One - Building Designers Australia

the
rief
building designers australia
size
matters
autumn 2014
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the
the final chapter
“The time has come,” the Walrus said, “to talk of many things …”. It’s a poignant line
from the poetic recitations of Tweedledum and Tweedledee that rings true at a
point in the lives of most of us.
To me, it provides a segue into a plea for readers’ indulgence while the editor’s
column occupies a little more space than normal at a pivotal moment in the life of a
labour of love.
Born 17 years ago as the showcase of a visionary national industry association,
The BRIEF has been nurtured through the highs and lows of the peak body’s roller
coaster ride, without missing a beat, to reach out four times a year every year – and
more recently, five times a year – with a charter to represent the glue that binds the
building design community together at a national level.
Sadly, the life cycle of The BRIEF has reached a point where it is no longer
representative of the broader design community and, with a modified membership
base and shrinking membership revenue, BDA’s distribution costs have become
unsustainable (production costs have always been met entirely by the publisher).
This, then, is the farewell edition of The BRIEF. It is perhaps ironic that the end
should coincide with publication of the autumn issue, on the advent of a season
synonymous with change.
Change is indeed in the wind … and it is time to bid a fond farewell from The
BRIEF team to our many loyal readers, contributors and advertisers at the end of a
wonderful journey.
Until we meet again.
Consulting Editor:
Gary McGay
0407 981 911
[email protected]
size
matters
autumn 2014
$8.50
Front Cover Strategically placed
light wells, expanses of glass and
spacious voids exposing skilfully
crafted double-storey features
speak volumes for this multi awardwinning small-lot design by Doug
Paton in West Leederville, WA.
Rochelle
Ciao for now
Managing Editor:
Rochelle James
0402 853 989
[email protected]
rief
buildi ng desig ners austr alia
Advertising:
Aleshia Bowes
(08) 9228 0698
[email protected]
Contributors: Chris Reardon,
Dick Clarke, Trevor King
Cartoonist: Greg Smith
Pre-press: Melinda Sandosham
The BRIEF
Building Designers Australia
Published by Pond Publications
Suite 6, 199 Bulwer Street, Perth WA 6000
www.themediapond.com.au
Printed and distributed by Vanguard Press
26 John Street, Northbridge WA 6003
Disclaimer, terms and conditions: Any advice printed in this publication is produced in good faith but strictly on the understanding that neither the BDAA Ltd, nor Pond Publications
or persons contributing to the publication incur any legal liability whatsoever for the correctness or accuracy (including liability for negligence). Should the information be incorrect or
otherwise defective, all liability is disclaimed. All advertisements are accepted on the following terms and conditions: BDAA Ltd. and Pond Publications have the right to refuse to publish
any advertisement or material. No liability shall be incurred by the BDAA Ltd. or Pond Publications by reason of any error, inaccuracy or amendment to, or the partial or total omission of
any advertisement or by reason of any delay, or default or from any other cause whatsoever. Neither BDAA Ltd nor Pond Publications can be held responsible for any errors in multiple
insertion material after the first issue of publication. The views expressed by guest columnists are entirely those of the author.
4 the brief
president ’s page
Hello members
This is the last issue of the Building Designers Brief.
The decision to cease publication of the magazine was not taken lightly; however, as we progress more into the digital age and
look at ways to keep our costs to a minimum, the National Council realised that now was the right time to close the door on the
magazine.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the input that Rochelle James, and her company The Media Pond, have contributed to
the success of the magazine over the past 17 years.
From 1996 Rochelle has been promoting and publishing the work of building designers and at the same time providing
sponsorship, events, and admin services for BDAWA.
Rochelle’s promotion and marketing has influenced the high quality of designs in WA that has been reflected by the high
number of national design awards that have been collected by WA members over the years. This in turn challenged many of our
fellow building designers across the country to showcase their amazing designs.
In 1997, Rochelle became the publisher of our flagship national magazine, Building Designers Brief, and the magazine
promoted, linked, challenged and informed building designers nationally. Many topics have been discussed in The BRIEF from
business principles to overseas architecture. To the many contributors of these articles we also express our thanks.
As this is the last issue of the magazine we collectively thank Rochelle and her team at The Media Pond for putting us on the
‘front page’ for all those years.
Theresa Hatton
National President
Platinum National Partner
Gold National Partner
National Partner
Building Designers Australia
National Councillors
T: 1300 669 854 E: [email protected]
Tas
Theresa Hatton (03) 6334 7144
F: (02) 4968 9981 W: www.bdaa.com.au
Tas
Frank Geskus (03) 6332 3790
NSW
John Hatch 0447 681 736
President – Theresa Hatton
NSW
Ian Bassett (02) 6584 2601
Vice President – Bill Adams
SA
Bill Adams (08) 8381 7758
Development Executive – Martin Farley
SA
John Bryant (08) 8362 8860
A: PO Box 592, Hunter Region MC NSW 2310
the brief 5
Design feature DOUGLAS PATON
majoring in the minors
The inner urban chic Perth suburb of West Leederville has become a
happy hunting ground for talented WA building designers in recent
years.
Fashionably nestled between trendy Subiaco, edgy Leederville and
genteel Wembley, just 3km from the CBD, it enjoys an eclectic blend of
Perth’s sophisticated, cosmopolitan and traditional residential vibes.
Its mix of once very ‘working class’ streetscapes on one hand, and
bourgeois precincts on the other, is enjoying a contemporary
renaissance as young urban professionals and newly-married thirtysomethings seek to stamp their generational flavour on a built
form that is rising more and more sympathetically with the suburb’s
surviving character cottage and family bungalow profiles than has
DOUG PATON
d4 Designs
BDAWA
been the case in bygone generations.
With restorations finding more favour with cashed-up baby-boomers,
the small-lot canvases presented by knockdowns of dubious heritage
value are a rich source of creative expression for new-age home
owners … and their designers.
6 the brief
The recently completed West Leederville Planning and Urban
Design Study, although setting out to encourage “high
quality and innovative architecture that reflects an eclectic
mix of styles typical of an integrated inner-city townscape”,
also incorporates its share of challenges in the quest for
functionality within contemporary design solutions.
