Client: Parks Victoria

Project Management: Accuraco

Architects: Harrison and White / Archier

Landscape Architect: Openwork

Engineering: Wood & Grieve

Sustainability: Hip Vs Hype

Contractor: Building Engineering

Design: 2016

Construction: 2017-2019

Australian Institute of Architects, Victorian Architecture Award, Winner, Public Category, 2020

Australian Institute of Architects, National Architecture Award, Commendation, Public Category, 2020

Architeam Awards, Commercial Winner, 2020

Services: Full Architectural Services

Photography: Peter Bennetts

Working with emerging practice Archier, this project is for a new pavilion in the unique setting of Melbourne’s Albert Park. A new home for the management of the park and region for Parks Victoria, the new facility is a combined office and depot. The design of the project aims to be an extension of Parks Victoria brand – is a building of the park – a ‘parks’ building.

We have undertaken the design process to understand the park and the way it is used, to work with Parks Victoria to establish the best site and to carefully understand how the users of the building work and what they need.

The combined facility provides a smaller footprint minimising the impact on the park. We seek to integrate building and landscape – green spaces are used to shade, cool and activate the building, and the project has at is heart a central courtyard space. This brings landscape into the centre, acting as a source of ventilation and light the central courtyard is also a space for gathering and mixing.

The project improves and re-activates this corner of the park – replacing an underused building and improving the surrounding landscape and adding passive surveillance to this area of the park. The project has a strong sustainability focus – it will be low energy, high amenity.

Swanston Street, Melbourne

Collaboration with Lyons, NMBW, MvS, Maddison Architects

Project cost: $220m; ($16m HAW areas)

Landscape Architect: TCL

Structural Engineer: Arup

Services Engineer: Aecom

Contractor: Lend Lease Building

Design: 2012-2014

Construction: 2015-2017

Victorian Architecture Medal winner, 2018

Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture winner, 2018

Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design winner 2018

Melbourne Prize co-winner, 2018

Photography: Tess Kelly

A joint venture between five leading Melbourne practices (led by Lyons); this project is a $220m reworking of several large post-war buildings in central Melbourne for RMIT University. With a focus around re-inventing the student experience, the NAS project looks to connect the city into the campus through the introduction of urban lanes and pathways. The nature of the Library in the 21st century was challenged and a new continuous series of diverse student focused spaces now spreads the lower levels of the building, doubling the student space for the University. 

Harrison and White (HAW) worked jointly on the urban design and masterplan with the other firms, in 2012. Following this, HAW undertook the design of two key areas: the North West corner of the project (Building 14), on the corner of Swanston and Franklin Streets; and the works to the east end of Building 12 facing onto Bowen Street, along with interior areas behind.

Key ideas of project-led learning and collaboration are facilitated through custom furniture and spatial configurations as well as integrated technology.

Fawkner

Masterplan: 

2014, 2015, 2020

Stage 1:

Design: 2018, Construction: 2019-2020

Contractor: Newpol

Structural Engineer: Perrett Simpson

Services Engineer: BSDG

Photography: Emily Bartlett

Through collaboration with St Matthew's leadership team, HAW has developed a design that reinvents the staff and user experience and supports the growing needs and concerns of the school. 

The project features a new school entrance, new administration and office facilities, new staff room space, expanded and flexible meeting spaces and relocation of the family room to the front of the school. It also includes new staff and visitor amenities including, disabled toilet, staff toilets, increased storage space.

The project opens up and increases the size of the main foyer, and connects it to the main school spine. Recasting the main entrance to address the street increases transparency and interaction between the various school users and the community.

A new anodized solid aluminum facade confidentially asserts the school in the street, and gives the school an equivalent to the 1970s Church adjacent. The facade system is a new folded profile developed by Harrison and White for the project.

A new lift brings equal access to the Library building, and sets up the conditions for Stage 2 of the project to be completed in coming years which focuses on new learning areas.

Zoology Building and Administration Building

Design: 2018-19

Construction: 2019-21

Contractor: SJ Higgins

Landscape Architect: SBLA

Engineering: Irwinconsult

This project builds on masterplanning work completed by Harrison and White in 2018, and is part of the wider Lilydale and Upper Yarra Education Plan.

Two new major buildings form Stage 1 of the masterplan, which is this project.

A new Zoology facility for the school replaces a series of existing portables to create a benchmark purpose built school facility, building on the school’s considerable expertise in this area. This building forms a new identity for the school in a gatehouse location at the school’s main entry and will be used widely.

