28.12.08

2008 Christmas Wrap Up



2008 has been another big and exciting year for Bark Design Architects. Our Christmas and New Year greeting card sampled several of the years highlights along the graphic lines of 'Abundant' - Australia's architecture exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale held in September this year (Bark exhibited work in Abundant).
 

2009 is also set to be big, with the completion of several new projects and the construction of 'Stage 2' of our Noosa Hinterland Bark Design Studio - an experiment in concrete, timber, glass and water....

4.11.08

Architecture - Inspired by Australia


Bark Design Architects are very pleased that the Bark Studio and the adjoining Dunlop Webb House in the Noosa Hinterland are two Queensland projects featured in Architecture - Inspired by Australia, a new book by Mint Publishing featuring some of the most beautiful and considered buildings by twenty two australian architecture practices.
"Following the success of 'Architecture inspired by New Zealand', comes the next book in this series combining the best of residential architecture together with spectacular and unique landscapes..... designs that are featured in the book have been largely informed by the nature of the environment, whether it is red plains, steep escarpments, lush gullies, rolling woodland or golden beaches.....Twenty-two top Australian architects, discuss what drove their design and the factors they took into consideration concerning site, materials and approach. The designs they came up with are a unique and sympathetic response to the different environments."
Architects featured include: Durbach Block, Peter Stutchbury, Nick Turner, Ian Moore, Philip Cox, Glenn Murcutt, James Grose, Shane Thompson and Daniel R Fox, Lindy Atkin and Stephen Guthrie of Bark, Max Pritchard, Con Bastaris, Craig Rosevear, Stuart Tanner, Scott Balmforth, Gerard Reinmuth, Richard Blythe, Reno Rizzo, Kerstin Thompson, Stephen Jolson, Tim Jackson, Jon Clements, Graham Burrows, John Wardle, Adrian Iredale, John Nichols and Dale Jones-Evans.

Woodgate Beach House


Bark Design Architects are currently in the construction documentation phase for a new timber beach house at Woodgate, on Queensland's Capricorn Coast, to commence construction early 2009.

During the design process Bark have explored the essence of some traditional Sri Lankan design in a contemporary context to align and compliment the memory, experience and culture of our clients homeland, and are currently developing a series of perforated compressed fibre cement screens to articulate and moderate light on the project.

'Beach Access' Display Pavilion on drawing board


Fresh off the drawing board at Bark Design Architects is a new Residential Sales and Display Pavilion for a large residential community, coastal site in Northern New South Wales. The design works with ideas of experience and memory of 'being at the beach' to develop a 'journey' of particular coastal experiences in the building.

Essentially, this building is about ‘framing’ the potentials of living as a natural sustainable casual lifestyle proposition.

Bark Design Architects design intention is to connect the experience of the building to the broader coastal landscape, providing a memorable experience of possibilities of the seaside landscape using topography, endemic coastal vegetation and dappled light and shadow.

28.10.08

Publish or Perish


Bark Design Architects believe in a lesson learned from Architect John Mainwaring regarding the scholarly practice mantra of "Publish or Perish"...... our list of published articles is growing.

27.10.08

Bark talks Practice with Young Architects Group


Friday night saw Bark and James Russell share the 'soap box' in their In Practice talk to young graduates. 30+ architecture graduates and young architects gathered informally on the steps at architect James Russell's Fortitude Valley office to hear James and Lindy, Steve and Phil from Bark Design Architects talk about the formation, growth and vibe of their respective offices as one in a series of recent YArch organised 'In Practice' talks which are designed to expose recent graduates to some real elements of architectural Practice.

Four Bark Projects Currently under Construction



The China Beach House at Sunrise at 1770, Capricorn Coast Queensland.

The Glass House Mountain House at Maleny, Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

The Coast Apartments at Sunshine Beach, Sunshine Coast.

The Noosa Visitor Information Centre for Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Tourism Noosa, Hastings Street, Noosa Heads.

Glenn Murcutt Masterclass in July 2008


Our 2008 Glenn Murcutt International Masterclass at Riversdale.

Engaging with the fragility and splendour of a unique Southern New South Wales site to discover ways of building reconciliation into the landscape, which both cradled and tortured the great Australian painter, Arthur Boyd.

The sharing and wisdom of all the tutors was outstanding. Their projects moving in so many ways. Collaboration in design groups with wonderful people from across the planet was at once challenging and inspiring.
A week of understanding the site at Riversdale and a week of intense collaboration at the University of Sydney architecture studios to demonstrate our design approach for 'Reconciliation'.

Drawings, sketches and models were produced in abundance and many emotions were aroused. A truly memorable experience....

31.5.08

Discovery Coast 'Bush' House


Our Discovery Coast 'Bush House' near the Town of 1770, designed for a repeat client and friend, and recently bought by a couple of Brisbane architects, will be a featured project in a new book published by Thames & Hudson.

“A Place in the Country: New Rural Architecture in Australia and New Zealand” by Stephen Crafti is due out next month.

Bark's 'Noosa Visitor Info Centre' goes to Venice!

Bark is one of 150 Australian architects invited to exhibit an architectural project presently 'on the drawing board' as part of Abundant - the Australian exhibition at the 11th Architectural Biennale in Venice.

