DASH Architects

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a milestone project. October's Reflection A dive into the archives … A dive through our archives bring back so many memories and reminds us of the vast catalogue of work undertaken in the past 60 years. So many notable names on the drawings from past and present staff. So many projects: East End Markets, Government House, Gouger Street Upgrade, Beehive Corner, Pancake Parlours!… the list goes on. The smell of the drawings brings back memories of ammonia printers (the headaches!), light sensitive paper, and scratching out mistakes unit you’ve created a hole in your drawing. Let’s also not forget some artistry in their preparation.  …

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a mile stone project. September’s Reflection Libraries, and lots of them! … For over 30 years DASH Architects has delivered dozens of library projects for local communities and schools. It’s fascinating to see how the role of libraries has changed over the years. 20 years ago some were saying they were no longer relevant, but they remain as important to communities today as they ever had. Project highlights have included libraries for Burnside Council, Unley, Goolwa, West Torrens, Holdfast Bay, Barossa, Burton and (of course) the Mortlock Library. We’ve also assisted with upgrades to libraries in Port Adelaide, Semaphore, Enfield, North Adelaide, Prospect, Clare, Adelaide University, City of Adelaide, Goodwood and multiple regional schools. …

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a mile stone project. August’s Reflection Year: 2003 Project: Adina Adelaide Treasury Client: The TOGA Group of Companies … A milestone project not only for DASH Architects, but heritage and its future management in South Australia generally. This grand old building sat mostly vacant for decades before options for its adaptive reuse were actioned. Working in association with SJB, these former Government offices were converted into a boutique hotel that celebrated the site's immense history. The project was not without controversy, with initial outcry over the use of this public building for private purposes. The outcome silenced the critics however, becoming an exemplar in the contemporary adaptive reuse of our heritage places. The project went on to be awarded an Award of Merit (RAIA SA Chapter), Edmund Wright Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Heritage, and a UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award of Merit. …

Progress at Lyndoch is coming along quickly, can’t wait to see the end result in 2025.

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a mile stone project. July’s Reflection Year: 2008 Project: TransAdelaide Toilet, South Park Lands, Adelaide Client: TransAdelaide … Sometimes the memorable projects are small. In 2008 DASH was asked to design a toilet facility for tram divers in the rail corridor that dissects Adelaide’s south Park Lands. The project presented many challenges: The complexity of work within an electrified rail corridor; a prominent Park Lands setting; vulnerability to graffiti; access for maintenance; and the potentially archetypal design responses for facilities of this nature. As remains the case today, there was also considerable debate regarding the appropriateness of buildings in the Park Lands. The project's outcome demonstrates one of the design tenets of DASH: take potential problems and celebrate them as features. A deliberately simple form, with the entrances concealed from view, was emblazoned with a ‘daisy fresh’ graphic that playfully questioned how architecture should respond to function and context. The daisies both whimsically reference while also belie the building's use. The daisies deliberately respond to their Park Lands setting in a cliched manner, while also being prominently out of scale and in contrast to their rail corridor setting. The daisies discourage graffiti, are very low maintenance, while also putting a smile on our face every time we drive past them some 16 years later. We hope they have the same effect on others. …

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a mile stone project. June’s Reflection Year: 2019 Project: Elder Hall, University of Adelaide Client: University of Adelaide Awards: 2019 David Saunders Heritage Award, Australian Institute of Architects (SA Chapter) … Elder Hall is the University of Adelaide’s second oldest building and Australia’s first Conservatorium of Music. In 2017 DASH Architects was engaged to remove the 1961 rear addition to the hall and restore its facade back to its original form, but with a new performer’s entrance. Extensive research was required to determine the original configuration of this facade, as most historic photos were of other elevations. Extensive traditional stone reconstruction was necessary, with the final outcome including a new contemporary rear entrance that celebrates the buildings use, drawing visual references from the historic organ within. The project is one that we remain very proud of, and went on to win the 2019 David Saunders Heritage Award Australian Institute of Architects (SA Chapter) …

Continuing our 60th anniversary celebrations, we look back each month at a mile stone project. May’s Reflection Year: 2017 Project: 115 King William Street, Adelaide (115KWS) … This month's selection is 115 King William Street. Accommodating a 24 storey office building, on a site only 12m wide and 28m deep presented many challenges. Maximising NLA yields while providing necessary sheer residence in a tall slender structure, required a coordinated approach from the design team that included PT Design (structural), Lucid Consulting Australia (Services) and RLB (costs). At the time 115KWS was ground breaking for a site of these dimensions, with the landmark building’s construction being a credit Synergy Construct. DASH Architects’ interiors team also designed the fit-out of several of the floors within the building, showcasing our expertise maximising the sense of space in challenging and tight floor plates. …

This year marks the 60th anniversary of DASH Architects. To celebrate we look back each month at a milestone project. Year: 1995 Project: Beehive Corner … With the South Australian History Festival in May we felt it appropriate to reflect on our restoration of the iconic Beehive Corner Building. A wonderful project facilitated by the Adelaide City Council who coordinated the agreement between the individual owners to see the facade restored back to its historic glory, including the replacement of the missing bee sitting atop its hive to the corner. … #beehivecorner #SAhistoryfestival #dasharchitects #adelaidecitycouncil #heritagearchitecture #bees #adlarchitecture