A new Administration building houses school management, reception and staff facilities and enjoys excellent northern aspect on tot eh school oval, and a new entry point in a landscape plaza servicing both main entry and the Zoology facility.

Sports Pavilion

Sustainability Hub

Canteen and Staff Building

Town Square Outdoor Learning Space

Design: 2018-19

Construction: 2020-21

Contractor: McCorkell

Landscape Architect: Schored Projects

Engineering: Irwinconsult

Major works to this former Tech school, based on the 2018 Masterplan and as part of the broader Lilydale and Upper Yarra Education Plan.

This project at Lilydale Heights focused around sustainability. It is focused around four main buildings and zones within the school:

1. The creation of a new ‘town square’ landscaped area bringing a new focal point for the school, and to be used for both outdoor learning, and breakout space.

2. The repurposing of the existing boiler room building and transforming it into a sustainability learning hub for both the school and the community. The new space will open out onto the ‘town square’ providing opportunities for the landscape to inform the learning.

3. a new indoor netball and basketball sports building, with the possibility of some future proofing to allow use for regional netball and wider community uses.

4. The addition of a new canteen within the existing library building with connection onto the new ‘town square’.

STEAM Pavilion

Design: 2018-19

Construction: 2020-21

Contractor: FOURSQ

Landscape Architect: TNLA

Engineering: Irwinconsult

A new STEAM pavilion as part of the masterplan by Harrison and White and the wider Lilydale and Upper Yarra Education Plan.

A series of connected lab and support spaces allows for flexible configuration, and engages with aspect to the wider Yarra Valley. North facing glazing is optimised and high level clerestory windows provide excellent natural light access.

The building mediates between the primary floor level of the existing school and the land that falls to the north.

Roxburgh Park

COMMENDATION AT THE 2017 VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

Project Cost: 2.3m

Structural Engineer: Kersulting

Services Engineer: Wood & Grieve

Contractor: FIMMA

Completion: 2016

Photography by Rhiannon Slatter

A new model of educational space is proposed for the Year 1 and 2 student group at this large and diverse primary school. Building on from a successful masterplan process the Year 1&2 Learning Village proposal features interlocking and flowing educational space that can support a variety of teaching models.

The project is essentially a big translucent roof with a series of pavilions underneath, and protected outdoor spaces in-between these.

The central weaving Learning Commons is a high performing external space – protected from sun, UV and wind. This space is serviced with cooling fans, gas heaters and power, data and lighting whilst being substantially naturally lit through the diffuse fibreglass roof. 

The Learning Commons encourages collaborative group learning and distributed learning activities, enriched with technology and reconfigurable furniture. 

Fitzroy North

2016

Architect: Harrison and White Pty Ltd

Interior Selections: Jessica Nixon

Landscape: Amanda Oliver

Builder: Schedule Constructions

Photography by Ben Hosking 

This project reworks extensively an Edwardian weatherboard cottage on a narrow site. The client wanted a house which maximised its location near the Merri Creek, had flexibility in use (for guests and occasionally returning children) and an exceptional approach to sustainability.

Proving warmth is a key driver for the house – through both excellent winter sun access and through materials. The completed project is organised around two courtyards – a small courtyard between new and old brings light and ventilation into living spaces and the new kitchen pavilion, which also faces north onto a main densely landscaped courtyard. Roof and canopy overhangs are designed to maximise winter sun and eliminate summer sun. On a single fronted site, the house has four north facing rooms.

The different sections of the house are linked together through passageways, a short stepped courtyard links existing to the kitchen and deals with level change, whilst a colonnaded linkway gives access to the rear pavilion. This two storey element that also faces north and has excellent aspect to the nearby Merri Creek from the upstairs room and balcony.

The house features extensive use of timber – both as external cladding, with two different treatments to Silvertop Ash, and internally where plywood, hardwood and veneers are used for trims and joinery. The refurbished rooms of the original house remain in proportion and with featured remnant detailing, whilst a new bathroom engages with the scale and proportion of the Victorian room.

New rooms are configured around flexibility, and like the parlour rooms of Victorian houses, they are adaptable in use. New rooms share a similar dimension of these traditional rooms, and are supported by small spaces created through stairs, storage and joinery.

Design: 2018

Construction: 2019

Budget: $600k

Client: City of Darebin

Builder: Maple Constructions

Structural and Civil Engineer: Cathy Poon, Structural Edge

Services Engineer: BSDG

Photography: Tatjana Plitt ©

A complete redevelopment and addition to an existing change facility in Alphington. Includes a full access compliance upgrade, with DDA bathroom, umpire change facilities, step removal and a new flexible change room model.

