerive Architecture & Design

Commendation – Regis Elermore Vale by Jackson Teece

Urban Design

Award – Maitland Riverlink by CHROFI Architects with McGregor Coxall

Sustainable Architecture

Award – Graham Whiteing Residence by True North Architects

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture Award– St Pius X High School Library by SHAC

For media enquiries contact:

Kate Concannon, Australian Institute of Architects – NSW Chapter

P. + 61 (2) 9246 4017 | M. +61 (0) 406 306 447

kate.concannon@architecture.com.au

Women at the helm of architecture in NSW in 2019

8 March 2019 – International Women’s Day

Times are changing in the traditionally male-dominated world of architecture, with women taking up key leadership positions influencing the profession in NSW. On 4 February Dr Kirsten Orr commenced in the role of Registrar at the NSW Architects Registration Board (NSWARB) and Crone Architects’ Kathlyn Loseby began her term as NSW Chapter President of the Australian Institute of Architects (the Institute). There Ms Loseby joined National President Clare Cousins, who will hand over to NSW-based President elect Professor Helen Lochhead in May 2019.

But further change is needed. The latest Parlour census shows more women are staying in architecture, becoming registered and developing their presence as employers and business owners. However, census employment data also indicates that women still face significant gender-based bias and discrimination in the profession.

Parlour reports that: ‘Growth is more muted than might be expected…women’s representation at senior levels of the profession is still disappointingly low… the gender pay gap widens as an age cohort grows older, and…many women are still disappearing from the profession altogether.’

These newly appointed female leaders are well placed to help bring about the positive change required, by direct example and through committed advocacy for equity within the profession.

On the announcement of her appointment, Ms Loseby noted that equality would be a priority focus of her presidency. ‘We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive and grow within the profession. Equity is essential for realising this opportunity,’ she explained.

‘While the successes of individual women are admirable and inspiring and absolutely to be celebrated, we need more than rare examples. Equitable thinking needs to be instilled everywhere and in everyone; it needs to become the norm, not the exception.’

Ms Loseby will share the Chapter President role with Laura Cockburn, director at Conrad Gargett. ‘Through providing a real-world example of effective senior role sharing we hope to encourage other women to consider taking up key positions,’ said Ms Cockburn. ‘By sharing the responsibilities we can also engage our members more effectively and gain greater exposure for the profession.’

As Registrar of NSWARB, Dr Orr is particularly keen to promote a better understanding of architecture in the broader community through new partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations with allied professions. ‘There are incredible opportunities to develop an expanded program about architecture’s role in improving the liveability of our cities,’ she said. ‘And an architectural profession characterised by equity strengthens that role and enhances its offering, because a profession that values inclusivity and diversity stands to move forward and cultivate the best and brightest.’

‘The Institute and my own Faculty of Built Environment at UNSW are two examples of how promoting equity and setting targets can accelerate change and propel women into leadership roles,’ said Prof Lochhead. ‘With more women role models who are also decisionmakers, many more doors should open to women in the profession.’

Download hi-res portraits:
Kathlyn Loseby (Photo credit: Ali Nasseri)
Laura Cockburn
Prof Helen Lochhead
Dr Kirsten Orr

Biographies

Kathlyn Loseby

Kathlyn Loseby graduated from the University of Sydney with an honours degree in architecture and has worked in the UK and Sydney for a number of leading architectural firms.

Kathlyn joined Crone as chief operating officer, bringing sound business acumen and an appreciation of quality design. After graduating from the University of Sydney with an honours degree in architecture, Kathlyn worked at Foster + Partners, SOM, Allen Jack + Cottier and Turner. During this time she advanced her business studies and earned her MBA.

Kathlyn is the NSW Chapter President of the Australian Institute of Architects, in which capacity she works with industry leaders to improve the built environment and advance the profession.

Laura Cockburn

Laura is a registered Architect with a Bachelor of Architecture acquired from the University of Technology Sydney. She is a director at Conrad Gargett and has a keen interest in the collaborative approach to design that underpins her work. She has significant experience in successfully leading teams from master planning and concept design through to contract documentation and construction on complex large projects in the Defence and Infrastructure sector.

Laura’s strengths lie in fostering a strong client relationship from which the project can evolve. Many of Laura’s projects involve the compilation, dissemination and negotiation of complex client and user group requirements during the briefing stage and onwards through the life of the project. She achieves this whilst retaining balance and focus on achieving the best outcomes for all involved.

Dr Kirsten Orr

Dr Kirsten Orr is Registrar of the NSWARB and previously worked as an architecture professor and Dean of the School of Technology, Environments and Design at the University of Tasmania.

