At the Urban Development Institute of Australia national congress in Sydney this week, a Mr Paul Keating spoke with gumption, apparently shocking delegates.

News Ltd reports him as saying that, “Sydney’s “gormless” apartment blocks [which had] facades that look more like “ice cube trays” were depressing the city’s residents.. He said city units were a “mess on a pavement”.

“The community does not need instruction in architecture or design to know what is mediocre or bad, they know it instantly.”

“They are depressed by what they see and are forced to inhabit and buy and they resent it. They know they are living in these ice cube glass shapes with their unused little verandas, their eight-by-six ceilings, their gyprock walls. They say – is that all there is to it?”

11.03.10 in urban-design 

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This could be the last chance to have a good look around the Naval and Military Club in Little Collins Street, Melbourne. The low-rise 1967 building with its distinctive arched windows is due to tumble soon, a new planning proposal having been approved for a Buchan designed 32 storey hotel and apartment complex.

The planning report ( PDF ) by the DPCD decided that the demolition of the building, “does not raise any issues relating to heritage.” Well that’s their point of view. Due to the proposal’s floor area, the decision was automatically referred to the Minister for Planning, bypassing council. The new building will cast shadows over the Melbourne Club’s nearby walled garden in the morning.

Penthouse Mouse is currently using the space for a, “temporary fashion store, arts and events space.” You can access most areas. The entrance is via the new (doomed?) building at the rear (on Coates Lane). The foyer is still being used by the Little Collins Hotel and can be entered from Little Collins Street.

PHM is open daily until 19th March, 11-9pm.

Many more slightly wobbly phone pics of the opening night here

As it is..

P.Johns 2010

H.Bui 2010

And as it will be..

11.03.10 in buildings heritage

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SA treasurer Kevin Foley says it will take South Australia, “straight from boring to the wow factor”. Strange. Kevin Rudd unveiled the Woods Bagot-designed $200 million Health and Medical Research Centre on Saturday. Video at Adelaide Now . 3d people with faces walking around in the video make a nice change from translucent “threshold” people, though they do look a little claymation.

01.03.10 in buildings 

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(James Fawcett and HPC Ashworth)

The completion of Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station is (once again) being discussed. But this time Ron Walker is on board, wanting to fund it with gambling dollars. Money was available when it was first built, but was rerouted into building an extra storey along Elizabeth Street.

HERALD SUN 28.02.10

01.03.10 in heritage 

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Enrico Taglietti on his ACT schools. While at his desk, in front of piles of old drawings, he talks about working under Gough Whitlam (not unlike the pressures of the BER), concrete, and the good and “shameful” modifications to his buildings.

Click on the vimeo badge to see a bigger version.
via: Martin Miles

Taglietti’s Heritage Schools from John Flynn Community Group on Vimeo.

“Award-winning architect, Dr Enrico Taglietti, describes the four schools he designed — Latham, Flynn, Giralang and Gowrie primary schools — in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. In this interview, Dr Taglietti refers to the defining influence of Latham, Flynn and Giralang in terms of the evolution of an educational philosophy during the 1970s. Gowrie, which came later, is seen as an important finality to the progression.”

“Both Fynn and Giralang have been nominated for heritage listing.”

“Dr Taglietti was born in Italy and migrated to Canberra in the 1950s. He won the Royal Architects Institute of Australia (RAIA) Gold Medal in 2007 for his contribution to Australian architecture.”

Camera: Ross Christopher
Editor: Daniel Gwynn
Producer: Roger Nicoll
Website: www.flynn.org.au

28.02.10 in education video-clips

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Process is on this Monday 1st March. They are having a spot of bother with their website, so you can find it here for the moment.

This month the theme is “The Architecture School”, and how we design for them. More info in this big version of the pic below.

28.02.10 in talk education

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