The project brings in more natural light with the use of skylights, and seeks a low energy use, with rooftop solar panels and battery provide power for the facility.

The addition utilises cream break to both merge with original brick building, and to provide an opportunity for brick figuration on the main entry facade, signally entry into the wider site.

Internally robust low maintenance materials of plywood and fire reinforced engineered cementitious composite panels, made from recycled material, are used for wall linings.

Masterplan: 2019

Location: Warncoort, Victoria

Client: Tom Dennis

This masterplan was both concerned with the future of Tarndie but also its past – and is a historically located strategic vision for the site. It seeks to understand the site’s past, development and uses to outline a way forward. It also recognises the site is now within a different broader context – one we have called the ‘Arc of Excellence’ that extends from Brae Restaurant to the Irrewarra Bakery .

The masterplan spatialises the site and proposed projects. A brief was received outlining the proposed uses on the site in the short, medium and longer terms.

This masterplan builds on current uses, and is focused around broadening the experience and business model for the site.

Budget: $3.4m

Design: 2016-2018

Construction: 2018-2019

Structural Engineer: Cathy Poon, Structural Edge

Landscape Architect: Sophie Dyring, Schored Projects

Services Engineer: BSDG

Contractor: Total Constructions

Support Building and flexible model residential units in for the Department of Health and Human Services (Victoria).

Inner Suburban Melbourne

Budget: $8m

The ‘4-EXP’ housing scheme is a 30 dwelling housing project for a Melbourne site. It has numerous benefits whilst protecting neighbouring amenity and character., whilst proposing several amendments to planning scheme to allow this form of development.

The internal planning of these loft apartments is design around flexibility and efficiency, with interchangeability between rooms possible. A thin space facing north can be used for a home office in an era of increased working from home, and/or as a guest sleeping area. Spaces dedicated to working from home in small dwellings is rare, and within 60sqm these loft apartments offer great flexibility and a generous spatial condition, without being classified as a two bedroom dwelling.

The 4-EXP scheme proposes, and for consolidated sites like this, the following amendments to the applicable planning scheme:

• 16m height limit.

• No minimum carparking requirements.

• For rear site setbacks (where not north) a blanket 3m setback rather than the Clause 54 setback diagram.

• Street setback to an average of 6m across frontage, similar to WA R-Codes. Schemes gets to 2m at one point, but more than meets this.

• Overlooking distance reduced from 9m to 7.5m as per WA R-Codes.

The carpark under-croft area in this scheme would be flexible, from just carparking, bike parking and storage to an arcade where residents would be allowed to infill partly the carbays, and activate this space as a privately owned arcade. Gates would open during the day to encourage broader community use, with foyers still secure and for residents only.

A resident’s shop extends out to the street in this scheme, and would allow for passive surveillance of people entering the building. The shop could be rented out, with residents moving their own making/sales into the arcade.

A tricky subdivided site presented an opportunity for a modest courtyard house that embraces the geometry of the site. A separate, flexible pavilion at site entry acts as a threshold, and defines the first courtyard.

Coburg

Project Cost: $1m (Including Landscape) 

Structural Engineer: Kersulting

Completion: 2015

Harrison and White has worked for several years on projects for this site, following a comprehensive masterplan undertaken by us. The works have included landscape works and one building project, in collaboration with Paul Coffey Architects. The new Year 5&6 Learning Hub project brings contemporary indoor and outdoor learning to the school.

The Learning Hub is a relocated and extended portable school building. ESD principles have been central to this project, through the re-use of existing buildings, solar screening and natural ventilation. The dynamic expressed steel frame screens the teaching spaces of the learning hub, spanning between new and old elements.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Design: 2017

Construction: 2017

Builder: Koul Property

Photography by Tatjana Plitt

This 1000sqm office and testing facility is the new headquarters for an emerging VR company.

Client: Scion Wine

2016-

A long term strategic masterplan for the site was undertaken with the winemakers in 2016. This outlined the future for the site, and was sustainably focused. Expansion of production shed, new cellar door, future event use, future planting and future accommodation pods on site were designed.

Since then a series of projects are being rolled out, with a new solar PV system in located along the entry driveway completed in 2018.

In 2020, the new Cellar Door was opened, greatly improved lighting, more counter space and views into the barrel room.

Ongoing advice with the clients will help inform the site’s future as home to premium artisan wine.

Carlton, Victoria

Design: 2015

Services: Sketch Design, Design Development

photography: Pagan Real Estate

This multi-residential proposal seeks to bring the original cottage back to active life, as well as add a separate contemporary housing form to the context. The required gap between new and old is a key driver of massing and design decisions, and influences both the primary street facade and laneway frontage. The scheme focuses on providing good solar orientation and cross-ventilation in order to minimise energy use.

A study for a modest scale and budget house in regional Victoria, making the most of a steep site with excellent outlook.

The study involved considered three different materials for both structure and finish - (rammed) earth, timber and steel.

Preston, Victoria

Project Cost: $2m

Engineer: IrwinConsult

Completion: 2010-12

Harrison and White were appointed architects by City of Darebin for the redevelopment of two buildings at Preston City Oval. The project provides new community spaces that are flexible and well connected. The existing 1926 pavilion designed by Harry Norris was carefully refurbished internally to create a function and community room facing onto the football and cricket oval. An exterior deck was added for external viewing, highly connected to the new interior space via tilt-up glazed doors. The interior itself embraces the underside of the grandstand, a quality that had been lost, and using the original structure to inform the space and lighting. A new entry building gives clear orientation as well as proving new toilet facilities.

The two buildings face the Epping train line, and new steel platform provides the armature for a dynamic screen and graphic element, across which the name of the oval is cast, back-lit at night.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Design: 2013

The Barkly Street proposal was a joint venture between HAW and Schored Projects for a submission led by Women’s Property Initiative (WPI). The project was established to provide Moreland City Council with an innovative approach to mixed use developments and solutions for under-utilised on-grade carparks.

The proposal offers a range of housing types for a variety of occupants, as well as commercial space at the ground level to activate the street. A proportion of the dwellings were to be social housing, run by WPI.

The building would be sustainable through the application of modular housing, passive design principles, material selection, reduced car parking and increased bike parking. Existing public carparking is maintained at the ground floor.

The community experience would be improved through productive landscape, shared open space, central entry and gathering spaces.

Masterplan: 2017-18

Budget $70m

Client: VSBA / Department of Education

Masterplanning (AMP-2) work for three schools in the Lilydale/Yarra Valley region for the VSBA/ Department of Education.

Each of the three schools was analysed for its inherent qualities, and principles from this were used to drive masterplanning. Detailed auditing of existing facilities was undertaken, as well as photometric studies of buildings and landscape.

Projects were mapped out over three stages - short, medium and long term.

Schools:

Upper Yarra Secondary College

Lilydale Heights College

Lilydale High School

Ascot Vale

2012-2018

Services: Design & Documentation

Photography: Nelson Alexander

Hunt Crescent is a new double townhouse project seeking to create a contemporary residential form in the context by working within the language of hip and gable roofs. It is designed around good solar orientation and cross ventilation in order to minimise energy use.

The proposal seeks to optimise the site by providing two medium scale family and flexible residences on the existing lot.

The form of the proposal is one that reflects the typography of the land, and allows the building to fall with the site, this is highlighted through the roof form and cladding design.

Northcote, VIC

Completion: 2009/2010

Builder: Ivo Solar

Australian Institute of Architects, Architecture Award winner, 2011

We see one of the key issues in Australian housing being how we use the sun to improve new and existing houses. In this project we made a very clear attempt to form a house around the idea of preserving light into a garden space. As houses become (often unnecessarily) bigger and blocks smaller, the available land for gardens is reduced. We have created a garden that enjoys light all day – the form has cut from it the rays of the morning sun to ensure light falls onto the growing area, one which the clients use for productive growing. This process is achieved by reverse shadow casting – taking the area of space that is to have direct light and extruding it along the different paths of the sun. This is then subtracted from the barn-like form that is allowed under the planning controls, to the maximum height of 9m. The surface created from this then becomes the external screen – and this acts as both balustrading and sun screening to the deck and western façade.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Design: 2017

Construction: 2017-2018

Client: Koul Property

Builder: Koul Property

Photography: Koul Property

A collaboration with Koul Property, the brief was to maximise a complex series of existing conditions to create a new all day cafe.

The design was based around a new urban link between Doncaster Road and the busy carpark to the rear - this lane connects three distinct zones of the cafe together, and gives visibility through the site. Green concrete is used to distinguish the lane from a series of other floor finishes. The cafe's front space is highly connected to the street. Existing brick and beams are exposed, with new timber and steel elements adding a sharp contrast. The laneway continues to a semi outdoor space with recessed bench seating visually connected to the central kitchen. Finally the former service yard at the rear has been elevated on a timber deck and is defined through a series of brilliant white steel portal frames, who allow for blinds to be hung from. This deck makes the most of the north orientation and creates a flexible space for use day and night.

The use of existing materials and new subtle green colour palette has informed the name of the establishment, Olive Lane.