'Abundant' will suggest to the world the diversity and richness of Australia's architectural canon, as an energetic setting for architectural production relevant to Australia's recent past and future.

The design process for Bark's Noosa Visitor Information Centre, Hastings Street, Noosa has been selected and physically represented as an interpretive design model to be shipped to Venice, Italy for the exhibition to be held in September this year.

24.5.08

Bark to join Glenn Murcutt Masterclass 2008


Bark directors Lindy Atkin and Stephen Guthrie are excited to have been selected to participate in the 2008 Glenn Murcutt International Architecture Masterclass led by the Architecture Foundation Australia, to be held between 05 - 19 July 2008 in New South Wales.
The Master Class is a two-week residential program of 'total immersion' and is limited to 32 places selected on credentials and merit. Glenn Murcutt is joined by tutors Richard Leplastrier, Peter Stutchbury, Brit Andresen and Lindsay Johnston.
Commenced in 2001, the annual Master Class has been described by many participants as ”a life changing experience” and has created a wonderful international alumni network which includes architects (older and younger), academics, postgraduates and senior students from all over the world. Visit www.ozetecture.org

23.5.08

Belle/AAA Sunshine Coast Tour


Membership to the Australian Architecture Association (AAA) is open to all, and aims to promote contemporary architecture to as many people as possible - in part through architecture tours, and it will be holding 190 of them throughout the year predominantly in New South Wales. The AAA in conjunction with Belle magazine are focusing on the architecture of the Sunshine Coast for their fourth one-day tour. Visitors will go inside some of the most interesting contemporary residential and public architecture on the Sunshine Coast with the architects Lindsay and Kerry Clare, from the firm Architectus, John Mainwaring from JMA Architects; Lindy Atkin and Stephen Guthrie from Bark. Lindy and Stephen are founding members of the AAA, and will lead the group through their Noosa Hinterland House and Bark Design Studio. Visit www.architecture.org.au/

GOMA Place Makers Exhibition

The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane, Australia will showcase significant work of 22 Queensland based architectural practices built during the last 15 years. The exhibition runs between 2 August and 23 November 2008 and will be the largest exhibition of contemporary architecture ever staged in an Australian art museum. Bark is particular proud to be represented by the inclusion of the Bark Design Studio and the Hervey Bay House in the exhibition. Visit www.qag.qld.gov.au/placemakers and www.qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/coming_soon/place_makers_contemporary_queensland_architects?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=printer_friendly

19.4.08

RAIA Win for Back House!


The Back House at Tewantin was awarded a Commendation in the recent Royal Australian Institute of Architects Awards for the Sunshine Coast region. At the Awards ceremony held at the University of the Sunshine Coast, the house was commended out of an impressive array of high calibre projects, the Back House is now eligible to be judged for a 2008 Queensland State architectural award.

29.3.08

2008 BOSS Space Awards







"The Australian Financial Review (AFR) BOSS magazine announced today the winners of its inaugural 2008 BOSS Space awards, as well as its annual list of best Australian workplace designs.

The biennial competition aims to unearth Australia’s best offices and workspaces – those that are cutting edge, creative, sustainable, and which have drawn on staff inspiration or involvement. It’s also a celebration of the importance of office aesthetics, since good design is a major drawcard for employees who want to love the place they work in as much as the job itself.

Narelle Hooper, editor, AFR BOSS magazine said, "The impressive quality of the entries in our inaugural 2008 BOSS Space Awards shows that an increasing number of bosses are finally getting it – that design can enhance or hinder harmony, creativity and productivity."
The judges, a panel of leading architecture and design experts, praised the outstanding quality of all 78 entries received, out of which 17 were selected for special mention."


We are pleased that the Bark Studio was awarded an Honorable Mention. Of the 17 selected finalists, the Bark Studio is the only Queensland project and probably one of the 'smallest' work spaces and design practices in the 2008 BOSS Space Awards.

Phil T returns to the Bark team


Bark is pleased to announce the return of Phil Tillotson to the team.


Phil previously worked as an architectural student with Bark Design Architects during his undergraduate degree for two years on exciting and now published projects including Hervey Bay House, Marcus Beach House and Blue Tongue Apartments (project image above).


Phil has joined us again, after working with notable practices in Brisbane and finishing his architecture degree at the University of Queensland.


Welcome back Phil!

Glass House Mountain House


Construction is soon to commence on this anticipated house in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast designed for an australian family living and working in Bucharest, Romania.

Conceived to capture the essence and the magic of its magnificent site perched high above the Glass House Mountains, the house takes cues from Japanese sensibilities and Southern Californian mid century moderism to frame a contemporary lifestyle with glass, steel and natural timbers, beyond a large gabion wall of local stones, within a courtyard of calm contemplation and reflection and within spaces inextricably linked to the landscape with seamless thresholds between inside and outside.

Through a selection and 'negotiated' tender process, Nathan Quail of local Maleny builders Quail Constructions is the sucessful builder for the project and is due to start early site works later this month.

22.1.08

Bark Back House


The Back House focuses on a private northern courtyard, double height indoor and outdoor living and entry lap pool.