The official publication of the Australian Institute of Architects Western Australian Chapter. In print since 1939, The Architect showcases residential and commercial projects, presenting the work of leading WA architects, photographed by some of the state’s best photographers. Covering a broad range of projects and issues over the past nine decades, its purpose is to advocate on behalf of the architecture profession and the community to improve the quality of the built environment.
Nestled within tall tuart trees off a bustling strip, Sonny’s, with its articulately curated wine list, is Mount Hawthorn’s newest neighbourhood bar brought forth by passionate hospitality veterans Jess and Aaron, crafted by Design Theory.
Located in Perth’s west end on Hay Street, His Majesty’s Theatre’s immediate context includes many former showrooms and offices from the early twentieth century. Like almost all Perth buildings, the theatre balconies were removed via a 1947 Act of Parliament enforced in 1953 and replaced with a simple awning, in common with many Perth and Fremantle buildings. In a touch of irony, COVID-19 recovery funds made the reconstruction of the balconies by Griffiths Architects possible, and they opened with huge fanfare in February 2023.
Formerly a quintessential Australian icon, the corner store deli has regrettably given way to the expansive reach of supermarkets and servos in recent times. The deli has always symbolised more than convenience for locals. Across the suburbs, they have seemingly embedded themselves within our streets, generating activity and serving as vibrant meeting spots where residents and neighbours alike can socialise and interact with the wider community. Clifton and Central by MJA Studio with CAPA Studio is a boutique mixed-use development in Mt Lawley on an old corner store site.
Deepwater House by AHA Studio references the nearby location at which the Djarlgarra /Canning River is at its deepest; but it is perhaps better understood as a metaphor of an architecture borne from a deeper critical engagement with its place among Perth’s Swan Coastal Plain.
Born in Bulgaria in 1919, Iwan Iwanoff graduated with a degree in architecture and engineering from Munich University in 1946 and emigrated to Perth in 1950. Initially working in Perth for Krantz and Sheldon architects, and Yuncken Freeman Architects in Melbourne, he set up his own Perth practice in 1961. A fellowship from the Australian Institute of Architects was awarded in 1972, and he was the recipient of several international design awards for residential houses during the 1970s. Iwan passed away in 1986.
Originally one half of a duplex built in the 1960s, Tanoa was lovingly restored in the early 2000s by local architect, Gerard McCann. With the ever-increasing demands of a family with teenagers, the current occupants simply required more space in which to grow. vittinoAshe were approached to respect as much of the existing residence as possible, while adding new spaces for the family to be both together and apart.
We aim to design at least one good room in a house – the living room, the one we spend our waking hours in, the one we live in. The best living rooms are also directly connected to a garden which provides fresh air, sunshine, warmth, a connection to nature, as well as another space to live in, a second living room – just outside.
Farrier Lane House stands as an exemplary model for affordable, sustainable, and well-designed homes. This abode is more than just a personal residence for architect Matt Delroy-Carr, the director of MDC Architects; it’s a manifesto, a challenge to the norms, and a tangible illustration of what he believes good architecture should symbolise.
When we think about architects at work, we often jump back to the idea of the drawing board, the mechanical pencil, or 3D modelling and rendering on a screen. However, it’s important to remember that at its very core, architecture is about problem solving, which often takes an unexpected form.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that nothing brings a community together quite like the local pub. A hub for gatherings and haven for hedonists, the local pub acts as the neighbourhood nucleus, and as such, should look like it too. The town of Bassendean is layered in heritage and hums with the history of a bygone era. And so, one would expect exactly that of the newly renovated Bassendean Hotel. After ninety years of continuous trade, the Basso (as it is known colloquially) ensured that Woods Bagot had their work cut out for them.
Nestled into the heritage neighbourhood of Mount Lawley, Celilo Springs by architect and owner-builder Andrew Boyne is a uniquely crafted home that works to enhance the character of suburban Western Australian homes.
The WA Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and the Association of Consulting Architects welcomed the news in January that the State Government’s new Medium Density Code will proceed.
As the aphorism goes, running a business with someone is like being in a marriage. Based on trust, mutual respect and good communication, Felice Burrows and Tamara Brestovac have created a solid union in their practice Architects&Co.