Melbourne and Sydney

2011 and 2012

Working with Paul Coffey, this re-usable temporary book store was commissioned for both DesignEx and the AIA National Architecture Conference in 2011. The initial thought was to embrace the 'text' in ARCHITEXT and make a big word, to spell out the name of the shop as the shop itself. The nine letters are arranged in plan using standard 1200 wide sheets of CD plywood as the module. Each letter is different, with the exception of the two T's, all becoming minimal pieces of joinery - shelving and flat display for books on sale during the events. The gesture is readable at eye-level, but most clearly from above - as this suited the tall event space with elevated circulation such as the Melbourne Convention Centre. 25mm plywood was chosen for its ability to self-support and handle fixings into its edge. The entire project was screw-fixed and was assembled off-site before re-assembly on site. Once disassembled the individual pieces are stored flat. Each piece was given a unique identifier sticker to assist assembly and re-assembly in the future. The setting at the Institute conference lead to the name 'The Architext's Architext', a reflection on the saying 'an architect's architect', often heard at such events.

Photography by Ben Hosking ( www.benhosking.com.au). All rights reserved.

Kilsyth, Victoria                                

Project cost: $1.4m

Engineer: Felicetti

Completion: 2007-2015

This new family house on the foothills of Mount Dandenong re-works the classic ‘L” shaped house into a directional ‘V’ form to create a sheltered entry courtyard. One ‘leg’ of the house extends out of the ground and creates a dramatic cantilever upon entry. This contains an upper level ‘apartment’ for parents which then accesses onto a roof deck over most of the roof. The house is clad in a snake-skin like series of rotated Colorbond panels, shifting the eye and sense of scale across it. An under-croft level is created on the western side as the main living area is suspended above the falling landscape. A large stainless steel mesh framed balcony focuses a view back toward the city skyline of Melbourne.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Roxburgh Park, Victoria

Commenced: 2012

Updated: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020

The Masterplan establishes the agenda for the future of the buildings and facilities at the school.  

An active process of consultation with staff, the School Advisory Board and students contributed to the development of the school’s Masterplan.

The Masterplan identifies key issues, constraints and opportunities of the site and proposes a vision for renewal for the site in short, medium and long terms. 

The Masterplan facilitates the school’s aspiration to connect the built environment to the teaching and learning methods of the school and will assist the school in making long term decisions, providing a dynamic framework for growth and renewal.

As of 2019, the masterplan has completed its first stage of implementation.

Limited Competition Entry, 2011

for City of Wyndham

Client: City of Whittlesea

Design: 2012

The RGC Cook Pavilion project proposed a new pavilion providing increased amenity to the site whilst improving user experience of that in the existing overcrowded facilities.

The pavilion created links between the existing club house, the Whittlesea Public Gardens to the North and the Robinvale Avenue entrance through the folded canopy roof.

The main entrance was orientated to the street to increase transparency and interaction between the various users. The material palette references the brick of the existing structure, with high level glazing added highlighting the floating nature of the canopy roof. 

North Melbourne, Victoria

Stage 1, 2013

Builder: Schedule Constructions

Hidden behind a wall of joinery-grade ply, one could easily mistake this bathroom for a freestanding wardrobe. Inside, a wash of warm light distances the bathroom from the bedroom, the backlit polycarbonate sheet glows, exposing the stud framework within. The whole bathroom is effectively a shower room, water passes through the recycled ironbark floor into a stainless steel tray.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Stage 2, 2016

A new bedroom and bathroom is formed in a single space to maximise openness and height. A new timber element is both bedhead and vanity, whilst the shower re-works an old recessed entry from the rear lane. New windows into the lane and an a new courtyard bring light into the darkest part of the former warehouse. Ply joinery by Cantilever provides ample storage, whilst a true ‘water closet’ is concealed behind new timber sliding doors. The WC continues the backlit polycarbonate wall lining used upstairs to add a sense of depth in the smallest of rooms. 

Photography by Joseph Lukac

Masterplan 2014

Swanston St, Melbourne

Project Cost: $5m

Engineer: Aecom

Design: 2011

A preliminary design investigation for the potential expansion of the Ian Potter Museum of Art into the Physics Annexe building. The expansion is to house a new ‘creative portal’ Study Centre strengthening the link between the museum and university – encouraging integrated teaching and research.

