Top Melbourne residential architects

Individual preference, project objectives, and specific criteria will all affect which residential firm you ultimately choose. To help you get started I thought I would list out my top 10 residential architecture firms in Victoria, Australia. 

Of course, this is just a list, and you should conduct your own research and due diligence before selecting an architectural firm for your next project. Most architects believe you will rate them based on the quality of their designs or level of expertise. So below are a few additional factors to consider as part of your assessment: 

• Processes and Methodologies. How do they do what they say they are going to do?

• Communication and Collaboration. This is a relationship that lasts years are you on the same way length?

• Budget and Cost Management. What are the costs to you going to be before you know the total financial commitment for your project?

Here are my top residential architecture firms in Victoria, Australia, in no particular order.  They have all completed work that I admire, and I've excluded firms owned or run by friends to avoid bias, albeit there are a handful that should be included:

• Austin Maynard Architects, is a Melbourne-based architecture firm recognised for its unconventional and often eccentric out-of-the-box designs.

• Amy Muir, Amy has garnered numerous awards for her exceptional work in residential and public architecture. I particularly liked her NGV installation and its relationship between architecture and landscape.

• Breathe Architecture, is a pioneer in local sustainable design, focusing not only on buildings but also on creating communities. 

• Bright Studios (previously MAKE) is a design studio that creates compelling designs which interpret their environment in dynamic and inventive ways, sometimes with a deeper story behind the design.

• Clare Cousins, creates visually stunning and functional work that pushes the boundaries of what residential architecture may achieve.

• John Wardle Architects, One of Melbourne's most well-known architectural firms. Still creating high-quality residences from one of the larger firms.

• Kennedy Nolan, creates very artistic work which have won multiple prizes, including the coveted Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture.

• Kerstin Thompson, a talented architect known for her distinctive style, highly technical and original work. 

• Rob Mills Architecture, create high-quality contemporary designs that are simultaneously modern and timeless.

• Sean Godsell Architects, Sean is widely considered one of the country's leading architects. Having received various medals and prizes in recognition of his pioneering work in residential and public architecture. Without him, no list is complete.

This is by no means a full list; rather, it represents some of my personal favourites. All have received various awards, and it should be noted that their outstanding work, as well as that of many others, would not have been possible without a builder of equal skill and quality. Their role in putting architectural plans into built form is critical to realising the architect's vision and ensuring that the finished project is of high quality, aesthetically pleasing, and benefits the lives of its residents or the larger community.

I hope you find some inspiration or at least a starting point, and remember that a home should always be more than the sum of its parts.

How much will my new house, shack, or renovation cost me?

YOUR BUDGET

As you might expect, answering this question is difficult. Given the variety of locations, designs, trades, options/upgrades, and products. The bottom line is that no builder, architect, estimator, or salesperson actually knows; there are just too many variables. There are, however, some general guidelines and ranges you can use to get started. So, I've outlined the basic starting points for a new project in 2023 here: https://www.threehatbuildings.com.au/pricing

Open Plan Living Design: 7 Tips for Building a Wonderful Living Space

When people started to gather to eat and share tales about our everyday lives, joking, laughing, and enjoying the drama or tragedies of our lives, the need for a suitable space has only grown. The wide range of designs we see now is primarily the result of early modernist ideas about breaking down spatial hierarchies. Even though certain forms and sizes work better than others, there is no ideal shape or size for an open-plan living space.

The functional purpose and the size of the group or family to be accommodated will always define the best layout and scale. Let's look at seven concepts underlying open-plan living and the most common varieties found in architecture today.

1. Design a useful living space around how it will function.

Its practical needs are sometimes disregarded since it is the most casual component of open-plan living. Items such as a sofa, lounge chairs, a TV, a cabinet, general lighting, reading/feature lighting, artwork, and, of course, the number of people who can sit on furniture and/or on the floor are included. Ideas such as where you will want the TV to be visible (or not) are also important to your layout. The amount of space required for each Living Area is governed by several factors, however, the following principles based on seating numbers will help you evaluate how much room is needed:

4 people seated: 15.5m²

6 people seated: 17.5m²

8 people seated: 23m²

2. Make sure there is enough room for circulation.

The path of travel is defined by the space between the furniture or walls and is the most obvious route from one end of the room to the other, or travelling across the open plan living space to the rooms or outdoors beyond. A generous amount of space here will improve safety when the area is darkened, or you are making a midnight passage to the refrigerator.