One designer who has not only relished but risen above and
beyond those challenges more than once is d4 Designs’ Doug
Paton, whose latest project on the desirable approaches to
the prestigious Hill of Tara subdivision overlooking iconic Lake
Monger has captured widespread attention and recognition
for its masterful interpretation of a complex brief.
the brief 7
West Leederville, small lots and Doug Paton are synonymous
with award-winning building design. Having previously won a
state award in 2007 for a contemporary small-lot development
just two blocks away in McCourt Street, he is now the proud
owner of a national design excellence award for the Clune
Avenue ‘pocket rocket’ that was catapulted onto the big
stage last year from the 251-350 sq m category of the WA
competition.
Clune Avenue is now home to two national design excellence
award-winning residences, both cited for their mastery of the
small-lot challenge. Fellow WA designer Yael Kurlansky did it a
few doors up in 2010.
Doug Paton’s reigning titleholder has had to live up to
considerable multi-media scrutiny, ranging from industry and
popular press coverage to national television exposure via the
Seven Network home show, Australia’s Best Houses. “Get ready
to be inspired,” compere Gary Takle remarked when introducing
the project to the TV audience, little knowing that Doug had
his work well and truly cut out for him from the outset of the
project, not only managing to overcome the challenging design
complexities but conjuring up a triumph of mind over matter in
the process.
Provision for a one-metre laneway widening easement on
a block with a 10-metre frontage and a design brief for an
architecturally striking four-bedroom home with two-car
undercroft garage, gym and storage space, lap pool, three-stop
lift and separate living area for children, required considerable
creativity and diplomacy.
8 the brief
A zero setback on the longest length of the property, the
eastern boundary – essential to acknowledge the laneway
easement – was made possible through negotiations with
adjoining owners. The support of neighbours for the modern
design was also garnered to overcome the strict council
streetscape requirements.
Skilful design tricks with the placement of light wells, expanses
of glass, voids and double-storey features all contribute to a
wonderful sense of space in this design. High ceilings, high
doors and frames, and continuous clean elements lend the eye
to a sense of generosity.
Effective three-storey efficiency, including the use of blacktinted concrete tilt panels, adds to the design’s uniqueness. A
multitude of simple, subtle design details enhance the sense of
space and volume at the same time as accentuating the clean
lines.
Double glazing not only increased the star rating and energyefficiency but provided a solution to the client’s concerns about
street traffic noise.
Without downplaying the role such features as the dream
kitchen, minor bedrooms with individual ensuites (“it’s a little
trick we do”), and the raw beauty of innovative polished plaster
walls played in the final analysis of the home’s award-winning
appeal, the crowning glory in the designer’s eye is the northfacing penthouse-style master suite. It takes pole position
in the design profile above a voluminously open living area,
contributing to a commanding street presence and maximising
stunning views of the lake it overlooks.
the brief 9
NORTHERN ELEVATION
WESTERN ELEVATION
SECTION A
SECTION B
ens
ensuite
master bedroom
bed 3
bed 2
wir
ens
galley
void
guest
lift
UPPER FLOOR
lap pool
outdoor lounge
living
driveway
dining
kitchen
pdr
portico
entry
activity
laundry
lift
GROUND
right
o f FLOOR
way
driveway
double garage
cellar
store
lift
10 the brief
BASEMENT
Achieving so much with so little, streamlining, hiding
and integrating so many of the essentials of the home’s
functionality, led to Doug admitting that he was left
somewhat humbled by the impact of the design,
conceding that, paradoxically, “it takes a lot to be
minimalist”. “Skilful design tricks with
the placement of light wells,
expanses of glass, voids and
double-storey features all
contribute to a wonderful
sense of space in this design.”
the brief 11
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walking the talk CHRIS REARDON
“Meaningful embodied energy figures remain a
research ‘work in progress’.”
meanwhile, back
at the shack
With a heavy heart, swollen with pride at the completion of the first
stage of a labour of passionate love in idyllic Sussex Inlet, and with
melancholy at the passing of one who has celebrated the achievement
and shared the journey with readers from day one, CHRIS REARDON
walks the talk of his doctorate’s principles one more time as he closes
the first chapter of The Luurve Shack … but with a sequel already on
the drawing board.
The editor reminded me that I promised a final report on my little sea-change
project. As this is the last edition of The BRIEF, it was now or never. With great
sadness I have met Chelle’s final deadline.
CHRIS REARDON
Doctor of Philosophy
in Sustainable Futures
BDA NSW
The BRIEF has been a part of our lives for 17 years. It has connected us all across this
wide brown land and made us feel a part of something bigger and more important.
Thank you, Media Pond – particularly Rochelle, but also Aleshia and Gary. Life as
a building designer will never be quite the same without your input. May your
indomitable WAussie spirit see an exciting new phoenix rise from the ashes.
Back to the Luurve Shack, I figure you’ve probably heard enough about this project
already – other than that it’s finished (yea!) and works really well. Most goals got
ticked and the rest will be if/when I add more roof area in stage two.
You may recall my ‘not-negotiable’ design principles. Here’s a quick, and dirty, selfassessment.
Precautionary principal in terms of all things sustainable: went OK on this.
KISS principal (keep it small, stupid): nailed this one so-far; stage two, who
knows?
KICK principal (keep it cheap, knucklehead): that damned greeny client went
over budget a bit.
The 3 Rs (reduce, re-use and recycle: nailed this one, too.
Carbon positive: not yet.
14 the brief
In the last article, I confused everyone (apparently) by trying to explain my
embodied energy/carbon calculations. I have been doing a lot more research since
then, and yes, it’s confusing. Meaningful embodied energy figures remain a research
‘work in progress’.
One CSIRO study estimated that the ‘average house’ has around 1000 GJ of
embodied energy. That’s around 10 per cent of total energy consumption over a
100-year lifespan. Since our average house lasts only 50 years, that figure becomes
20 per cent. Other researchers like Dr Robert Crawford at Melbourne Uni estimate EE
to be closer to double the CSIRO number. My calculations led me to conclude that
Robert is much closer to the money. To that end, for anyone interested (and I know
you all are), I have come up with the following rule of thumb.
Let’s meet in the middle and say that embodied energy will account for around 30
per cent of the total energy used in a house over an average lifespan of 50 years.
Roughly translated (and this is not yet a precise science), a home would require a PV
array that net exports 50 per cent more than it consumes in operating energy to pay
back its embodied energy over an average lifespan.