The proposal creates a new entry on the south-east corner of the 1930s Physics Annexe extension fronting the ceremonial spine of Masson Road with a clear visual connection to Swanston Street and back towards the city. Within the 1930s Physics Annexe extension a new event space/foyer/circulation space is formed that reconciles the mismatch of floor levels in the 1900s and 1990s buildings. The design addresses the key briefing issues with a strong symbolic gesture for a 21st Century art gallery putting the high quality learning facility of the Study Centre on show, integrated into both the University and Museum with the broader community.

High St, Windsor

Budget: $300k

Design for a bar and eatery in Windsor. Named for Pi, the proposal features a custom 'Pi light' designed by HAW for the space.

225 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Project Cost: $250k

Completion: 2008

Builder: Schedule Constructions

This new home for Joy Melbourne, Australia’s first and leading Gay and Lesbian radio station, occupies level 9 of 225 Bourke Street – the ‘City Village’ project initiated by the City of Melbourne. The fit-out converted generic office space into four new acoustically separated studios, upgraded remaining office space and staff facilities. There was a strong emphasis on sustainability – both in the relocation of the station into the city and in the use of sustainable materials. Core to this was the exposed use of compacted straw panelling, sometimes used for radio studios, but used here for the first time unfinished. Exposed and naturally finished plywood has been used for wide reveals and furniture. MDF was avoided and new painting kept to a minimum.

Photography by Marc Morel

2016

Resting Station is a small icon that speaks to the Australian outback vernacular, re-inventing the humble toilet block and exploiting the site’s flood plan to make a small public building with a big impact in the emerging landscape. The proposal becomes a destination in the area, catering for the increasing demands of Kenilworth’s tourism industry. The chosen site at Isaac Moore Park is adjacent to the Mary River, and has provided an opportunity for the town to connect to its river, and this project links to the river and the town – it is a piece of the town next to the river.

The project is given richness through the use of corten steel and recycled materials, simple but effective materials that connect to the rich social history of the Sunshine Coast. The wrapping ramps are suggestive of the verandah typology, sitting below the footprint of the large roof canopy. The ramps become a transitional space between the park land below and the elevated viewing deck, wide enough to occupy whilst maintaining access. The deck angles away from the roof above aligning itself with the town of Kenilworth.

The overall form plays with scale, and celebrates the spaces of circulation. It is both a platform with which to engage with the wider landscape as well as one that provides rest and comfort. The new building will re-configure the site, and allow for the rest of the site to be re-imagined as place of rejuvenation, with a public art program within the site and logical next phase of development.

The building form is directional - the roof canopy directing vehicles towards the bridge that crosses the river. The kinked deck pointing to Kenilworth town. The roof falls towards the void in the centre where the water tanks are located. The rainwater is collected and reused within the building facility.

The proposal would be built using a lightweight steel construction system. A simple steel spaceframe structure would create the framing for the extensive roof canopy, with steel columns connecting it to the light weight ramp and subfloor framing. Locally recycled timber is used to clad the elevated toilet block and maintenance room below. Perforated Corten steel wraps the deep roof fascia and ramp balustrades.

This proposal explores and gives example to the opportunity that road side architecture can have on place, identity and scale.

Riddoch Bay, South Australia
2009-       

The house fronts onto Riddoch Bay, directly south of Mount Gambier in South Australia. Behind the dunes the house is elevated on a 25m square deck and is designed to give protection from local winds and views to the beach to the south and the hills to the north. To be made entirely from locally grown pine, the house is designed to maximise protected north sunlight and to embrace beachside living. A large staircase takes the owners down to be beach, and becomes a space for outdoor living.

The house’s plan modulates in and out under a large performance-designed roof. A series of courtyards is created to offer differing kinds of protection from sun, wind and rain depending on the time of year.
 

Roxburgh Park

Completion: 2015

Builder: Schedule Constructions

The project involved updating the spacial arrangement of offices, the administration front of house and the staff room. New custom joinery elements defined the new layout, with the addition of furniture arrangements that encouraged interaction.  

Considerable staff consultation occurred and resulted in significant stakeholder investment in the arangement and materiality of the new workplace.

Photography by Joseph Lukac

Thomastown, 2012

$2.85m

This project aimed to re-vitalize an ageing 1980s community facility in Thomastown. By closely understanding and working with the existing building's logic and structure, the project aims to create a stronger entry for the highly set back building. An expanded foyer is designed to become a community hub in its own right. Greater flexible of use for the hall was created, with aspect to north and a new outdoor space proposed.

in collabaortion with Nano Langenheim, landsape architect

Research and exhibition material for Now and When installation at the 2010 Venice Biennale Australian Pavilion

Today, a large number of plans for improving our cities are submitted to government but never implemented. Implementing the Rhetoric imagines – with great optimism – that by the year 2050, politicians and planning authorities have the power, conviction and know-how to realise designs that address major urban issues.

