JOURNAL/ April/2014

Two kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), the development has the potential to transform Kuala Lumpur's identity as a global financial centre, with the tower acting as a beacon for the entire development.

Bates Smart Director, Philip Vivian talks about the Sydney studio's design proposal:

"Our design integrates current workplace thinking, creating three large highly interconnected work spaces, with hubs at the natural intersection of circulation and form. The resulting floorplate is flexible, efficient, and designed for financial services firms in today’s knowledge economy.

'The 380m tall triangular geometry responds to the masterplan axis, sits comfortably within the KLIFD parkland while maximising views of Kuala Lumpur and hills beyond.'

'Inspired by the growth patterns of bamboo, the organic triangular form is highly efficient in terms of wind shear, creating a cost effective structure. The environmental approach is integral to the architecture, with a layered facade reducing heat load and glare, while recalling traditional architecture.'

The building elegantly tapers to create an omni directional iconic profile on the skyline, its warm soft glassy image theatrically playing with the Petronas Towers to create a uniquely Malaysian skyline.

This building’s timeless design will be attractive and adaptable to the needs of tenants through the next century.

The design is now short-listed with designs from SOM and Foster + Partners from an original field of twelve.

Director Guy Lake reflects on the collaboration between Iglu and Bates Smart:

'Working with Iglu is consistently rewarding. Creative collaboration is essential to find the optimum solution, particularly when you are trying to create a product with a real point of difference such as the Iglu model. There is a high level of trust and Iglu as a client are integral to the design team.’

The 12 storey building is read as a series of stacked volumes that sit on a two storey terracotta base that provides warmth and a human scale to the street. The two lower levels of the building accommodate a range of indoor communal spaces that open onto a large landscaped courtyard for residents to meet and socialize.

Internally off-form concrete, timber and terracotta provide a backdrop of raw natural materials. Colour and texture is introduced through fabric, rugs and furniture to create a relaxed atmosphere. 

Visit Bates Smart to learn more about Iglu Chatswood.

Iglu Chatswood

Images by Brett Boardman

The Melbourne restaurant will seat 45 people and accommodate 70 staff and will continue as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal after the Fat Duck residency closes.

Workplace Strategist Kellie Payne comments:

'We undertook an extensive briefing process with Amadeus which early on showed strong evidence that there was a large appetite for workplace change and that an ABW workplace would suit their teams. The Amadeus workforce is increasingly nomadic both locally and globally, resulting in under-utilisation of space and emerging silos between teams.

A new ‘free range’ workplace will enable team members to embed themselves with their colleagues as required, respond rapidly to any issues or incidents, and share their knowledge to achieve the company’s vision to “shape the future of travel”.

We are excited to have the opportunity to take this project to the next stage with Amadeus and to see the design concepts developed through the briefing stage come to fruition. Our job was made considerably easier as the client was really impressed with the quality of our base building.'

The team are now in design development with the project due for completion in 2015.

Bates Smart architect and jury member Karen Wong commented on the jury's decision:

'Mikhail's project was rigorously researched and beautifully presented. It conveyed the deep level of thought and process he had gone through and the outcome showed his diverse skills and architectural ambition.'

View Mikhails work in the gallery below and visit his website

Detailed articulation and individual expression in each dwelling references the elegant tradition of Sydney townhouses developed in the last century.

The houses are grouped as a series of 7 clusters with an internal ring road to maximise solar access, sea breezes and minimise through site traffic.

This is the second of 4 stages that form the redevelopment of the former Prince Henry Hospital Site undertaken by Brookfield Residential Properties.

When realized the project will provide approximately 270 apartments across a mixture of new and repurposed heritage hospital buildings dating back to the 1920-30's.

Prince Henry at Little Bay

Our two new Business Development Managers, Amanda Rogers (Melbourne) and Cate Cowlishaw (Sydney), have both had over ten years experience in the design and property community, and understand the importance of maintaining good relationships across all facets of the industry.

Cate and Amanda’s focus will be ensuring our existing and valued clients continue to receive a high level of service and great design outcomes, working closely with the Directors and senior staff across both offices.

They will also work to identify exciting future clients who will provide the opportunity to deliver the high quality design outcomes that Bates Smart is renowned for.

Fifty years on we are proud to report that this elegant building has defied the test of time.

The Australian chancery was the first purpose-built antipodean embassy since Australia House, London, built in 1918. It had to fulfill a demanding brief including high security, fall-out shelters as well as ambassadorial and diplomatic suites and was located in a city largely dedicated to the Beaux-Arts architectural style.

The resulting abstract form acknowledged the city's preoccupation with the Beaux-Arts while following the contemporary US embassy style of classical modernism and adhering to the city's height restrictions.

Facades of perfect symmetry and order are clad in white Tennesse marble with bronze tinted glass. The interior makes extensive use of Australian timbers, furnishings and contemporary Australian art.

Public Design - 171 Collins Street

Workplace Design - Evans and Partners

Residential Design - 35 Spring Street Display Suite

Residential Decoration - 35 Spring Street Display Suite

The awards will be announced in Sydney on May 16.