January/February - Australian Institute of Architects

QueenslandGovernment Architect Malcolm MiddletonThe office of Government Architect (GA) inQueensland is a small, stand-alone unit withinthe Qld Department of Public Works. Itreports to the Deputy Director-General, QldBuilding Services and Works.The GA chairs the Board for Urban Places,a ministerial advisory body that supports andprovides advice for quality urban design inmajor infrastructure and urban planningprojects. The GA also sits on the QueenslandDesign Council, an independent strategicadvisory board to the Queensland DesignStrategy, administered by Arts Queensland.As well as representing government onthese and other key committees and agenciesfor better built environment outcomes, keyduties of the GA include:• providing advice to the QueenslandGovernment on built environment, urbandesign and heritage issues;• promoting awareness of built environmentissues and facilitating linkages betweencommunity expectations and policy;• encouraging innovative design forgovernment buildings and assistinggovernment policy in relation to public art;• encouraging opportunities for Queenslandarchitects, and the development of regionaldesign; and• maintaining effective relationships witharchitectural design schools in Queensland.The GA has taken care of the BrisbaneOpen House initiative over the past two years,establishing the event as an important culturalawareness program for the built environment.We are proposing to take this initiative to anumber of Queensland regions in 2012.More recently, the GA conducted thebriefing, call for submissions and assessmentof an international design competition for therenewal of 10 ferry terminals on the BrisbaneRiver damaged in the 2010–2011 floods. BrisbaneCity Council will manage its implementation.Western AustraliaGovernment Architect Steve WoodlandThe role of government architect (GA) inWestern Australia is to provide leadershipand strategic advice to the State Governmentto improve the design of public buildings andenhance the quality of the built environment.The GA has a whole-of-government focusand, where requested, can provide advice tothe highest levels of government. WesternAustralia’s Office of the GovernmentArchitect (OGA) is supported through theWA Department of Finance’s BuildingManagement and Works unit, and the GAreports to both the Minister for Works andthe Premier as required.The work of the OGA spans projects, policyand design advocacy. During the past two years,staff have worked concertedly on developing abuilt environment policy for Western Australia,and a series of ‘design standards’ (below) forkey public works projects. The Better Placesand Spaces policy is the intended subject ofa cabinet submission in early 2012, and thehighest level of endorsement is being soughtfor the initiative. As part of the implementationstrategy for the policy, the design standardsprovide objective, performance-based guidanceas to the design quality sought for public highschools, courthouses and hospitals. Designreview by the OGA is a key element of thestrategy to encourage better design outcomes.1.Australia Captial TerritoryGovernment Architect Alastair SwaynIn the new ACT Government structure, thegovernment architect (GA) sits within theEnvironment and Sustainable DevelopmentDirectorate (ESDD), and reports to the ACTMinister for ESDD through its DirectorGeneral. For the first two years, the GA’sposition is sponsored by the University ofCanberra, as part of its contribution to thecity’s centenary in 2013.It’s a new, part-time position (one day aweek), so the approach has been to focus onparticular areas of concern, and give: projectdesign advice to directorates in architecture,urban design and engineering; designdirection for development of the city centre;and design and development coordinationbetween directorates.There is also a clear need for a broaddesign framework in which the governmentdirectorates can work, and the GA’s office ismaking a number of proposals to increase thelevel of design awareness within government.Design review panel. A whole-ofgovernmentdesign review panel is being2.proposed to assess all new significantarchitectural, urban design and engineeringprojects proposed by the ACT Government,to give early guidance that will hopefully leadto excellence in design outcomes.City centre design and land-usedirections. To help government articulatea clear vision for how it wishes developmentto occur over the next 20–30 years, the GAproposes to engage consultants in early 2012to collate existing planning documents for thedifferent parts of the city centre, and developa strategic vision for land development inpursuit of quality urban design outcomes.This vision will also be