Get up close and personal with the buildings, places and spaces shaping our city.
Get up close and personal with the buildings, places and spaces shaping our city.
What happens when a passionate crew of dedicated local architects, built environment professionals and GC citizens volunteer their time to celebrate our city’s unique urban landscape? Gold Coast Open House Architecture Festival, that’s what!
Running from Tuesday 4th to Sunday 16th October, the free festival opens the doors of new and historic homes, buildings, and other interesting places across the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers region. Highlighting the structures, places and spaces that shape our coastal city and lifestyle, enjoy architect-led tours of homes and community buildings, tours of historic buildings, self-guided walking tours, photo competitions, public panel discussions, topical documentaries, and more.
Gold Coast Open House is part of Open House Worldwide, the largest celebration of urban design in the world. With something for everyone, it will encourage us to discover local hidden gems, and shine the spotlight on how we design our abodes and city for the future.
Architect-led tours of new homes and residential towers
If sustainable design is your jam, join architect tours of Currumbin Waters’ net-zero, carbon-neutral home Kingfisher House Gold Coast, and Springbrook’s unique mountain cabin Cloudview designed to maximise rainwater capture. There will also be tours of the light-filled, canal-side stunner Selamanya in Burleigh Waters, and special intel from the architect behind 272 Hedges Avenue’s wow-factor façade. Skip over the border for a tour of Banksia House, recipient of a 2022 Queensland Architectural Award for New Homes, and House On Brandon, the ultimate contemporary beach shack. Finally, join a Q&A with the architects behind Coastside in Mermaid Beach on how to design and build on a narrow lot.
Behind-the-scenes tours of community places and open house talks
Check out the Gold Coast Desalination Plant and Hinze Dam, explore the design and sustainability of the new Pimpama Sports Hub, and visit the sustainably focussed and energy efficient CORNERBLOCK workplace in Arundel. Cultural heads will lap up tours of the iconic gallery and outdoor stage at HOTA, and step inside the creative design studio of Mermaid Beach’s Art‒Work. Plus, hear four panels of experts chewing the fat over a range of topics in relation to the design of our city, from designing for water and green spaces, to smart yet economical design.
Documentary screenings and other events at HOTA
Catch the documentary film Shored Up and tune into a Q&A with Director Ben Kalina to discuss what a rising sea will do to our homes and communities. There’s also a screening of the local indigenous documentary Yana Yenyin Baia, followed by a panel discussion led by the Indigenous Oral History Officer at the City of Gold Coast.
Now this one caught our attention! Homeowners planning a reno or building project can access a limited number of FREE one-on-one design ideation sessions with leading local architects at Ask an Architect, and we are SO here for it! Plus, year 10, 11 and 12 students thinking about a career in architecture can attend Architect for a Day, presented by the Australian Institute of Architects.
Self-guided walking tours and photography competition
Don your Lululemons and take a self-guided tour of our Surfers Paradise Towers of the 60s and 70s, Award Winning Contemporary Apartment Buildings, and the Historic Buildings of Southport. And finally, budding photographers are invited to submit photos from their walking tour for the chance to win two prizes of $1,000 each. Kaching!
With Hopo coming to the party with 2-4-1 day passes throughout the festival to help people get to and from HOTA and to the various self-guided walks, you can take in our beautiful city’s landscape from the water as well as the land!
The festival is free to attend, however certain activities require registration. To check out the 2022 program and book your tickets, go here.
Where: All over the Gold Coast
When: Tuesday 4th – Sunday 16th October
Words by Bianca Trathen.
Nicole Dyer is a well-known member of the local Gold Coast community, having hosted every program at the ABC Gold Coast since joining the station more than 15 years ago. Nicole has recently been announced as the Gold Coast Open House Ambassador for 2022.
With the Gold Coast’s unique history, colourful personalities and rapidly changing landscape, Nicole says this presents a unique challenge for architecture and buildings on the Gold Coast.
We found out a bit more about Nicole, including her favourite architectural gems on the Gold Coast and her top pick for a cuppa.
Tell us a bit about you. (Both personally & professionally)
My passion for radio began while I was studying journalism at the Queensland University of Technology….I always loved drama and acting so the idea of becoming a radio broadcaster really appealed to me.
After my degree …I moved to Melbourne because I was in love and while that relationship didn’t work…I found a new passion working in community radio which gave me the experience to get jobs at commercial radio stations up and down the eastern seaboard from Townsville to Sydney for 13 years…before landing at ABC Gold Coast.
Seriously? Who doesn’t want to work a block from the beach.
Breakfast radio hours are crazy and my partner who is also a journalist works at the opposite end of the day in Brisbane – so we play tag team with our 12 year old and write plenty of messages on the fridge whiteboard. I do a lot of driving on the M1 so I have a special bond with listeners who drive the Pacific Motorway every day.
You are the Gold Coast Open House Ambassador for 2022. For those who may not be familiar what is the Gold Coast Open House
GCOH is like getting a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory…a chance to go inside innovatively designed homes and be inspired. As well as the private houses you get to experience spaces and places that are otherwise out of bounds or perhaps not on your radar such as the Desalination Plant, Broadwater Chapel by the Sea or the Ernest Junction Rail Tunnel.
This FREE event is for anyone who appreciates architecture or wants to become an architect. It also includes free guided tours and a stack of panel discussions such as future proofing homes and cost-effective backyard extensions.
My advice is to book ASAP as places go pretty fast, especially for private homes.
How did you come to be the ambassador Gold Coast Open House for 2022?
I’ve always had a fascination for how others live and how they design their homes to get maximum joy out of it – so when the former city architect and GCOH spokesperson Philip Follent asked If I wanted to help share the word about this event – it was a no brainer.
What are your favourite Gold Coast architectural gems?
I love driving past the Southport Bathing Pavilion which was built in the 1930’s….as it immediately takes me back to the Gold Coast of old…when beach culture was emerging as a real past time.
I also love the HOTA gallery for its design, colours, and innovation. A couple of years ago…I visited the micro-terraces in the heart of Southport built from some of the smallest freehold residential lots in Australia. The balance between limited space, quality of lifestyle and design really stuck with me.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s event?
I recently discovered the Gold Coast Historical Museum and fell in love with the history of the site which features the graves of early pioneers and a relocated cottage which artist Vincent Sheldon built himself. It is run by volunteers and this piece of paradise is perfect for a browse and picnic. I also love Cloudview which is a rainforest cabin at Springbrook that has a roof design that opens up…to help with gutter maintenance and water collecting.
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Favourite café/coffee spot: I am a big fan of having a cup of homegrown herbal tea at the Botanic Gardens at Benowa
Restaurant: I took my daughter to the Currumbin Wildlife sanctuary Koala breakfast for her birthday last year – not officially a restaurant but there were koalas and it was pretty special…As for actual restaurants….I can’t pick just one but I am a sucker for a good fresh seafood platter.
Bar or place for a drink: Anywhere with a good view and good service.
Beach:- Coolangatta
How do you choose to spend your weekends
I love nothing more than a sleep in, yoga and a big cooked breakfast…then some quality time with my family.
Stand up paddle boarding is next on my Saturday to-do list.
The time of year when we get to peek inside people’s homes and beautiful architectural buildings across the Coast without getting into trouble for being creepy is upon us once again Gold Coasters.
That’s right friends, in just a few short weeks, iconic Gold Coast buildings and some absolutely mind-blowing homes will throw open their doors so you can waltz on in and learn a thing or two about our local heritage and marvel at some insane architecture.
On Saturday 19th October 2019, the fifth annual Gold Coast Open House unlocks places and spaces right across the city. From heritage gems to sports venues and inspiring buildings, homes, churches, schools, universities, museums, art galleries, TV and radio stations, public utilities and workplaces, all of which reflect our city’s unique architecture and urban design.
We’ve chosen five spaces to chat about so you get a look into what’s on offer when Gold Coast Open House rolls around.
Gold Coast Mosque
We have quite honestly never set foot inside a mosque but what an honour it is to be able to do so thanks to Gold Coast Open House. The building, with a large green dome the most prominent design feature, was built in 1996 and if you choose to tour through the space, you’ll get to peek inside the prayer room complete with an intricate chandelier conveying transcendental symbolism. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about a culture that we don’t often have access to, so highly recommend getting on board for this one.
Where: 144 Allied Drive, Arundel
Southport Bathing Pavilion
A beautiful building on the beach at Southport, the bathing pavilion was built in 1934 as a change room for people visiting the Broadwater beach. The Pavilion is historically significant as it demonstrates the development of the Gold Coast as a seaside resort in the 1930s and reflects a new culture associated with beach going. Pop in to learn about some interesting Gold Coast history and check out the gallery for some old school local imagery. Don’t miss this spot.
Where: Marine Pde, Southport
Surfworld Gold Coast
A museum dedicated to surfing is the perfect Gold Coast thing and if you’ve not yet had to pleasure of setting foot inside Surfworld, down Currumbin Way, now’s your chance. The museum has one of Australia’s, if not the world’s, greatest surfboard collections, including the Caballito de Totora which is the earliest known wave riding craft used to fish and catch waves. It’s a really cool place to check out and we highly recommend adding it to your list.
Where: 35 Tomewin St, Currumbin
Keith Williams House
Talk about a house you want to sticky beak at. Tourism entrepreneur, the late Keith Williams built this beauty in 1984 and it is unlike anything we’ve seen before. The three-storey rendered brick mansion was designed by Brisbane architect Roger Parkin in grand southern Californian style and it boasts a timbered billiards room and eight-seat cinema to name but a few small features. Overlooking the canals and with room for you and all your friends, go and pretend you’re living the high life just for a day.
Where: Commodore Dr, Surfers Paradise
Gold Coast Little Theatre
Dating back to 1950, Gold Coast Little Theatre (GCLT) is the Gold Coast’s oldest community theatre. In the early days, plays and musicals were staged in what is now known as Molly’s – two World War II Army Huts that sit one on top of the other. The main theatre building, which opened in 1983 has intimate seating for up to 150 guests. There are whisperings of a ghost, so keep your eyes peeled for that little guy (or gal).
Where: 21A Scarborough St, Southport
Words by Kirra Smith