In other words, if the house needs 3kWpeak to meet its operating energy needs, an
extra 1.5kWpeak of capacity will likely offset the embodied energy. It’s not worth
getting too AR over this because there are too many variables. Suffice it to say, more
is better but anything is good.
My 2kWpeak PV array offset 100 per cent of my operational energy needs during
year one (occupied by me), but dropped to around 50 per cent during the next 12
months (tenant occupied). This is probably due to her inefficient refrigerator and
using some electric heating in winter. To ensure carbon positivity over lifecycle,
I plan to add an additional 2kWpeak of PV for operational needs and another
2kWpeak to pay off the embodied energy. This additional capacity will be added
in stage two when/if I build more solar exposed roof area. Otherwise, I’ll use a solar
tracking array.
the brief 15
Water
20megalitre rainwater tank meets
laundry, WC and low water garden
needs. Shoalhaven Water limits
rainwater use to WC flushing,
laundry and garden.
Grey water from the cleanest and
largest source (the shower) can be
diverted to rubble drains under
garden beds during dry periods via a
simple valve in the shower. Don’t tell
Shoalhaven Water.
The Centrex composting, urine
separating WC with 1litre flush is
designed in and ready for retrofit
but is still not council-approved.
The 40-year-old 1litre flap/flush
outdoor WC atop a septic tank with
low volume outflow to rubble drain
near fruit trees was retained. It’s a
treasured collector’s item and the
trees love it.
Indoor air quality
E0 or Super E0 finishes throughout and high level natural ventilation. A ducted
vacuum system will be installed in stage two.
Demolition and recycling
Severe termite damage necessitated demolition of the original shack
Roofing iron and all metal was recycled at the local waste station.
Hardwood not damaged by termites was recycled into joinery by a neighbour.
Brick and concrete were recycled at the local crushing plant and back-loaded to
site for re-use as driveway aggregate, pipe bedding and rubble drains.
Apart from asbestos cladding, around 90per cent of the existing building was
recycled.
Re-used materials
A pre-loved kitchen from eBay was adapted to its new home reducing cost,
waste and embodied carbon.
Hardwood from the original floor joists was re-used in a rustic deck.
16 the brief
I can happily report that designing and building my carbon neutral house was a
totally enjoyable indulgence. It was neither difficult nor expensive. Living in it into
my dotage will be affordable and comfortable. I can’t wait (to live in it again – not
my dotage!). With PV costs dropping from around $12 per watt in 1998 to about
75 cents now and heading for 25 cents by 2020, I should be carbon positive soon.
After that, I will install an energy management system, some batteries (when the
technology gets up to speed) and get a better return on my energy export by
selling at peak price. It’s a no-brainer. For more information, see Your Home edition
5 – out now (www.yourhome.gov.au).
There will be a far more detailed account of the sustainability specifics of my little
project – and others, of course – in the forthcoming book Rethinking Materials,
a collaboration of energy-efficient essays being edited as we speak by fellow
columnist Dick Clarke. Watch out for it.
Meanwhile, here’s a sample:
Energy
Heating and cooling energy: approximately 20MJ/m2/yr (ceiling fans and small
gas heater using 9kg (225mJ) of LPG each winter). BASIX in NSW doesn’t require
a HERS star rating but this figure fits within the 8.5 NatHERS Star band range
for this climate. An accredited NatHERS rating will verify this when stage two is
complete.
Solar hot water service: Evacuated tube, 300litre storage, electric boost. No
boosting required during first 12 months of occupation.
Lighting: all lighting is LED.
Energy supply: a 2kWpeak grid connected PV array.
the brief 17
“Designing and building my carbon neutral house was a totally
enjoyable indulgence. It was neither difficult nor expensive.
Living in it into my dotage will be affordable and comfortable.”
New materials
All timbers were FSC certified or re-used.
Engineered structural timbers were ordered to length to eliminate waste.
Joinery is low-waste finger-jointed pine with low emission paint finish.
Termite protection is by physical barrier only (stainless steel termite mesh or
folded steel). No chemical systems were used. Annual termite inspections are
conducted.
New decking is Modwood recycled PET plastic and waste sawdust.
All bulk insulation is recycled polyester.
Carbon neutral Weathertex cladding was used to eliminate waste, embodied
carbon and lifecycle impact. Sheet layout on CAD ensured wall dimensions
matched sheet sizes and angled offcuts could be used on opposite elevation.
Waste rates were less than 5 per cent.
Colorbond steel (40 per cent recycled) was used for roof and architectural
cladding variation. Design for sheet width and ordering to exact length
eliminated waste.
Super E0 Genesis Australian bamboo flooring was used on all non-thermal mass
floors due to its FSC certification, low waste rates and LCA credentials.
Earth-coupled slabs were tiled. Tile layouts were CAD designed and sized to
ensure minimal waste in each room.
What could have been done better?
Limited roof area available for PV (small footprint and view considerations) currently compromises carbon positive goals.
Site disturbance through excavation. While arguably unavoidable due to view constraints, earth-bermed walls are carbon
intensive and excavation had an impact on site ecology.
PVC retaining wall system. A high embodied energy PVC sacrificial formwork system was used in lieu of concrete blocks.
While highly successful, the system added substantially to embodied carbon.
Low-e comfort tone green glazing reduces solar heat gain on north windows in winter. This was necessary on east doors
to reduce morning heat gain and glare while capitalising on views and cool breezes. Because most rooms have north, east
and south windows, orientation-specific glazing was not possible. Of interest though, I have found that when I remove the
louvres to clean them in spring and autumn, I reverse the Low-e surface so it reflects heat out and doesn’t re-radiate it in
during summer. It does the opposite in winter. Can’t do much with the fixed panels, though.
Stack ventilation works a treat, although upstairs low mass bedrooms get a bit warm until the nor-easter or southerly arrives
on really hot days. The high mass downstairs living area (earth-bermed walls and tiled earth coupled slab) soak up all the
‘coolth’ in summer but could do with a bit more solar gain in winter (Low-e comfort tone glass is the culprit here). I would
probably increase the north window area and clear glaze it if I had my time over.
Aluminium V timber window frames. While significantly higher in embodied energy, powder-coated aluminium frames suit
louvre style opening and require little maintenance energy in the marine environment.
The aluminium PV array support frames contain about the same embodied energy as the panels themselves. Unfortunately,
no accredited supplier would guarantee an alternative mounting system.