The proposal interrogates key objectives for sustainable urbanism –solar amenity, density increase, walkable cities – and visualises their literal, undiluted execution.

Coburg East

Project Cost: $100k

Completion: 2013

This new 47m fence forms the north-west corner of the St Bernard’s Parish and School block in Coburg East. Harrison and White with Paul Coffey Architects produced a masterplan that identified the subject corner as key to the site’s future and the fence is a first step in the renewal of this corner.

The space behind the fence is both the Presbytery backyard and has evolved into a productive garden learning space of the school where children grow vegetables and the like. This function will expand in the future as the fence space available has increased - the re-alignment of the fence further out to the corner. The fence starts as full height brick and transforms gradually to full height expanded steel mesh . The proposal of the fence was to be two things at once – both solid and transparent. The existing brick church building is a fine example of a post war Modernist church, and features existing brick fencing using split-faced brick. There was a strong interest in both continuing this treatment and transforming it.

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

2011-2015

A masterplan and series of project proposals for this primary school in Maribyrnong. A focus on refurbishment to existing spaces and a longer term new building for contemporary learning. 

Design: 2013

Cape St is an alteration to an existing garage and studio to the rear of an existing dwelling.
The proposal uses extensively the existing brickwork on the ground floor to maintain continuity with the context. Glass blocks are used to demonstrate clear entry from the lane, allowing natural light into the interior whilst maintaining privacy.

The new first floor works use Colorbond steel sheet material for both roofing and wall cladding; stitching the new works into the context through the language of roofing. 

The form of the new addition is designed to provide shaded light access into the internal living spaces located on the first floor, and to maintain light access on the second terrace space.

Design: 2014

The design aims to connect the house with the garden at the rear of the property. It overcomes the challenges presented by a steeply sloping site through a series of living platforms gradually stepping down from the street through the house and to the garden. Views from the dining room through the glazing reinforce the connection between house and garden. 

Melbourne

Design: 2012

This competition proposal seeks to both preserve and maximise. A performative formal process has generated an urban form that sits at the bottom of the city grid in a similar manner to that of the highly successful Federation Square next door. A diverse program mix has been designed to both activate the site and Flinders Street itself, and this includes space for Victoria University; a new hotel within the existing heritage building; major new public program in the form of public baths (indoor and outdoor pools); commercial space in the form of retail, hospitality and office space; and new custom spaces for the railways located in close proximity to the upgrade station. The new form cut with key views incorporates courtyards to bring light into the new provided space within.

New urban links are created across the site with a major new central concourse. This creates a new centre of gravity to the station and contains a new tram stop for the proposed Fisherman’s Bend tram. The eastern concourse is rebuilt under key public program and is designed to created better links to Federation Square and a reworked corner intersection that foregrounds safe pedestrian movement.

Ascot Vale

Design: 2015

The design sits as a stand alone structure to the rear of the site, offering additional living spaces. The proposal has been designed with future staging options in mind, allowing for a second story addition to be added at a later date.

Formal and material cues have been taking from the neighbourhood character, with a mixture of brick and metal roof sheeting integrated into the new proposal. 

Sustainable design principles have also been integrated into the design. The provision of cross-ventilation and shading have been incorporated to minimise the need for mechanical cooling. 

Fitzroy, Victoria

Project Cost: $35k

Completion: 2010

The Tully Bathroom is a built prototype investigating facilities for the aged and mobility impaired. The project addresses methods of innovation in design, driven by issues of access compliance. The renovation included removal of a dividing wall between a dysfunctional bathroom and laundry area, recovering the space desirable for a multi-functional room. By reducing the amount of elements, such as the need for a separated shower or laundry we return the space to a Victorian ‘room’ in which use is less prescribed. The general strategy is one of making access elements such as benches, grab rail and floor surfaces into design elements. Floor and walls are tiled in a green glass mosaic that provides a sense of emersion in the wetroom as well as providing a non slip safe floor covering. An Ironbark bench spans the room providing seating for the access shower, becoming a seat for the entire room. The grab rail is extruded past the shower to form a towel rail. The vanity houses laundry, storage and a cat box in a single plywood joinery cabinet, built by Cantilever Interiors. 

Photography by Ben Hosking www.benhosking.com.au. All rights reserved.

Melbourne                           

Design: 2009

With Breathe Architecture & Bent Architecture

Change has come. Summers are hotter. Winds are stronger and rain is less frequent, but, when it does come, it pours. The curtain-walled facades of the city fail under extreme wind loading. Whole city blocks of air-conditioned offices are evacuated in high temperatures as power infrastructure fails at peak loads times. Street level retail suffers year after year of flash flooding and clean-up costs. We propose a kind of village clustered together, on the leeward side of towers, protected from the winds, naturally ventilated through a filter of vegetation and well above the muddy waters of the streets below.

This is the city of the future, open to change expectations of its shoppers.  The city is seasonal, in summer it closes down for a “siesta” in the afternoon heat and re-opens late into the night. This is the re-used, recycled, the haphazard, the appropriated. The rooftop is re-claimed. This is a ‘happy valley’, the resuscitation of a hundred discarded school portables, remnants of the BER, are infiltrated by layers of vegetation and foliage. Each portable is re-fitted or rather “Fitted On” by their retailer tenant bringing the vibrancy and life to the topside.

Research Project, 2009

RMIT Design Research Institute (DRI), as part of the DC-09 Fire Design Challenge

Team:

Stuart Harrison, Travis Dean (Cantilever Interiors), Jacqui Edge, Luke Adams, Matt Tonner, Rory Fort, Marcus White

Smarter stay, Smarter go

Communication and Community Shelter Networks

How can behaviour in times of bush-fire emergency be addressed in terms of communication and design?

Smarter Stay Smarter Go is a system of communication and community shelter networks that aims to provide survival options for rural residents and visitors in the times of bushfires. To make a smarter ‘Go’ decision, we propose a new communication network to provide real-time data on current weather conditions, communicated to the public through a network of new fire danger index signs, replacements for the ‘Fire Danger Today’ sign. We aim to provide a secure ‘Stay’ option, by encouraging the use of community-based fire shelters that are located within rural housing clusters. We have a project-wide approach of ‘dual-functioning’ to increase investment efficiency and provide on-going maintenance and testing through local use. We seek to provide smarter options for all decisions, those who stay and for and those who go.

Download Full report

Design: 2009

Aprox Project Cost: 8m

The Central Geelong Urban Living (CGUL) project initiated by VicUrban seeks to bring urban style living into the central area of Geelong through the use of existing buildings and sites. Harrison and White were one of three firms selected to undertake design feasibly, and were assigned the site of 174 Ryrie Street.

The site consist of two existing storey brick and timber building and its extensions covers approximately 55% of the 690sqm site. The rear of the site is currently used for fenced open car parking, and this area has good access from Ryan Place North, and lanes/right of carriageways to the other two sides. 

Sydenham, Victoria

Design: 2005-2008

Project Manager: Montlaur

Engineer: Felicetti

Project Cost: $6m

 This suburban church creates a new architectural expression to a community based church. The project features key sustainable strategies such as assisted natural air cooling, sun screening and water retention. The project creates a series of sheltered outdoor spaces for use by the community. A distinct purple aluminium roof announces the Church’s presence is the landscape. The project mediates between residential and commercial zones adjacent to the Watergardens Transit City, in an urban landscape dominated by road signs, large signage objects and large footprint retail buildings. The project uses a horizontal diaphragm truss steel structural system for its roof structure, engineered by Felicetti Pty Ltd. A custom western facing screen system uses the latest in digital parametric modelling, radians solar analysis, and CAD CAM manufacturing techniques.

2005

The proposed building floats above the fragile re-establishing dune system. The deck, platform and pier structure provides sheltered access to service zones and allows sand and fauna to freely move beneath the main portion of building.

The main structure uses conventional construction techniques and is covered in a translucent material canopy providing a deck sheltered from rain, sun, glare and wind. This covered area of tempered light provides for a variety of community needs including passive beach surveillance, sheltered outdoor activities for the club and just a place to eat your fish and chips from the local store.

The ecologically sustainable aspects of the proposal are carefully woven into the fabric of the design. The predominantly raised structure allows for full dune re-growth around the building. Heat gain is minimized by the double roof, water is collected from a wide roof surface area and the pipeline in the existing pier is used as a heat sync to provide temperature control within the building.

The Training/Community room sits at the heart of the main level plan and enjoys aspect to both the beach, dune vegetation and the town to the east. North light is facilitated through a high ceiling that gives the room the special significance appropriate for the club room. Cupboards and kitchenette are provided for the different user groups. Space planning avoids the use of corridors - circulation is instead in the covered external areas around the building.

The building encourages cultural engagement for all members of the community both in, on and under the building and re-activates both the pier and town via a strong axial link from the train station to the pier and beach. Additional car parking requirements are accommodated in the adjacent streets - this will in turn assist in street activation within the town.