In the resplendent heart of Perth’s State Buildings complex stands the award-winning Postal Hall project – a testament to architectural ingenuity and poetic vision of designers Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini. The State Buildings, a collection of iconic heritage structures, seamlessly connect pedestrians with a harmonious blend of gastronomy, retail, and luxurious accommodation at the junction of St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street.
Central Park has been a business icon in Perth since its introduction to the Terrace in the early 1990s. As one of the tallest buildings, and the only public green space in the heart of the CBD, it has long been an attractor of people. After winning the masterplan design competition for the area, Woods Bagot led the team that transformed Central Park’s public ground-floor space.
Inlet Drive Residence by PTX Architects is situated on a picturesque site, the owner drawn to the location by strong emotions linked to memories of holidays spent fishing in a tinnie on the Wilson Inlet with his father.
Built for his sister and her young family, archterra’s Paddock House is an exercise in functional simplicity. Although not limited by space, the family home is efficient in its layout and orientation.
Typical of the era, Beaconsfield House, in its original form, was a timber-framed cottage clad with jarrah and asbestos. While many would have chosen to demolish the building and rebuild, the owners bravely committed to preserving and regenerating the original home. They sought the creation of extra space and the modernisation of the home that they had lived in for over 20 years. The result is a respectful exercise in integrity and sculptural simplicity.
Jimmy Thompson’s own house, for which he won the WA Chapter’s top residential architecture award in 2022, is a case study – and exemplar – for a battle axe block.
Growing up on a farm in rural Victoria, Kate Fitzgerald learnt how to run a business early in life. “Mum and dad encouraged me to be a part of the farm from a young age – whether it was rounding up or shearing sheep, or driving the tractor,” says Kate. “We learnt how to solve problems creatively. There was no Bunnings around the corner!”
Hyde Park House is located on busy Vincent Street adjacent to Perth’s iconic Hyde Park. On first glance the house is oddly nostalgic, its rich textures and materiality seamlessly blending into the existing heritage streetscape. However, on closer inspection it is evident that the house is the product of a robust yet delicate design process from Simone Robeson and Lauren Benson at Robeson Architects.
Located on a busy neighbourhood artery, Do Residence by Chindarsi Architects is a substantial renovation to an existing brick home. But from the street the extension is nearly invisible, and the streetscape is preserved.
If you were restricted to using a single adjective to describe Casa Mia, the self-designed home of Adrian Iredale and Caroline Di Costa, you may well settle on ‘considered’.
Approaching the renovations and additions to this home, architects vittinoAshe sought to create something that mediates the uniquely well-preserved historic fabric of the neighbourhood with a client brief centred around contemporary ideas for healthy and sustainable family living.
Introducing medium density into an established, low-density neighbourhood presents a variety of challenges. 95 Evans Street by MJA Studio is a respectful insertion into an inter-war neighbourhood showing sensitivity to the suburb’s existing context and character.
Higham Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture has been expertly woven into the historic fabric of its neighbourhood, serving as an exemplar of how heritage, retained and celebrated, can inform and enrich design solutions to provide beautiful, functional spaces for a family to live and grow.
Haldane is a modestly-sized residence on a subdivided block in Mount Claremont. Designed by Orialle Pearce Design, the house encapsulates the calmness, warmth and relaxation of a summer’s day on Perth’s beaches. Translating this into built form drove design outcomes for the home’s layout, profile, orientation and materality.
Standing proudly on Ballardong Nyoongar land, Iredale Pedersen Hook’s Bilya Koort Boodja (meaning “river, heart, land”) recognises the importance of country while acknowledging that this recognition has not always been given.
The University of Western Australia’s Bilya Marlee designed by Kerry Hill Architects has been purpose-built to house a School of Indigenous Studies. It is also home to the university’s Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health and the POCHE Centre for Indigenous Health.
The iconic Parmelia Hilton hotel has undergone a series of minor renovations since its opening in the 1960s. However, in late 2017 COX Architecture, along with their client, Hawaiian, considered how the hotel could be re-imagined – both physically and more broadly in the contemporary urban fabric in which it is located.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