Farewell BRIEF. We’ll all miss you. 18 the brief
Light Solutions
Inner city renovations across Australia put designers
to the test solving space, comfort and council challenges.
Here are three lightweight solutions.
A uniquely modern twist
Two issues challenge designers in Sydney’s inner west:
space and climate. In this intriguing addition, the sustainable
design response to both was lightweight construction.
Design: Rohan Little, Oxide Design
Photography: Michael Nicholson
Features: Scyon™ Matrix™ claddng
Oxide Design’s Rohan Little says that in tight spaces, lightweight materials are
simply the best option. He adds that they also help with comfort. “Lightweight
construction methodology lends itself to a system of layering in the walls.
Imagine an external skin, then an air gap, then a waterproofing
skin, then a heavily insulated structural core, followed by another
air gap and your internal skin,” he says.
Design: Joshua Mulders Architects
Photography: Tyrone Branigan Productions
Features: HardiePanel™ compressed sheet
In keeping
with tradition
What do you do when your
client wants a house that
looks intriguingly modern from
the street but local council
restrictions pevent you from
making major external changes?
Joshua Mulders and his team opted to
encase the front and side of the house in
question in “warm and tactile” Douglas fir
wooden panels, renowned for their high
strength to weight ratio.
The result is both contemporary and
alluring. Inside, skylights throughout the
hallway allow sunlight to flood into what
was previously a dark and confined
space. At the back of the house, highlevel glazing maximises light in the open-plan kitchen, dining
and living spaces, as well as encouraging cross-ventilation.
Hydronic heating under the timber floorboards at the rear of
the house and through wall units in each of the bedrooms
provides inexpensive and green heat.
And when it came to choosing a cost-effective cladding
for the exterior of the back of the house, Mulders opted for
HardiePanel™ compressed sheets, a hardwearing, longlasting product resistant to damage from moisture and rotting.
Read all about it in Light Home magazine,
Autumn 2014 issue. lighthome.com.au
Hidden gem
Meeting council requirements in heritage
areas can be challenging. This home
integrates old and new in a delightfully
clever fashion.
Nestled between two rows of double-storey
heritage terraces in Leichhardt Council’s Balmain
Conservation area, this single-storey cottage
betrays no traces of the modern reinvention that
lurks behind its traditional façade.
While the house’s façade remained untouched the
interior was reconfigured.The original house now
hosts four bedrooms, a children’s rumpus room
and a walk-in laundry. From there, a walkway runs
alongside an internal courtyard to connect to the
new two-storey addition at the rear.
The client was keen to keep things as green as
possible, so architect Joshua Mulders opted to
clad the new building in Scyon™ Stria™ cladding.
The use of this lightweight, easy to install material
helped minimise excavation and therefore the
environmental impact.
Read all about it in Light Home magazine,
Autumn 2014 issue. lighthome.com.au
Design: Joshua Mulders Architects
Photography: Simon Wood Photography
Features: Scyon™ Stria™ cladding
NEW
HardieWrap™ weather barrier
What is it?
HardieWrap™ weather barrier is a
non-perforated, highly breathable and
reflective safe-glare weather barrier
designed to be used in wall and gable
applications with James Hardie®,
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products to help protect your building.
Made from an advanced triple-layered
material, HardieWrap™ weather
barrier has been engineered for
the Australian climate. It delivers a
triple-shield of protection to help
against external weather penetration,
internal condensation build up and
external heat penetration.
What are the key benefits?
> Up to 50% faster installation
> Reduces condensation build-up
> 10% less wastage
> Lighter and easier to cut
> Save insulation costs
> Fire & Bushfire compliant
*Specifier is responsible for confirming the suitability of HardieWrap™ weather barrier in the specific design and
climate zone with the selected external cladding product. Refer to cladding manufacturer for more information.
The big picture DICK CLARKE
“Leading sustainability designers are nowadays specifying all
electric buildings wherever possible, avoiding “natural” gas
like the leprosy it has become.”
balancing acts
deserve to topple
While governments are still dealing their way into power, and marginal
governments continue to do deals with the devil to stay there, their
collective reigns of environmental terrorism are delivering raw deals to
the suckers who can’t see the forest for the trees when they go to the
polls. DICK CLARKE laments the sorry state of a nation caught up in a
merry-go-round of corruption by stealth.
“Don’t vote – it only encourages them” is the typically irreverent and slightly
anarchic joke about politicians. People are often heard to say: “I have no interest in
politics”. The problem is, politics has an interest in them, and that attitude makes the
relationship entirely asymmetrical.
Asymmetrical relationships involving power – where one partner has all the power
– tend to become abusive. Parliaments that have massive imbalances between
government and opposition become abusive, and ultimately corrupt. Corporate or
private donations to political parties always come with strings attached, which is
another asymmetrical relationship.
In Australia in 2014, we have imbalanced parliaments, with powerful governments
heavily influenced by corporate donors. In NSW, for instance, it appears the Liberal
government is not so very different to its much maligned Labor predecessor, with
almost as many members being questioned by the Independent Commission
Against Corruption. Follow the money trail.
Australia’s natural environment (you know the one – it underpins our entire social
and economic structure) is under attack as never before. We’ve had the odd
battle before, but in 2014, in every state we are seeing unprecedented threats
to, and actual damage or destruction of, forests and farmland, aquifers and water
catchments. The coal seam gas (CSG) industry, for instance, under the guise of
ensuring supply to the domestic market, is sinking fracking wells by the thousand,
when in reality the vast majority of the gas will be exported. Why? Because the
export price is higher than the domestic price. Follow the money. This is why
leading sustainability designers are nowadays specifying all electric buildings
wherever possible, avoiding “natural” gas like the leprosy it has become.
22 the brief
DICK CLARKE
Master of Sustainable Futures
BDA NSW
CSG in NSW, Queensland and WA is all but out of control, and coal mining is not far
behind. The gigantic Canning gas basin, south-east of the Kimberley, is earmarked
for extraction by the Barnett government, adding a significant fraction of one
degree atmospheric warming when burned.
In NSW, election promises have been blatantly broken by the O’Farrell government
over drilling and mining in water catchments, and several tributaries to Sydney’s
catchment have disappeared already, thanks to the long-wall coal mining beneath
the river bed.
