Tasmanian timber is a thing of beauty.

Following the opening of the University of Tasmania’s Inveresk Library by Wardle in early 2022, the second major building in the Northern Transformation Program is now complete. Designed as a pairing to the Willis Street Building, “The Shed”, to be completed in 2024, the latest building opened to students, staff, and the Tasmanian public in July 2023. With its sleek geometric lines and industrial exterior referencing the existing architecture of the area, the interior reveals a delightfully unexpected material palette. The brief and goals of the project required a material low in embodied carbon, a material that would challenge the traditional aesthetic of institutional settings and one that would support local Tasmanian jobs and businesses. The material chosen for meeting and surpassing these requirements? Tasmanian Oak.

Creating a handful of beautifully considered and finely constructed projects across the state of Tasmania, emerging architect Saxon Hall has been busy honing his craft in architecture & design for the last decade. Prior to establishing his own part-time practice Saxon Hall Architecture, Hall previously worked at one of Hobart’s leading architecture studios Morrison & Breytenbach Architects, where his inspiration to explore the limits and applications of Tasmanian Oak was ignited. Collaborating with a breadth of designers and tradespeople on his latest project, We Ponder House, Hall’s passion for using products low in embodied energy called for the use of Tasmanian Oak. Sustainability was also top of mind. As a nod to the state’s extensive use of the prized local timber in agriculture sheds that spot the scenic landscape – Tasmanian Oak was used for the home’s exterior but done with a modern and abstract twist.

Winner of the 2023 Tasmanian Emerging Architect Prize, architect Scott Flett from Flett Architecture is making waves amongst Australia’s architecture and design community. His latest project, Wattle Bird House, has also been on the receiving end of numerous awards for its innovative design and casually luxurious feel. With layer upon layer of intricate detail demonstrating Flett’s extensive knowledge of building and design, his tenacious pursuit in pushing the boundaries of materials and conventional architecture is showcased throughout this proudly Tasmanian home.

Purchased in 2020 in Geelong Victoria by architect George Meek and his partner, the restoration and extension of Murphy’s Place was a practice of cohesion between the old and new. Incorporating a range of textures and materials to establish a defined delineation between the existing cottage and the new form, the playful update of the cottage is a beautiful showcase of fine detail, timeless material selection and expert design.