The Arc Agency

The Arc Agency Christmas Party 2024 🎉 We got in nice and early this year and celebrated with a gorgeous long lunch with our teams from all offices overlooking the Sydney skyline. Thank you for a wonderful year 🍾 We hope that your office Christmas party is filled with delicious food, refreshing drinks and wonderful company, just as much as ours was.

Last year, the City of Parramatta approved the next phase of its redevelopment of the Riverside Theatres venue located on the banks of the Parramatta River. According to ArchitectureAU, “the redevelopment will feature a new 1,350 to 1,400-seat lyric theatre, a refurbished 760-seat riverside playhouse theatre, a new 430-seat multi-mode drama theatre, and an 80 to 90-seat digital studio and cinema. The venue will have more than double the capacity of the existing theatre.” Since August, a design competition has been underway for the redevelopment, and the finalists were recently announced -- five all-star lineups. The lead architectural practices in the running are ARM Architecture, Cox, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Wardle, and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, with countless other impressive practices forming members of their teams. Although the designs are yet to be released, it will be exciting to see how this iconic space is reimagined for its next lifecycle. Pictured: Indicative render of the redevelopment.

And just like that, our 2024 national architecture & design networking event season comes to a close 👏🏼 There’s no better place for our finale than in Melbourne for JUNGLE last week. Thank you for welcoming us with open arms. Wanting more? Don’t worry we’ll be back with another jam-packed year of innovative and immersive networking events in 2025.

Why does the ‘living green wall’ trend persist? Without proper maintenance, a dead green wall ensures your façade looks like something out of a horror film, with withered, brown vegetation screaming NEGLECT! Despite setbacks, the popularity of green walls continues to grow. Once considered a luxury feature for upscale hotels and private residences, they are now widely integrated into public and commercial spaces. In Sydney, One Central Park is one of the most impressive examples of a successful green wall. At the time of completion, it was the highest green wall in the world, spanning 150 metres. It used 250 species of Australian flowers and plants and was designed by botanist Dr Patrick Blanc using his Le Mur Vegetal system. Ok, but this is a special case. Maintenance is a persistent problem for buildings that aren’t as advanced as One Central Park. Green walls can quickly deteriorate without proper care, as I’m sure you have seen around the city you live in. As Australia embraces greener urban landscapes, the lessons learned from both successes and failures of green walls will play an important role in shaping how we green our cities. So, what do you think? Should we persist with living green walls? Pictured: A dead living green wall in London

At this point, we’ve all suffered from Zoom fatigue. Whether it’s the meeting that went an hour longer than expected or five back-to-back online meetings, Zoom has changed the game. While meeting in person is always the best option, we know it’s not always possible. So how do you capture the attention of a busy designer who is almost definitely multi-tasking on their second screen? Research: Know who you are talking to and what their practice is all about. You’ll lose their attention instantly if you start discussing products they don’t need—unless you have a compelling argument for why they should! Present: Your presentation deck should be concise. Always include a brief contents page at the beginning so the architect or designer gets a sense that the presentation will be tailored to them and brief. Don’t use too much text; focus on beautiful images of your product. Always label the projects, and it’s a nice touch to add the architect’s name you worked with—you never know, they might be friends! Interact: Facilitating live interaction can be easier said than done, but working in these moments throughout your presentation can help keep everyone focused. Check in throughout to gain insights about what the architect or designer is most interested in. If there’s one thing we know for certain, it’s that architects and designers are time-poor—so make every minute of your time with them count, IRL or URL!

Melbourne, thank you for welcoming us with open arms for our final architecture & design networking event of 2024 🥂 We look forward to returning early next year to bring you more direct access to industry-leading brands.

Launched earlier this year at Walsh Street House in South Yarra, "When Robin Boyd Went To Japan” offers a unique journey into Boyd's encounter with Japanese daily life during a visit in the 1960s. The exhibition is curated by Marika Neustupny and Nigel Bertram, co-founders of NMBW and is a joint effort between the Robin Boyd Foundation, NMBW Architecture Studio, and Melbourne’s favourite Japanese café, CIBI. While visiting Japan, Boyd wrote about many acclaimed Japanese architects at the time. Specifically, the trip was planned due to a commission to write a book about Kenzo Tange. His affinity with Japan grew deeper, visiting again in 1965, writing the book ‘New Directions in Japanese Architecture’ in 1968 and as Australia’s Exhibition Architect at the iconic Expo '70 in Osaka. Transforming the Walsh Street House, the exhibition channelled the sense of everyday Japanese life that captivated Boyd. Around the time of Boyd's visits, Japanese architects were gaining popularity internationally, with the Osaka Expo '70 further solidifying Japan as an architecturally exciting and innovative country. Another topic that fascinated Boyd was preservation in a post-war and rapidly modernising Japan. It raised important questions about how to maintain Japan’s unique architectural and cultural essence while still allowing for important societal and economic shifts. Much like many historical texts, many of the questions raised continued to be applied as the world shapes and morphs daily. Pictured, Robin Boyd’s Sketch For Combined Project 60-64 Clarendon Street & Corner Site

In December 2023, Binyamin Appelbaum's New York Times op-ed, “Why Do We Build Homes in the Same Way That We Did 125 Years Ago?” questioned why there has been a lack of innovation in construction methods over the years, arguing that traditional on-site construction is too slow and expensive amid a housing crisis. In 2022, building a house took an average of 8.3 months, a month longer than in 1971. In theory, this negatively contributes to the housing shortage, drives up home prices and forces many into an expensive and overpopulated rental market. Appelbaum advocates for modular housing as a solution. Despite its slow adoption, we all know that modular construction can significantly reduce build time and costs. He cites Fading West, a start-up in Colorado that can complete homes in half the time and at 80% of traditional costs, highlighting advancements in manufacturing that make modular housing more viable. But modular homes don’t have the best reputation for being beautifully designed and lack the bespoke attention of traditionally designed homes. This perception of modularity equaling "cookie-cutter" has hindered their popularity. However, firms like Paris-based Cutwork are attempting to address these issues. Their ReHome system, initially designed for post-war Ukraine, uses stackable, flexible concrete blocks to create cost-effective, customisable apartment buildings. This method reduces on-site construction time by up to 40% and adapts to various environments while still allowing for a level of individuality. Appelbaum argues that embracing modular housing is essential for addressing the housing crisis, do you think he’s right? Pictured, A completed Fading West module is towed from the facility to its site.

Melbourne, we're just days away from our final event of 2024 and, you're invited. Savour culinary delights and beverages and enjoy live entertainment as the sounds of the jungle inspire fresh ideas and connections. Don’t miss this complimentary opportunity to grow your network and win exciting prizes. Follow this link to learn more and secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/e5pM3gWS

A top-quality sporting facility for decades to come. Named after one of Australia’s most celebrated athletes, ANNA MEARS VELOROME was designed for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and has now transcended into a vital piece of sporting infrastructure. The multi-disciplinary velodrome hosts a range of sports including a BMX track and a number of indoor sporting courts. The world-class track is 25m long and built from solid timber. The structure has been formed by a steel frame and transparent cladding, allowing natural sunlight to filter in during the daytime for energy efficiency purposes. Designed by Cox Architecture Captured by Veloshotz & Christopher Frederick Jones. #TheArcAgencyAU #NetworkingEvents #AustralianDesign #AustralianArchitecture #ArchitectureCommunity