In and around the age-old cypress pine forest of the sprawling Pilliga Scrub in
north-west NSW, AGL and Santos, with support from the NSW Police, have been
forcibly removing (and arresting) farmers and other locals who have attempted to
protect their property and the forest. What future cypress pine, one of the world’s
truly amazing timbers? What future the Breeza and Liverpool Plains, with their
extraordinarily productive black soils and delicate aquifers?
The Federal Government is as actively involved as the states in this wanton
destruction. Thirty years of struggle to protect Tasmania’s World Heritage listed old
growth forests (Lord of the Rings should have been filmed there) is under threat
from Tony Abbott, who intends to unilaterally destroy the agreement, delist those
parts so recently agreed, all against the wishes of the greenies, the loggers, and
the Tasmanian Government. Why on earth would he do that? It may be purely
ideological, because he simply cannot stand to see agreement between his political
and ideological enemies. Or maybe we should just follow the money trail again.
“This is
corruption,
Australian style.
We are not so
unsophisticated
as to take to
unmarked
envelopes under
the counter ... at
the highest levels
we have evolved. ”
This is corruption, Australian style. We are not so unsophisticated as to take to
unmarked envelopes under the counter. Well, we used to do it that way, and
bent cops here and there might still, but at the highest levels we have evolved.
the brief 23
Corruption is now a far more subtle and insidious beast. It is corruption of due
process, and of principle. Planning processes are subverted or treated nominally.
Rights of appeal are removed. Right to legal representation during arbitration is
denied to landholders but not to coal miners.
Julia Gillard was crucified for appearing to break one promise, yet the current PM
and most Premiers have broken many, without being nailed up for their actions.
A curious state of affairs which Alan Jones and Andrew Bolt have yet to explain
satisfactorily.
The moral of the story is that politicians are only ever likely to remain uncorrupted
when they know enough people are watching them closely enough to curtail their
run on power at any moment. And, we must fill our parliaments with intelligent and
transparent women and men. Not buffoons, mining magnates, or their puppets.
of lethal pink batts and other fantasies
The Royal Commission into Kevin Rudd’s insulation scheme should, if it is the real
deal, uncover the truth of the whole affair. In which case, Kevin Rudd and Peter
Garrett are likely to have a lot less to fear than Tony Abbott thinks he has political
points to gain.
Here are some fundamental facts, in case News Ltd forgets to include them in its
hysterical coverage:
1. It was a good idea. Australian homes need insulating, and this was a way of
reducing householders’ energy bills, greenhouse emissions, and at the same
time create economic stimulus.
2. It has been done well before. The UK had a similar scheme, with no deaths, and
great benefit to all parties.
3. The building industry is administered by the sates. Under the Constitution
(remember that thing?) the states are responsible for land use planning
and development, trades and building. So regulating the installers is a state
government responsibility, and any failure of trades on site falls at the feet of
state ministers. Therefore we should expect the RC to call all state ministers, as
well the industry trades associations.
24 the brief
“The moral
of the story is
that politicians
are only ever
likely to remain
uncorrupted
when they know
enough people are
watching them
closely enough to
curtail their run
on power at any
moment.”
“In and around
the age-old
cypress pine forest
of the sprawling
Pilliga Scrub in
north-west NSW,
AGL and Santos,
with support
from the NSW
Police, have been
forcibly removing
(and arresting)
farmers and
other locals who
have attempted
to protect their
property and the
forest.”
4. The building industry is a dangerous industry. The rate of deaths (each tragic
and utterly avoidable) needs to be compared to the ‘normal’ rate of deaths in
industry. If the community thinks this is unacceptably high, steps should be
taken. But don’t then complain about more nanny state red tape, roof anchors,
ladder safety regulations or extension lead tagging.
5. The Federal Government at the time should have had the collective wisdom to
anticipate the flood of unqualified cowboys into the market. Apparently Garrett
warned Cabinet but was overruled by Rudd and Swan, who wanted to “get the
money out into the economy without delay”. But the ultimate administration of
the cowboys was not done by the states.
6. Royal Commissions have never had access to Cabinet documents in 94 years.
Cabinet is considered to be the ultimate private chamber for thrashing out ideas
and policies without fear or favour. Both sides of politics have honoured that
principle, until now. As a means of political point scoring, Tony Abbott is (at time
of writing) intending to make all the relevant Cabinet documents available to
the RC. That may be OK in principle – transparency is a good thing. But done
once, it will always be done. And that should be giving him serious pause for
thought – what goes around invariably comes around.
postscript to previous issue
Many people have commented on, or responded to, the rocket I put up building
designers across the country in the previous issue. Most took it as I wrote it: a clarion
call to work together to put national unity at the top of the agenda. A few took
offence. I suggest they re-read it. the brief 25
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Spirit of place TREVOR KING
true blue essence
Heritage consultant TREVOR KING has been on a mission to convert the
architectural thought processes of building designers to break out
of the modernist mould in favour of capturing the visual richness of
natural heritage in their work. He has argued that cultural responses
much deeper than vernacular tokenism are needed to embed a true
spirit of place in our urban landscape. His recap reinforces the notion
that place-responsiveness is the new sustainability.
Being Australian in the sense of belonging to the land has always
depended on an acquired skill. It is neither a right nor a given; it has
always had to be learned.1
TREVOR KING
Heritage Consultant
BDA NSW
TOP AND OPPOSITE The colours,
cracking and planes present within
ordovician bedrock can be a rich
visual source of building design
inspiration.
28 the brief
Over the course of these writings I have sought to stimulate the reader to consider
the need for a fresh approach to sustainable design in Australia by locating our
cultural attitudes at the centre of the discourse, and by encouraging an appreciation
of natural heritage as the best avenue to achieve a much needed shift in
community values towards enhanced connections with nature.
We must evolve a societal ethos that is sensitive to the qualities of this ancient,
fragile continent, and our capacity to adapt to it is perhaps the key issue for our
evolving cultural identity. Yet this adaptation will require that we place emphasis on
attributes that are not vulnerable to the vagaries of opinion nor change-for-changesake – but upon enduring features that contain the land’s most essential, resilient
and describable qualities.
Strategies for affectionate engagement, along with increases to visual richness, have
been explored in past articles. As open knowledge systems, environmental science
and art were advocated as the most powerful agencies to continually inform the
development of our culture. Living relationships with places only occur through
intentional engagement, as environmental information is learned, taken into the
active imagination and transformed. This results in increased senses of ‘ownership’,
belonging and indigeneity.
