Lab Architecture Studio
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture, Urban design |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia, United Kingdom, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates |
Key people | Peter Davidson (director), Donald Bates (director) |
| Products | Architectural design, Urban design |
| Website | www |
LAB Architecture Studio was an architectural and urban design practice based in Melbourne, Australia, with additional offices located in London and Shanghai.
Directors
Peter Davidson completed his Bachelor of Architecture in 1980 at the NSW Institute of Technology in Sydney. In 1981, he relocated to London where he worked as an editorial assistant for the publication International Architect. Davidson managed his own architectural firm for a decade and held teaching positions at various institutions, including the Architectural Association School of Architecture, where he connected with fellow director Donald Bates. After experiencing a major stroke in 2010, Davidson withdrew from active participation in LAB Architecture Studio.
Donald Bates received his bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Houston, Texas, in 1978, followed by a master’s degree from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1983. Bates contributed as associate architect to Daniel Libeskind on significant projects such as the Berlin city edge competition and the extension of the Berlin Museum, now known as the Jewish Museum Berlin. Following Davidson's health crisis, Bates encountered scrutiny regarding his partner’s care. In 2012, Bates was appointed as chair of architectural design at the University of Melbourne.
International awards
- 2008 Mipim AR Future Project Award, honorable mention
- 2003 FX International Interior Design Awards London, winner in Best Museum category
- 2007 Cityscape Architectural Review Awards, shortlisted for Commercial Built and Community Future Category
- 2003 Kenneth Brown Award Hawaii, recognized for Asia Pacific Architecture
- 2005 Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence: Asia Pacific USA Best Public Project
- 2006 Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Awards, USA
Australian National Architecture Awards
- 2003 Walter Burley Griffin Award recognizing Urban Design excellence
- 2003 Award for Interior Architecture
- 2007 RAIA National Award honoring International Architecture
RAIA Victorian Awards
- 2003 Victorian Architecture Medal recipient
- 2003 Marion Mahony Griffin Award for Interior Architecture
- 2003 Melbourne Prize recipient
- 2003 Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design
Other Awards
- New Award Australia recognition
- 2003 Interior Design Awards Australia winner
- 2003 Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture — Award for Design Excellence
- 2003 Dulux Interior Colour Award recipient
- 2003 Public Domain Award for Sustainability achievement
- 2005 Commendation at the Governor of Victoria Export Awards
- 2005 Property Council of Australia, Victorian Division, State winner and Best Public Building awardee
- 2006 MBA National Building & Construction Award, Export award under $25m category
- 2006 Australian Stone Architectural Awards, Best Civic Project winner
Federation Square
Completed in 2002, Federation Square is situated at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets in Melbourne, Australia. Spanning approximately 45,000 square metres, it combines commercial, civic, and cultural functions. Prominent occupants include the Ian Potter Centre (NGV), the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), headquarters for SBS (Australian TV channel) in Melbourne, and the Melbourne Visitor Centre.
In 1997, an international design competition was initiated by the Victorian Government to develop a new civic space linking Flinders Street with the Yarra River. Out of a total of 177 submissions, Bates Smart Architects and LAB Studio Architects were selected as winners for their inaugural building project.
The central plaza is designed to hold up to 25,000 attendees and includes an outdoor amphitheatre that hosts festivals, concerts, and major cultural and sporting broadcasts such as the annual Tropfest and AFL Grand Final.
Although it has become a landmark location, Federation Square was initially met with considerable public criticism regarding its architectural design.
Mixed-use Developments and Office Complexes
SOHO Shangdu Beijing, China (2004–07) Land area: 2.2 hectares Total floor space: 170,000 square meters Function: commercial, residential, and retail
Riyadh Business Center Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2005) Land area: 3.9 hectares Total floor space: 87,000 square meters Function: office spaces, hotel accommodations, retail outlets
Tatweer Towers Dubai (2006) Land area: 7.6 hectares Total floor space: 1,500,000 square meters Function: commercial offices, residential units, hotel facilities, retail areas
Zovie Towers Tianjin, China (2007–) Land area: 2.7 hectares Total floor space: 223,710 square meters Function: commercial offices, residential spaces, retail shops, hotel services, business club
Guardian Towers Abu Dhabi (2007–09) Land area: 0.7 hectares Total floor space: 50,000 square meters