Les Voileries du Sud‑Ouest, Cirque du Soleil Grand Chapiteau tent, Melbourne, Australia

Another example in ephemeral architecture, the big top tent of the Cirque du Solei OVO production based at Melbourne Docklands is quite a sight to behold, given it's scale and bright blue and yellow skin. The swirling reminds me of the ye old red and white  rotating poles located outside barbershops. As far as circus' to run away to go, this would be a pretty much Willy and the Wonka chocolate factory on steroids. The vinyl skin of the tent was designed and manufactured by Voileries du Sud‑Ouest [link] and has travelled around the world numerous times with the various productions taking no less than 5 days with a team of 100 people to set it up.           

BVN Architecture in association with Gray Puksand, Bendigo Bank Headquarters, Bendigo, Australia

The Bendigo Bank Head Quarters designed by BVN Architecture [link] in association with Gray Puksand [link], with it's perforated metal cladding facade is reminiscent of a scaled up Meccano set [link] with similar bright vibrant colours of cladding to boot. Somehow I would feel more comfortable stashing a venerable selection of bank notes behind those walls than the version I could create in the privacy of my own living room. The head quarters was completed in 2008. 

Toon Architects, Hargreaves Mall, Bendigo, Australia

It's not everyday one gets excited and inspired by the design of a pair of dunnys but there are exceptions to every rule, with the cutting edge designs by Toon Architects [link] been a case in point. Looking more like the upper decks of a Imperial Star Destroyer [link] that has had a run-in with a X-wing, than your more typical backyard cubicle, the two toilets blocks were completed in 2010. If only the doors opened vertically instead of sideways.       

Woods Bagot in collaboration with NH Architecture, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Australia

Looking like a cutting edge set of organ pipes, more at home at a Hillsong centre from certain angles (if only they played more of the good time oldies). The Melbourne Convention Centre was designed by Woods Bagot [link], in collaboration with NH Architecture [link] and was completed in 2009.

Jackson Architecture, Melbourne Park National Tennis Centre, Melbourne, Australia

With futuristic lines more a kin to something like out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the National Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park designed by Jackson Architecture [link] was completed in 2012. Let's just hope for the sake of the future of Australian tennis, that the computer controlled HVAC system doesn't do a HAL.