Age-old debates on aesthetics are being refreshed as multi-disciplinary approaches
are used to examine the assumptions behind our aesthetic response. Biophilic
architecture, with its new paradigm ‘restorative environmental design’, will play
an essential role because it can sustain and generate human culture. Within a
geographic context, such place-responsive design encourages the union of culture
and ecology, which then fosters long-term sustainability. Writers on biophilic design
therefore question the wisdom of reproducing the pervasive influence of placeless,
international modernism.
“Can culture be
generated from
place, or must
we continue to
impose our preexisting and
dislocated cultures
upon the places we
inhabit?”
One of the insidious and damaging effects of modern architecture has
unfortunately been the divorce of design from connection to the culture or
ecology of place. This corrosive separation of the built environment from the
bio-cultural context has resulted in the decline of human-nature relationships
and environmental sustainability.2
Can culture be generated from place, or must we continue to impose our preexisting and dislocated cultures upon the places we inhabit? Advocates of
bioregionalism demand a re-alignment of political, cultural and ecological systems.
Members of this international movement for sustainable community seek to
combine socio-economic and environmental concerns in ways that will enhance
the wellbeing of both human and non-human communities within bioregions.
the brief 29
Spotted
gum
‘family
of greys
palette’.
How well does a blind adherence to modernist cultural aesthetics engage with the
international movement for sustainable communities? Is it an approach that has
become out of date? Is its promulgation actually destructive?
From the outset of colonisation in Australia, British designers imposed aesthetic
values that were themselves appropriated from other cultures – an eclectic mix of
Greek, Italianate, neo-classical and other ornament was applied to public buildings
– strangely grafted into an ‘alien’ environmental setting. This approach continued
with the importation of a plethora of now-familiar styles – Gothic, Arts and Crafts,
Californian Bungalow, Art Deco, to name but a few. All such influences originated
elsewhere. The aesthetic impact of the land, of the place itself, remained virtually
non-existent.
Real aesthetic engagement is still missing. Dislocated, placeless design is a
deeply entrenched aspect of our architectural tradition, yet with the need to
find sustainable solutions that spring from collective action at local and regional
levels this contributor to our cultural sensibility is the last thing that we need to
perpetuate. And how far have we actually moved from those early pioneering days?
George Seddon was unequivocal:
Australians are still learning to see where it is they live. The imaginative
apprehension of a continent is as much a pioneering exercise as is breaking
the clod.3
Based on progressive ideals that sprang from “an optimistic belief that industrial
technology, applied rationally to architecture and urbanism, would produce a
much better world”4 , the revolutionary agenda of modernism attained a global
reach, beginning in the 1920s and lasting up until the 1960s when some of its less
appealing social and aesthetic impacts began to be publically challenged.
Reformist designers held the reasonable view that the replication of aesthetic forms
and motifs from traditional cultural sources served only to perpetuate the massively
entrenched inequalities and corrupt power structures of their day. The imposition
of such meaningless ornament symbolised the status quo’s resistance to the
emergence of more democratic and egalitarian societies. The modernist program
became pursued across the globe with missionary zeal.
Returning from a three-year stay in the United States, Viennese architect Adolf
Loos (1870 – 1933) had taken to heart a remark by Louis Sullivan (the originator
30 the brief
Spotted
gum
‘warm
palette’.
of ‘form follows function’) that, “it could only benefit us if, for a time, we were to
abandon ornament and concentrate entirely on buildings that were finely shaped
and charming in their sobriety”. His polemical and subversive essay ‘Ornament
and Crime’ (1908) became widely influential, and it is still referenced. Decrying
the prevailing sense of cultural inertia, his critique of the wastage of human and
material resource associated with applied ornament and the promotion of a
new conception of beauty that favoured simplicity above all else still resonate
as compelling arguments. But simplicity in design does not necessarily equate
with austerity, and from a contemporary perspective, the essay makes for strange
reading. His style of delivery is off-putting – even laughable. For Loos, all forms of
ornament and decoration are directly associated with paganism, degeneracy and
criminality. There are overtones of religious puritanism and cultural superiority here
that are completely irreconcilable with contemporary critical thought. Loos comes
across as a wowser – cheapness is his ultimate standard of excellence.
The standpoint towards the aesthetic purity of modernism still prevails, exerting a
tenacious grip over current architectural thinking.
While modernism assisted much-needed social reform and undoubtedly produced
much of the 20th century’s most exciting and significant buildings, its aesthetic
has become an entrenched orthodoxy marked by a language of geometric, cubist
forms, skeletal structural framing, the clear expression of function and the absence
of ornament. Its archetype is the smooth, white box. The form of buildings and
the character of urban environments reflect this straightjacket of the imagination.
Loos would be ecstatic – Spartan aesthetics are still the cheapest way to build, and
Spartan aesthetics are everywhere.
Though visual austerity reigns supreme, I have argued that it is only by embracing
the visual richness present in natural heritage that designers can make a meaningful
contribution to the development of buildings that are in touch with the ‘genius
loci’ – the spirit of place. This requires a much deeper cultural response than simply
using natural, locally sourced materials in so-called ‘feature walls’ or the use of local
hardwoods. We happily hang highly decorative aboriginal paintings on smooth,
blank walls, and they look wonderful there – but is this really the best our postindustrial, scientific culture can do? Has the rejection of decoration, or the limitation
of its expression to native plants in our gardens, become a form of cultural timidity?
White walls and large glazed areas create a sense of unlimited space through the
the brief 31
Spotted
gum
‘brown
and
grey-green
palette’.
“As long as we
remain bound
and blinkered
by the blank,
modernist gaze
we will remain as
mere spectators
to the Australian
environment.”
Seddon, G: The Old Country:
Australian Landscapes, Plants and
People. (2005) p20
1
Kellert, S., Heerwagen, J., Mador, M:
Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science
and Practice of Bringing Buildings to
Life (2008)
2
3
Seddon, G: Landprints p71
Hericon Consulting., Morris, C.,
Spearritt, P: The Modern Movement
in NSW: A Thematic Study and Survey
of Places (2013) p4
4
32 the brief
reflection and admission of light; but these anonymous surfaces do not themselves
engage with the humanisation of, and cultural engagement with, the existing
setting. They surreptitiously act as imperceptible agents for modernism’s denial
of locale. Inside and outside may appeared fused, but where is the architectural
expression of place? Must the visual language of surfaces become reduced to a
choice between degrees of invisibility? There is a sense in which the glazed wall
can be seen to have replaced the veranda as the intermediary between inside and
outside, but as a manifestation of built form it is distinguished by its absence. Like
the smooth, white wall, it is a non-statement.