Beyond academia, Kirsten has been involved in the governance and regulation of the architectural profession as chair of the National Education Committee of the Australian Institute of Architects (2015 to 2016), and president of the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia (2016 to 2017).

Since 2016, Kirsten has also been a director of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia, providing leadership in the development and delivery of the new Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure and the brokering of mutual recognition agreements with Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Professor Helen Lochhead

Professor Helen Lochhead is an architect, urban and landscape designer and combines teaching, research, practice and advisory roles. Her career has focused on the inception, planning, design and delivery of complex multidisciplinary projects, in Australia and the USA.

Her projects have received numerous awards and her professional contribution to practice has been recognised through the Marion Mahony Griffin Award, the NAWIC Vision Award for leadership in the construction industry and the Australian Institute of Architects NSW President’s Prize.

A graduate of the University of Sydney and Columbia University, Helen has taught at the University of Sydney, UTS and UNSW and as a visiting academic at Harvard, MIT and Columbia Universities. In 2014-15 she was the Lincoln/Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, where her research interrogated design strategies for building more resilient waterfront cities.

Helen is the National President elect of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Architects welcome recommendations of the Opal Tower final report

The NSW Chapter of the Australians Institute of Architects (the Institute) strongly supports key recommendations made by the authors of the final Opal Tower report released last week.

These recommendations include: creating a database of government-registered engineers; imposing independent third-party checks of critical design elements throughout high-rise construction; and creating a new Building Structure Review Board to establish and publish facts relating to major structural damage of buildings arising from structural design and construction, to investigate their causes and to recommend regulatory changes as needed.

Chapter President Kathlyn Loseby congratulated the government again on moves to implement the majority of recommendations ensuing from last year’s Shergold-Weir report, Building Confidence and urged for these new recommendations to be taken up also.

‘The Institute has been at the forefront of industry calls for better regulation and enforcement of Australia’s building and construction industry,’ Ms Loseby said. ‘In particular, we stand in support of measures that bring the regulation of other building practitioners closer into line with the standards applicable to professionals like architects.’

‘Events of the past few years, be they Opal Tower here in Sydney only recently or Lacrosse down in Melbourne in 2014, have eroded the public’s trust in the safety or our built environment. It is imperative that governments around the country act to restore that confidence. Implementing key recommendations from the final Opal Tower report in NSW will be an important step toward this.’

The Institute is also calling for the procurement of building projects to prioritise quality, which too often suffers with the emphasis placed on reducing construction cost and time. ‘Yes, increasing quality will increase the construction costs and time,’ said Ms Loseby. ‘But throwing people out of an unsafe building costs substantially more and takes longer to fix – as does stakeholder confidence.

Read Kathlyn Loseby’s op-ed ‘Where is the Quality?’

For media enquiries contact:
Kate Concannon
Advocacy & Communications, NSW
m 0406 306 447 e kate.concannon@architecture.com.au

After Opal Tower | NSW President asks: ‘Where is the Quality?’

Where is the Quality?

Kathlyn Loseby NSW Chapter President, Australian Institute of Architects

The Opal Tower debacle is just the latest headline case of the construction process letting down our community. Why is this happening?

The failure of the construction process didn’t occur overnight. It has developed over a period of time and for various reasons. But it all starts with inappropriate building contracts and a lack of separation and independent assessment by properly regulated and trained professionals. It has been a train wreck waiting to happen, and there have been plenty of warning signs over time. Reports such as the Lambert Building Professionals Act Review (2015) and the Shergold Weir report (2018) are but the tip of the iceberg.

Given this the Australian Institute of Architects (the Institute) has congratulated the government on moves to implement the majority of recommendations ensuing from the Shergold-Weir report – recommendations we called on government to adopt – and we welcome the recommendatons of the NSW government’s independent Opal Tower report released today. Namely, we strongly support the creation of a government-registered engineers database, independent third-party checks of critical design elements throughout high-rise construction, and the creation of a new Building Structure Review Board to establish and publish the facts relating to major structural damage of buildings arising from structural design and construction, to investigate their causes and to recommend regulatory changes as needed.

Practitioner regulation is key to Quality

The Institute has repeatedly lobbied government, released media statements, and joined with allied groups in a bid to effect changes needed to address construction process issues, including imposing tighter regulation of building practitioners that bring them closer into line with the standards applicable to architects.

Architects spend five years at university training to improve our built environment for the whole community – for the person who will live in the house, work in the office, play sport in the hall, sit on the steps of the the town hall, walk their dog through the courtyard. We all use buildings and the spaces in between. We all need to feel safe and secure and receive value for money spent.

To become registered, an architect must complete further training and examination, and then undertake continuing professional development to maintain that status. The last thing architects want to see is the built environment we have trained hard to improve instead become diminished and ineffective. But the quality of outcomes that should result from our profession’s highly developed skill base has been undermined by a lack of regulation for other building practitioners.

