Flotilla x Vecina | Derive Architecture & Design
The design for Flotilla and Vecina are as neigbouring restaurant and bar based in Wickham Newcastle. In Flotilla, the kitchen is placed front and centre to bring a sense of theatre to the experience. Vecina extends this activity in areas that offers a place for the patrons to grab an aperitif before heading into Flotilla to dine.
The project transforms a very small remnant tenancy into a flowing space, connecting the bar with the street and adjacent restaurant. The interior design responds delicately and skilfully to the tight site constraints and project brief to resolve the second chapter to Flotillas offering. The compact interior footprint required the bar configuration and the seating arrangement to be well considered.
The natural and low maintenance material palette continues into the bar space. The natural leather furniture softens the sharp angles of the acute geometry, taking cues from the banquette seating in Flotilla.
New Castle | Anthony St John Parsons
Quietly nestled in the foothills of southern Merewether, New Castle manifests a subtle grandeur that is both ambitious and refined. Romantically envisioned as an invisible garden of paradise, the residence’s design is entirely encompassed within a walled garden, creating a sub rosa sanctuary for its inhabitants. A thick limestone wall begins at one corner at hip height and rises to nearly two stories at the opposite corner, with a few thoughtfully placed openings offering intriguing glimpses of inside, which include a cluster of Cabbage tree palms and a mature evergreen Magnolia Grandiflora.
Inside the garden wall, the rooms of the house snake around, forming more hidden pockets of outdoor space. This procession of rooms, all a single room wide, allows for multiple perspectives and interactions with the gardens, while inviting light and ventilation into every corner.
New Castle is a once-in-a-career project, showcasing ambition, love, and tenacity in every detail.
727 HQ Fitout | EJE
727 HQ Fitout is a bespoke two-level office fitout within Newcastle’s newest commercial high-rise building. Enjoying 360-degree views from Newcastle Harbour to the Hunter Hinterland, the fitout is a response to the land and sea that it overlooks, providing a functional workplace for over 200 staff.
The Beach Hotel | EJE
The Beach Hotel renovation takes you back to the memories, achievements and loves that were made (and lost) there in the 1970’s and 80’s. When things were simpler; your focus on the person and the beach in front of you.
The Beach Hotel is the spiritual home to Australia’s oldest board riding club, overlooks a National Surfing reserve and has had many famous – and infamous – moments. The levity and complexity of bringing her back to life informed the development of the brief.
Excellence is achieved in honoring heritage but also by creating a space that seamlessly integrates history, originality and craftsmanship into a timeless setting for communal connection and appreciation of Newcastle’s iconic beach culture. We worked with a deep respect for history and aimed to bridge generations, creating evocative moments of nostalgia for the past while embracing Newcastle’s vibrant future in an engaging space with heirloom quality and durability.
Yukari House | Tanev Muir Architects
A balanced renovation kindles additional amenity with site connectivity – enabling a stronger weave between the sense of place and the comforts of belonging. In Yukari House, local natural materiality and craftmanship connect with rhythmic and site intentional detailing. The result is a home which focuses on enhancing social relationships and compliments the experience of the surrounding country, inspiring a good yarn
Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, Shellharbour | Edmiston Jones
The Centre offers comprehensive services for victim/survivors of family, domestic, and sexual violence, with practical, evidence-based support. A collaborative effort involving the Leadership Team, Women with Lived-Experience Advisory Group, and Aboriginal Women’s Reference Group, the Centre was designed with a trauma-informed approach. Co-design workshops focused on themes of welcome, support, privacy, and security, integrating natural light and scenic views.
A ”Connecting to Country” framework informed cultural safety for Aboriginal women, with the design featuring symbolic elements like a coolamon in the ceiling. The Centre, imagined as a turtle shell – protective externally and warm and inviting internally – prioritizes a calming, secure environment for recovery. Flexible spaces accommodate various practitioners, with careful attention to acoustic and visual privacy. The project’s all-female team directed its holistic design.
Fast-tracked due to urgent need and supported by ongoing evaluation, the Centre serves as a prototype for future expansion to combat Australia’s family violence crisis.
C House | Source Architects
Designed for a young family on a site on the outskirts of Orange, NSW, C House enjoys amazing views of Mount Canobolas and orchards surrounding the site.
The lower level of the house is partially cut into the site and topped with a green roof and clad in white precast concrete panels that give way to fine timber cladding and expansive timber framed windows at the northern end where the living areas open up to the garden the pool, and bush views at the back.
Secondary sleeping spaces sit in the upper level in a playful ‘y’ shaped dual gabled forms which are oriented to capture northern and eastern light, and key views,
A myriad of building services are seamlessly integrated and largely unseen to the everyday users of the house with the final result being a series of calm, stripped back yet warm spaces for the owners.
Bonito | HGA Studio
Bonito, within Hotel Marvell, integrates with its urban surroundings by transforming the hotel’s laneway into an al fresco dining oasis, filled with natural light and lush vegetation. This greenery provides a refreshing contrast to the surrounding buildings, enhancing the dining experience.
Inside, Bonito features a central sculptural bar with elegant green marble tops, offering a visual counterpoint to its ocean-inspired menu. Warm walnut veneers and accents of red micro cement panels create a cosy yet vibrant atmosphere that sit with the hotel’s warm palette.
By activating the laneway with vegetation, Bonito not only expands its seating area but also creates a serene ambiance that complements Byron Bay’s coastal charm. This thoughtful design not only enriches the dining experience but also connects guests with nature in an otherwise urban setting.
Ukiyo Interiors | K2LD Architects
Ukiyo, Prahan, draws inspiration from the Japanese artform Ukiyoe that consists of woodblock prints, paintings and the concept of the Floating World. The interiors of the individual apartments embody the artform though the use of the defining line that enhances the fine details of the interiors.
Designed to celebrate the daily life of the residents, Ukiyo connects the unique characteristics of Prahan with each apartment. The sweeping views from the bay to the city allows the internal experience to transition seamlessly from soft, quiet mornings to vibrant and energetic nights. Moving and shifting with the architecture, each apartment is individual in layout and view, creating a unique experience for each resident. The contrasting materials are unified by the presence of the defining line. Vertical fluted timbers and glass meet strong black lines to frame pattern, texture and light. Conceptually rich, Ukiyo is a seamless interpretation of lifestyle, functionality and adaptability.
Wisteria | Carter Williamson Architects
Wisteria is a dramatic timber expression of minimalism, simplicity, and purity. A contemporary addition to a fully restored Federation bungalow in Sydney’s inner west, its bright new volume soaks up the sunshine and fosters a deep connection with the outdoors.
A light, airy pavilion is rhythmically expressed in Victorian ash. Within, a double-height void opens up the living space to sunlight and air, deepening the links between each level. A fireplace divides the open-plan living, kitchen, and dining spaces, which flow serenely onto the east-facing deck covered by a wisteria-clad pergola that frames the garden view. This carefully organised plan maintains a bright, lofty spatial quality that offers endless potential for informal interaction within defined spaces.
Rhythmic brickwork, polished concrete, timber framing, and eye-catching moments expressed in steel and marble represent a palette of material and visual simplicity; a clean, sophisticated interior that feels warm, bright, and calm.