Anonymous white walls assume the mantle of ‘gallery’ where cultural trophies,
usually from anywhere other than their local context, are displayed. Seeking
immersion, we look, we stare. But how can we really appreciate the intricacy and
interconnectedness of environmental settings without an affectionate engagement
that is based upon a knowledgeable understanding of natural heritage attributes?
We may look, but we do not see. This version of the ‘aesthetic gaze’ merely feeds a
sense of detached observation – it is a remote and alienated viewpoint. As long
as we remain bound and blinkered by the blank, modernist gaze we will remain as
mere spectators to the Australian environment.
We can be braver than this. Bland internationalism has produced placeless buildings
that are incapable of meaningful engagement with the elemental attributes of their
natural and cultural settings. It has fostered alienation and inhibited the formation
of affection. Cultures across the globe have always employed geometric forms,
rhythmic line drawings and vegetal forms in the decoration of surfaces. It is natural
for people to find enjoyment in this way, and in spite of the objections of modernist
sticklers, they will continue to do so.
I believe that we need to find a new approach to the application of ‘ornament’ that
is meaningful and contemporary and yet retains its long-term relevance because
it encourages the formation of authentically Australian senses of place. We can
use environmental patterns, colours, textures and locally sourced shapes to inform
and create the deeper connection with regional and local environments that is so
obviously needed.
In concluding, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the editors of The BRIEF for
providing a platform for the expression of the ideas within this column, and to you,
the readers, for the generous attention you have afforded them. Merge Building Design (BDAWA)
Eastern Solar Design (BDANSW)
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he way we were BRIEF 1997
“A very important element of this review is the notion of
compulsory, ongoing professional development in order to
maintain a membership classification level”
the way we were
Presidents have come and gone, committees have come and gone – in fact, whole states have come and
gone – during the past 17 years of the Building Designers Association of Australia’s existence.
But one thing has been there through thick and thin, never missing a beat since its introduction as a service
to members in June 1997.
“With the publication of our new journal, the BDA of A has come of age,” then president John Bryant wrote
in his foreword to the inaugural issue of The Brief.
So began a unique partnership with Pond Publications that enabled an industry association to take
ownership of its own official quarterly magazine as a conduit for national communication and celebration
without ever having to underwrite its cost of production.
In this final leg of that journey, we take a nostalgic look back at the issues and events chronicled in edition
number one.
National president’s report (John Bryant)
Some of the highlights (of the last 15 months): the appointment of our full-time
CEO, Luke Solly, in February 1996; our very successful second Building Design
Awards Competition and presentation in October 1996; increased recognition at
a national level by government sponsors and industry; meeting budget for the
next 12 months; our own National Journal.
A major disappointment for me was the decision by Queensland to withdraw
from the BDA of A. I hope they will reconsider that decision and rejoin as soon as
possible.
Front cover
Every state has a distinctive style that often reflects the climate particular to
the area. This Darwin housing complex designed by Paul Meschiati responds
to its tropical environment so successfully that judges chose it as most energy
efficient entry in the 1996 James Hardie National Building Design Awards. It also
won the multi-housing category. We look forward to the Northern Territory one
day joining the ranks and, as BDANT, presenting to us nationally their unique
Territorian buildings in the Design Awards. “We’ll never ever know if they never
ever show.”
34 the brief
“There are many aspects of our industry where the ‘players’ can
work together to promote a mood for change. The acid test will
be the states’ willingness to adopt and/or comply with
recommendations of national uniformity.”
BDAA activities (Luke Solly)
BDANT: BDASA President Greg Donnell and BDAA Ltd have organised a BDA
awareness meeting to be staged in Darwin on Saturday, 19 July. Building
designers in Darwin have expressed some interest in our activities and it is our
wish that it will not be too long before they too have a representative BDA
which is a member association of BDAA Ltd.
BDAT: In June I will be travelling to Tasmania to meet with BDAT representative
Brian Roberts and Tasmania’s Minister for Local Government, Denise Swan. BDAA
Ltd assisted Tasmanian building designers in their preparation of a response to
the government’s discussion paper, The New Building Act.
Membership classifications: I am also working, at the request of the states,
on a project related to the standardisation of membership classifications. The
activities being undertaken in this project are extremely complex and will
require a high level of cooperation among the BDA states. A very important
element of this review is the notion of compulsory, ongoing professional
development in order to maintain a membership classification level.
Tafe curricula: Another, but certainly no less important, project is the
investigative study being undertaken by the national office to examine those
elements of Tafe’s (building design related) national curricula that are being
amended by individual state-based Tafe authorities. Designers are rightfully
questioning issues related to articulation and recognition of prior learning.
ABOVE Successive BDAA CEOs Luke
Solly (left) and Barrie Wright.
National competency standards: A number of you will have received
information recently about the BDAA’s involvement in the development of
‘architectural services’ competency standards. After the first meeting of the
steering committee and on the recommendation of the union representative,
BDAA was invited onto the committee. BDAA believes its objections and views
(on the overseeing training advisory board’s actions and processes) have not
been adequately considered or recorded, and state executives are currently
contemplating options in regard to further involvement with this committee.
National Office of Local Government: Many readers will have recently received
their free copy of ‘Australia’s Guide to Good Residential Design’. This publication
was funded by the federal government and has been designed to serve as the
‘peoples’ version of AMCORD. We have been invited to assist the government
in the preparation of a report to its Small Business Deregulation Task Force.
There are many aspects of our industry where the ‘players’ can work together to
promote a mood for change. The acid test will be the states’ willingness to adopt
and/or comply with recommendations of national uniformity. Sounds familiar,
doesn’t it?
the brief 35
Profile – President John C Bryant
Your national BDAA president John Bryant (pictured right) is a self-confessed
‘petrol head’ and freely admits that petrol probably started to flow through his
blood as early as 12 years of age. Placing himself well and truly among the roar
of engines and the smell of fumes, John has for the past 23 years organised
the Adelaide Hot Rod Show, and also organised four major shows at Darling
Harbour in Sydney. Currently John has a loving grip on three absolute treasures:
a 1937 Ford Woodie (the only one in Australia), a 1955 Studebaker coupe and an
Historic Road Racing Special.
