Edition 103
Jun 2009
- Gidgegannup House
- Perth Zoological Garden Orang-Utan Enclosure Upgrade
- NICA National Circus Centre
- Penrith Government Office Building
- Hepburn Springs Bathhouse Redevelopment
- Melbourne Recital Centre and Melbourne Theatre Company Theatre
Preview Edition 103
Download PDF
Editorial information
Welcome to STEEL PROFILE® #103
We are, as always, privileged to bring you a profile of some of the country's most interesting and innovative examples of steel-related architecture.
All of the projects you will read about have reached our pages via a deliberate process that includes comprehensive evaluation, lively discussion and informed debate.
Discussion and debate were also cornerstones of the Parallax National Architecture Conference held recently in Melbourne, where BlueScope Steel was the principal corporate partner.
The conference's success was largely attributable to intentionally generated dialogue driven by keynote speakers addressing not only the audience, but also interviewing each other in order to explore counterbalanced views.
Keynote speakers included established 'big guns' such as Aaron Betsky and Peter Wilson, and a wildcard: philosopher and cultural critic, Slavoj Zizek.
The mix between these and the young-gun' speakers – represented by Tatiana Bilbao, Sou Fujimoto and Geoff Manaugh, the latter who argued that people other than architects have interesting things to say about architecture – further enriched the conference dynamics. The creators of STEEL PROFILE® believe a project's worth is reflected in its capacity to elicit comment, both from architects and the public. We hope the examples chosen for inclusion in this issue will inspire animated conversation.
Our associate editor Rachael Bernstone was one of the few journalists to interview the renowned Japanese architect, Toyo Ito, during his recent visit to Australia, and we hope you find his thoughts enlightening.
This issue also marks the introduction of a new regular feature, Steel Details, that aims to more closely examine how architects innovate and technically resolve design challenges.
We trust you enjoy the issue.
Manu Siitonen
BlueScope Steel Editor
BlueScope Steel Editor
Manu Siitonen
Managing Editor
Associate Editor
Contributing Writers
Alex Taylor, Anna Johnson, Christine Phillips, Peter Hyatt, Rachael Bernstone
Contributing Photographers
Patrick Bingham-Hall; Andrew Pritchard, Shannon McGrath, Dianna Snape; Paul Bradshaw, Derek Swalwell; Peter Hyatt, Nathan Hildebrandt
Art Director
STEEL PROFILE® has established an editorial advisory panel to ensure that only projects of the highest calibre are selected for publication. The panellists are:
Adam Haddow
Adam is an elected Councillor of the NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and a director of SJB Architects in inner-city Sydney.
He was awarded the 40th Anniversary Churchill Fellowship in 2006, to study alternatives to conventional models of urban design.
More than anything, he loves to design and construct buildings.
Frank Stanisic
Stanisic Associates founder Frank Stanisic is a Sydney-based architect and urbanist.
His work is fuelled by an evolving interest in the diagram and frame as a basis for architectural invention, and the aesthetics of permeability.
Frank's projects have won numerous awards including Australian Institute of Architects' Special Jury, Wilkinson, Aaron Bolot and Frederick Romberg
Daniel Griffin
Joint winner of the 2008 COLORBOND® Steel Biennale Prize, Daniel works for McBride Charles Ryan Architects and is currently teaching architecture at the University of Melbourne.
His Award-winning architectural thesis at RMIT – where he is establishing a Humanitarian department – examined the urbanisation of Palestinian refugee camps.
Copyright © 2009 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or distributed without consent. BlueScope Steel Limited, to the extent permissible at law, is not liable to any person for loss or damage arising from reliance upon information contained in this publication. The articles featured in this edition of STEEL PROFILE® are sourced, written, fact-checked and curated by the authors with editorial contribution from BlueScope Steel Limited. Any statements or opinions attributed to a person are the views of that person alone and do not necessarily reflect those of BlueScope Steel. The decision to use any particular product or material in the projects featured in this publication was made by the team involved in each project and not BlueScope Steel Limited. While care has been taken to verify the accuracy of details in this publication, BlueScope Steel Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this publication. All information is provided with no guarantee of completeness or accuracy.
Images shown throughout have been reproduced to represent actual product colours as accurately as possible. However, we recommend checking your chosen colour against an actual sample of the product before purchasing, as varying screens and devices may affect colour tones and finishes.
Every project is different and not all products are suitable for all applications, projects and environments. Some products may perform better than others in certain applications and conditions. You should confirm the suitability of particular products for your project by contacting the supplier directly and by obtaining information and advice specific to your circumstances.
BlueScope generally recommends the use of COLORBOND® steel or ZINCALUME® steel for the majority of external cladding applications. BlueScope recommends routine preventative maintenance for eaves and other “unwashed areas” of structures that may not be regularly cleaned by rainfall. For information about product maintenance, including preventative maintenance, please call BlueScope on 1800 753 658. To determine whether a BlueScope warranty may be available for use of a product in your particular project, please visit bluescopesteel.com.au/warranties or call BlueScope on 1800 753 658.
COLORBOND®, ZINCALUME®, LYSAGHT®, and ® colour names are registered trademarks and ™ colour names are trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited.