wk33 (2024)
Mix
Octave One
Takaaki Itoh
QUANN
Architecture
Award-Winner Parramatta Aquatic Centre
The recently-completed aquatic centre in the city of Parramatta, considered Sydney’s second CBD, has exceed all visitor expectations within a short time after its opening.
It is a refreshing and innovative addition to the city’s portfolio of aquatic centres by fulfilling an under-supply of such facilities in the Western regions of Sydney, which are more drastically impacted by the summer’s high temperatures but often lack sufficient infrastructure that offers the local community from the heat.
Designed by a collaboration between Grimshaw, Andrew Burgess Architects, and McGregor Coxall, the pool is also a rethink on the design expectations of an aquatic centre. The low-profile structure offers an open-air olympic-size pool while keeping its impact in the UNESCO-listed site to a minimum.
The design has not only received admiration from the community and media but has also recently been awarded the Sulman Medal for Public Architecture and the Urban Design Award by the Australian Institute of Architects’ New South Wales Chapter.
You can read more about the project in its Wallpaper* feature.
Sydney Central Station Concourse
The heritage-listed Central Station originally opened in 1908 and continues to be the beating heart of Sydney’s rail system.
However, the existing infrastructure needed revitalisation and expansion to meet the contemporary needs of the city as well as a new metro line which supplements the current inner-city rail line.
However, with regulatory delays slowing the opening of the new metro section of the station, the latest edition to the historic site has been the renewal and expansion of its main concourse.
Designed by a partnership between John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot, the new concourse offers a starkly contemporary design that synchronously integrates with the heritage site. The structure’s white finish ensures the large addition does not overwhelm and detract the existing sandstone building, but leaves no mistake as to the intent of modernising Central station.
Large skylights allow plenty of natural light, while the high ceilings create a sense of vastness that creates a smooth and easy navigational experience for passengers.
You can read more on the Wallpaper* feature on the new project.
Language
OURs
In recent preparation for a trip to Japan I have been trying my best to have a go at learning some Japanese, lest I be a complete gaijin.
I had a go at Duolingo as well as Pimsleur but have also tried to spend some language immersion time on Youtube to get accustomed to the rhythms and intonations of the language.
After all, I have accrued an 80-day streak on Duolingo and frankly don’t have much to show for it.
The best way to immerse in a language is to find content creators in an area that you are interested in and just listen without worrying about understanding everything. With enough time you’ll start picking up more local intricacies than you would by just doing online lessons.
For me, the main areas of interest are fashion and design. Luckily, I had come across quite a few Japanese lifestyle vloggers. But recently I found this channel, OURs, which follows a group of friends who are deeply into fashion on their shopping trip around Japan and the world.
I’ve been trying to watch as much as I can to immerse myself, but mostly for the shopping advice to be honest. Below you can see their vlog on their trip to Paris Fashion Week, enjoy.