John’s vision for the BDA is to become wholly national with representation by all
states, and as national president, is personally dedicated to seeing Queensland
rejoin, followed by membership from ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
John believes that the BDA of A will continue to be recognised more and more
as a significant influence in the building design industry in Australia. He is
resolved to do all that is required to achieve that goal, and sees support from all
the states as an important show of strength and unity.
BDANSW member survey
BDANSW recently completed a survey of its members, which yielded some very
interesting results. Some of the more interesting statistics in relation to members
and their practices are: average number of additional technical staff – 0.77;
average number of clerical staff – 0.48; average gross value of buildings in past
year – $6,720,000; average number of projects in past year – 62.7; average age of
members – 44.34; average years of experience – 22.95.
Traditional rendering of the CAD phenomenon
Making a direct comparison of traditional architectural rendering techniques
with CAD techniques is not entirely appropriate. In its infancy, CAD rendering
methods may have tried to emulate the products of traditional methods, but not
very successfully. As CAD techniques for rendering have developed, so too have
a multitude of additional CAD based tools that do not attempt to be like the
artist. What is now being extensively used is virtual reality presentation of threedimensional models of buildings that incorporate true-to-life representations of
the materials, colours and fixtures of the real thing.
With the coming of the computer age to the architectural presentation
profession, some people predicted the rapid and total demise of the traditional
hand skill presentation artists. Discussion with a number of artists from both
traditional and CAD practices suggest that this is not the case, and in fact the
opposite may be closer to the truth.
Whether you use CAD based presentation methods or traditional hand skills
methods, or some combination of the two, it is quite likely that we will continue
to hear considerable debate concerning the attributes of the multitude of
presentation tools at our disposal today. It is also quite likely that the skills and
services of the traditional architectural artist will be in demand for some time to
come, so don’t throw away that 4B pencil and paint set yet. – Craig Baird (Tafe
lecturer)
Editor’s column
The building design industry is an exciting world of change. Not only are the
products and services becoming more sophisticated, but also the tools of the
trade. The good old ink pen and tracing paper is being pushed further and
further into a less significant corner, and building designers across Australia are
either stepping eagerly or nervously into the CAD environment. The National
Designers Brief will make that path easier by networking informed comment
from the computer industry on what is available, helpful CAD hints, and
education authority based surveys on the breadth of CAD implementation in
building design offices. – Rochelle (editor and publisher) 36 the brief
“The building
design industry is
an exciting world
of change.
Not only are
the products
and services
becoming more
sophisticated, but
also the tools of
the trade.”
Thank you for your support
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38 the brief
Thank you for your efforts
Regular contributors 1997 — 2014
Dick Clarke
Trevor King
The informative, entertaining
and, at times, provocative
editorial contributions of a
great team of highly respected
and talented commentators,
whose collective efforts have
helped to broaden and enrich
the knowledge base of building
designers across the country,
have underscored The BRIEF’s
credibility over many years.
Chris Reardon
Gary McGay
Smithy
Rochelle James
the brief 39
Designer profile JOHN BRYANT
“Fee structures need to be addressed. We don’t value our services to
the level that we should. Differentiate yourself with the quality of
the work you do”
the last word:
john bryant
Concluding our series of designer profiles, South Australian building designer JOHN BRYANT, a 37-year
veteran of BDA in its various forms, can lay claim to having both the first and last word in the life of The
Brief.
With a string of state and national design awards behind him, and a proud history of association
representation at both state and national levels, John’s visionary approach and trademark entrepreneurial
skills have led to the conquest of new horizons on the global stage.
His practice, Bryant Concepts, is based in Kent Town, from where he consults to clients throughout Australia,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and The Philippines.
Q. What pathway (academic, trade, cadetship etc) led you to a career in
building design?
A. TAFE.
Q. Who or what was the biggest influence in your decision to establish your
own building design practice, and how?
A. Frustration of working in a medium size office.
Q. From whom or what do you derive most inspiration as a building designer,
and why?
A. Giving the client a building that represents value for money, yet is still
aesthetically pleasing.
Q. What would you describe as the most professionally rewarding building
design project you have yet undertaken, and why?
A. Probably the one we are best known for is our own building at 66 Rundle Street,
Kent Town.
Q. Does your portfolio contain a mix of residential, multi-residential,
commercial and/or industrial projects, and to what degree is each
represented?
A. We do a minimum of over 500 projects a year, of which 99 per cent would be
commercial or industrial.
40 the brief
JOHN BRYANT
BDA SA
Q. What is your preferred market segment, and why?
A. Commercial and industrial, because you don’t have to deal with mums and dads.
Q. Do you specialise in, or concentrate on any particular materials palette in
your design solutions, and if so, why?
A. We strive to come up with the most cost-efficient approach.
Q. Do you specialise in or pay most homage to any particular design genre?
A. As much as I respect many designers from the past, especially Frank Lloyd
Wright, we just try to design what best suits the situation.
Q. How highly do energy efficiency and sustainability rate in your design
solutions, and what is your primary focus in this regard?
A. This is important, but it is extremely difficult to convince the developer to take it
seriously.
Q. Do you consider there is a need among building designers for increased
awareness of natural and cultural heritage in the design of built forms that are
more sympathetic to our regional vernacular, and if so, how do you believe
this can be achieved?
A. This is important, but for our particular sector of the market it normally doesn’t
apply.
Q. What has been the most significant turning point in your career?
A. Opening an office in The Philippines, and having to understand a whole different
culture.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to share about any aspect of the
profession (e.g. fee structures, future directions, training, professional
development, industry regulation etc)?
TOP John Bryant with staff of Bryant
Concepts’ office in Manila.
CENTRE The Bryant Concepts
headquarters in Kent Town, SA.
ABOVE Inside John Bryant’s building
design nerve centre.
A. Fee structures need to be addressed. We don’t value our services to the level
that we should. Differentiate yourself with the quality of the work you do. It will be
cheaper in the long term to do more quality work than to have to sort out the issues
during construction should they arise. the brief 41
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