Architecture Australia

Ask architects which Australian magazine they choose to read or to publish their work and the answer is most likely Architecture Australia. If you want to be up to date with the best built works and the issues that matter, then Architecture Australia is for you. Its commissioned contributors are independent, highly respected practitioners, architectural thinkers and design commentators and each article is supported by images from leading architectural photographers. Provocative, informative and engaging – it is the national magazine of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Harnessing the transformation of our times

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Selected writers and photographers

Architecture Australia

Navigating the transition to net zero • The 2024 Climate Change Authority’s “Sector Pathways Review” identified rapid decarbonisation pathways for six different sectors. The built-environment sector is placed to lead change. Deo Prasad reflects on how far the industry has come and how far it has to go on the pathway to net zero.

Aboriginal bush materials in contemporary architecture • First Nations architecture has utilised biogenic materials for millennia. Paul Memmott spotlights readily available bush materials and how they could be applied in contemporary architectural design to support the industry’s pursuit of a sustainable future.

Michael Kirby Building Macquarie University Hassell • The substructure of a typical, tired university building is upcycled with new timber additions, transforming internal spaces into a hub of vibrancy and activity and demonstrating the possibilities of low-carbon design approaches.

Powerhouse Place Public Realm Lab • In Victoria’s north-west, a precinct with an industrial past is revived using project-specific, carbon-reducing initiatives, gifting its city a new civic heart that enriches local life.

The Shed, University of Tasmania Wardle • Driven by locally tuned sustainable thinking, a tectonic new university facility demonstrates that ethical and responsible approaches to building production can – and should – be standard practice.

Chris Knapp DOSSIER — Architecture and the circular economy • Architects are uniquely poised to lead the drive for a circular economy – but navigating the technological, economic and regulatory hurdles is no simple task. Dossier guest editor Chris Knapp brings together perspectives from a range of experts as well as project case studies to help guide the interested but circularity-novice architect on the journey to a circular future.

Leading through design • The understanding and adoption of circular principles is in its infancy. Architects can propel this transformation through leadership and action – we just need to take the first step.

Rethinking building traditions • Researchers at the Centre for Industrialised Architecture in Copenhagen highlight the opportunities of utilising existing knowledge and biogenic materials in our built environment.

Overconsumption – a global challenge that can be addressed by architects • Leonie Barner explains how early conversations with project stakeholders can help reduce Australia’s heavy use of raw materials.

Case studies: Circular possibilities

Appeal and appetite: Australia’s circular progress • In Australia, less than four percent of the economy is circular – half the global average.1 The key focus of this roundtable is to identify the current barriers to a circular economy in Australia, and to discuss how architects can accelerate the shift to a circular economy in the built environment.

Case studies: Retrofit housing • Seventy percent of Australia’s existing residential buildings are predicted to still be in use in 2050. Retrofitting these assets is beneficial to both the environment and the ongoing housing crisis, yet the...