The quality of constructed – as distinct from designed – outcomes has also been compromised by a culture hell bent on prioritising profit at quality’s expense.

How does that happen?

Procurement must begin prioritising Quality

Procurement predominantly involves a hierarchy of three crucial concerns: Time, Cost, and Quality. If time and cost predicate the majority of decisions, the scales will dip to their weight. Inevitably quality suffers.

For most major construction projects the design architect is lucky to get to document to 70% (60% or even 50% in some cases) before it goes to tender and the builder takes on all the risk. Only the design outline is certified by the architect and sub-contractors employed by the builder then self-certify their own work – or risk not getting paid.

An overwhelming emphasis on speed and minimising cost has driven this process.

Neither a one size fits all procurement approach or a simple ‘return to the old’ is the answer to this major issue, which impacts the entire community. We must put our collective brains together and devise a better process than we have now.

Yes, increasing quality will increase the construction costs and time. But throwing people out of an unsafe building costs substantially more and takes longer to fix – as will stakeholders’ confidence. What is the emotional cost to the residents and others directly impacted? What is the financial cost to the financiers, to the original developer, the builder, the strata owners, and to the insurers?

Quality must become the top priority. We want a built environment where you can walk your children down the street, stop in a café for an ice cream, shop for your groceries, grab a book from the library, and return home all the while feeling safe and secure.

Kathlyn Loseby appointed NSW Chapter President of the Australian Institute of Architects

At the conclusion of his two-year term, Andrew Nimmo, partner at lahznimmo, has handed the NSW chapter presidency of the Australian Institute of Architects (the Institute) to the unanimously supported NSW council member Kathlyn Loseby.

Ms Loseby graduated from the University of Sydney with an honours degree in architecture and has worked in the UK and Sydney for a number of leading architectural firms. With an MBA(Exec) from the AGSM and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she is now the chief operating officer of Crone Architects, a major national firm.

Mr Nimmo congratulated Ms Loseby on taking the role. ‘Kathlyn has made a tremendous contribution to the Institute as a councillor, convening the large practices forum and serving on the awards and honours committee.

‘We have worked together very successfully on the chapter council and I look forward to Kathlyn’s seasoned leadership, her insight and the energy and determination she will bring to realising her vision for our members and the profession. I also want to thank Crone Architects for supporting Kathlyn in this voluntary role.’

Ms Loseby has worked on a number of major projects, including:

AI Faisaliah Complex – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Daewoo Headquarters – Seoul, Korea
Conrad Hilton Hotel – Cairo, Egypt
KLCC Apartment Towers – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
British International Junior and Senior School – Tian Jin, China
Sydney West Letter Facility
Independent Living Wahroonga
RPA Hospital extension exterior wall
Yuhu One Circular Quay

She brings this deep professional experience to her role as leader and public face of the architectural profession in NSW.

Ms Loseby outlined three key objectives that her presidency will prioritise.

‘The first is procurement. Repeatedly we see the emphasis on procurement practices that favour reduced time and cost at the expense of quality. The outcome being increased cost for maintenance, financiers, the insurance industry and ultimately the whole community. I would like to see the skill and expertise of the architectural profession at the forefront of improving the quality outcomes in this situation.

‘Secondly, we need to focus on advocacy. Going forward, the Institute will continue Andrew’s important work with government and commercial organisations to improve their efficient engagement of architects as advisors, designers and administrators. We will strive to raise recognition of the breadth and depth of value that architects can bring clients and the community through good design in the places they live, work and relax.

‘Our third objective is equality. As president, I will also be leading the Institute in forging pathways to a rewarding and supported return to practice for architects who have taken a break, typically to start or raise a family. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive and grow within the profession. As a special advisor to the NSW Champions of Change for Crone in 2018, I am especially proud of how this initiative has developed positive policy resources available for all architectural practices to utilise, in particular the Flexible Work Policy.’

On behalf of all NSW members and Institute staff, Ms Loseby thanked Mr Nimmo for his dedication and leadership over the past two years.

‘During his term Andrew has spearheaded a number of important advocacy campaigns around issues including the misuse of the Opera House sails for advertising and unfair procurement practices.

‘Andrew has also made an invaluable contribution to establishing a more robust and effective governance structure within the chapter while strengthening the voice of the profession among government and industry.’

Ms Loseby takes up her term of office Tuesday 4 February.

Download full size image

Follow Kathlyn Loseby on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NSWChapterPres

For media enquiries and interviews contact:

Kate Concannon
Advocacy & Communications, NSW
d: + 61 (2) 9246 4017
e: kate.concannon@architecture.com.au