Issue 88

Issue 88 comes out 7 November. Order on its own or as part of a subscription.

In this, we explore some of the ways in which architects tune into the environmental opportunities of a project, and how they’re likely to differ dramatically depending on location and building type.

But first up, we profile Megan Norgate from Brave New Eco, who uses her sustainability expertise, creativity and resourcefulness to redesign and retrofit homes with both technical and aesthetic outcomes.Then, we look at a selection of offices, studies and places for getting work done. Workplaces continue to evolve into multi-functional places and in this issue we look at five that work hard to make more use of limited space or better use of materials and natural light. A tiny former butcher becomes an architect’s office, a studio apartment uses sliding and hinged walls to transform into an office by day, an old building is stripped back to reveal beautiful raw materials while installing underground water tanks, solar and worm farms. All are far from the offices of old; more inviting and far less wasteful.

After that, deep in the Sydney suburbs, architect Anthony Gill has added a small timber-clad volume above the original house and expanded the garden, creating a modest, economical and sustainable home that reflects and supports his family ’s priorities, lifestyle and values.

Then, travel to Tasmania’s Tamar Valley where a forest of steel columns with glazed walls and a roof of soil forms River Rocks house, a monument to architect David Luck’s parents.

Next up, a WOWOWA alteration has simplified a disjointed inner-Melbourne rabbit warren that had been renovated multiple times before. Reducing height and floorplan helped level out house and garden, re-establish flow and open up living spaces to light and the outdoors, while retaining the distinctive Art Deco features.

And for our final house feature, explore an extraordinary collaboration in regional Victoria that has transformed a former dairy into a native habitat, greenhouse, orchard, ceramics studio and an exquisite home, complete with its own wetlands to filter the run-off from its surrounds—all crafted by local tradespeople.

Next up, two very different gardens. The first one was previously the exercise yard of a historic asylum, but is now a one-acre walled garden. Built by the owners of a produce-loving restaurant and cooking school, it is the ultimate kitchen garden.

In the second garden feature, the sympathetic richness of a new garden creates a series of carefully sequenced moments that soften the raw and heavy Brutalist architecture of the house.

And finally, for our travel feature we take a trip to a naturally abundant part of the South Australia coastline, the Eyre Peninsula—in springtime a sparkling Eden teeming with life.

And of course, our regular segments Upfront and Upfront Garden share a curated spread of projects, products or creations that we love. Plus, explore this issue’s Permaculture Tips by Karen Sutherland from Edible Eden Design, and Lucas House by Bill and Ruth Lucas in What I Like About You.

Issue 88 comes out 7 November. Order on its own or as part of a subscription.