used to engage with thelocal development community, building on aworkshop for the redesign of City Walk thatwas convened in 2011.Procurement guides. A policy proposalis currently being drafted to suggest guidelinesbe prepared for government procurement ofinfrastructure to ensure design excellence ispromoted across all government projects.While the focus to date has been onimproving systems within government, oncethese are in place that focus will change toinclude the broader community.Northern TerritoryChief Architect Robert FooteThe position of government architect (GA)in the Northern Territory was not reinstatedafter the inaugural GA’s three-year termexpired in 2007. Soon after this period, anUrban Design Advisory Panel (UDAP) wasset up to provide expert advice to governmenton a range of urban planning issues.The duties of the former GA positionwere incorporated into the position of theChairman of UDAP, currently held by urbandesigner Steve Thorne. In 2010, a restructureof the NT Department of Construction andInfrastructure (DCI), saw the creation of therole of Chief Architect (CA). The CA heads upthe DCI’s design office, providing design anddocumentation services, as well as strategicadvice on selected building and planningdevelopments, and instruments of legislation.The CA’s role extends to the NT BuildingAdvisory Committee, which reports to theMinister of Lands and Planning on buildingregulations, energy efficiency initiativesof itsGovernment, and significant projectadvice and reviews.The CA is involved with projects in remoteregions, working with architectural firms tohelp achieve government and community goals.One of the more interesting projects, thoughnot large in scale, is the WWII Defence ofDarwin Experience (below). The Departmentof Construction and Infrastructure is workingwith PDT Architects (Townsville) to developthe design. The building will have a highdigital-display component commemoratingthe WWII bombing of Darwin.The project will be officiallyopened on 17 February 2012 in time forthe seventieth anniversary of the bombingof Darwin. It is an exciting project witha state-of-the-art digital experienceincorporated into the building, drawingthe visitor into the atmosphere and settingof the actual event being commemorated.TasmaniaState Architect Peter PouletTasmania’s first State Architect (SA), PeterPoulet, was appointed in 2009.His role is tobring together government, community andthe building industry in a shared vision for thebuilt environment.The SA sits within the Department ofEconomic Development, Tourism and the Arts.The aim of the office is to ensure governmentbuildings exemplify best practice and showleadership in design and sustainability, as wellas collaborative methods of design.Advocating for quality sustainable designacross the state is a key role, as is providingstrategic independent advice to governmenton planning, urban design, architecture andheritage issues. This office will also develop bestpractice guidelines for more sustainable urbanenvironments and buildings.The SA is collaborating with the Universityof Tasmania to host a summer design school forsenior students of architecture and urbandesign. To develop broad relationships, PeterPoulet has become involved with a number ofcommittees and roles including: AdjunctProfessor School of Architecture and Design,University of Tasmania; Board of Architects ofTasmania; Capital City Strategy ReferenceCommittee; Hobart City Council Urban DesignAdvisory Panel; and Sullivans Cove WaterfrontAuthority Design Panel.SA is working with government agenciesand local councils to deliver the H.30 CapitalCity Plan for Hobart by January 2012; to meetthe requirement by the Council of AustralianGovernments (COAG) for Australian capitalcities to have comprehensive strategic plans inplace to guide future policy and infrastructure.Another key project is the draft TasmanianResidential Strategy. A developing vision for theincreased provision of housing choicesthroughout Tasmania, it addresses issues ofcost, sustainability, liveability and community,diversity, equity and opportunity.5.3.1. WA design guidelines prepared by the GA’s office. 2. CircularQuay Master Plan, a 50-year vision document developed by theNSW GAO in association with Hassell for Sydney HarbourForeshore Authority. 3. Brisbane River Ferry Terminal designcompetition was managed by the GA’s office. 4. For the proposedVictorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Parkville, the OVGAhas reviewed and advised on design guildelines.5. The NorthernTerritory’s Defence of Darwin Experience Museum. 6. H.30 ACapital City Plan for Hobart.4. 6.20 Architecture Bulletin January / February 2012 Architecture Bulletin January / February 2012 21