3. The Kitchen is always important

The kitchen is often designated as the hub of the home. Family members are usually made to interact to address a fundamental human need, such as food and water. The kitchen is commonly employed as an architectural element as the bookend of an open-plan living room. There are different types of kitchens, each with its unique purpose and advantages; here are a few examples:

Open Plan

An open floor plan kitchen with cabinets on three sides. The main entrances are on the fourth side, which leads to the dining and living spaces. The kitchen is often a square or rectangular space in a contemporary plan; however, alternative shapes are possible, such as the P, which integrates a butler's kitchen or pantry.

Walk through Kitchen

The kitchen is on one side of the open-plan living space, with a corridor to the other that leads to other rooms. An example of a modern walk-through Kitchen sits in front of the garage allowing for easy access to groceries.

The Arena Kitchen

A central kitchen surrounded by the living room on one side and the dining room on the other is the most difficult to achieve and requires the greatest skill on the part of the architect and interior designer. With active spaces on all sides, there are few possibilities for tall cupboards; thus, it often requires a larger floor area to pull off to maintain the sightlines of an open plan living.

4. Keep the furnishings low to optimise visibility.

Imagine an open-plan living space as a performer in the round, with audience members on all sides. The audience, in this case, consists of the surrounding environment and individuals passing through. Blurring these borders creates a feeling of connectedness between the inside and outside. However, this type puts significant restrictions on the varieties of visual spectacles that can be provided because everything is visible all at once

5. For greater intimacy, go with the walk-through kitchen.

A walk-through kitchen has three usable sides and is linked to the rear. This access has the added benefit of encouraging activity across the kitchen. Individuals walking through this kitchen in several directions and seeing it from all angles can promote intimate spaces in clever designs.

6. Keep your open-plan living space flexible.

Flexible Kitchen, Dining and Living areas do not establish a fixed relationship between all the elements. The Kitchen and Living Space are generally not physically separated; the people are standing, mixing, or sitting. Allowing furniture, chairs, stools, etc. to move between spaces is all part of the fun.

7. Both visibility and sound quality are critical.

Even if an open-plan living space is physically pleasing, poor sound quality can spoil a small gathering. Sound is usually overlooked, yet it is just as crucial as great lighting. Aside from the obvious difficulties of comfort and spaciousness, the living quarters must be designed with the following factors in mind:

External sound insulation (how many times have you heard traffic, trains, or building noises over a movie)

Interior sound insulation is particularly important in multigenerational houses with several screens throughout a home that might let sound into the living area. For example, equipment and services: Air conditioning and toilets need noise control.

UPSIZING OR DOWNSIZING

Maximising Your Space and Light With a Modern Home

Whether you're feeling cramped from living in close quarters, expecting a new member of the family, or a parent is moving in, a new building can make the most of what you have and make your place seem much more luxurious. This is true regardless of the size or shape of your lot.

When considering a project, the best place to start is always with the fundamentals, which include the ideal orientation of the house and rooms, passive design elements (openings, shadings, and thermal mass), and water. Find more detail here: Design Elements 101. More specifically, ideas such as increasing the height of your ceilings, opening up your home to the outdoors, and using smart joinery can all make a huge difference.

The most noticeable change you can typically make to your home is to increase the living space and add more windows. Many older homes are dim because of small windows and bad placement. Having more natural light in your house may make it seem more open and airy, which can make you feel more at ease and reduce your desire for more square footage. Your house may also benefit from being both warmer in winter and cooler through the summer months. To maximise the benefits of passive solar energy, invite sunlight into the house only during the best times of day. A well-shaded, north-facing window brings in light during the winter and keeps out the heat during the summer. In spite of constraints on windows, I’ll always try to maximise natural light.

My renovations to the Kensington House included installing a large glass wall that opened up the space between the indoor and outdoor living areas, connecting the kitchen, living room, and dining area. Given the limited space available on their block, the homeowners wished for an indoor-outdoor flow expanding the feel of the kitchen and living room. This solution was pricey, but it more than paid for itself by providing the small home with an abundance of natural light and expansive views of the garden.

DEVELOPING A DIFFICULT SITE

Many inner-city blocks are relatively small, and there are often troublesome easements or historical overlays to contend with. Many architects are able to find their sweet spot in the profession in situations like these when there are significant constraints on available space. Personally, I’ve encountered all of these difficulties, and despite the site's limits, there is almost always a creative solution that can help you achieve the objectives that you've set for yourself.

Open floor plans are a popular staple in Australian homes, especially in small additions. In this video I discuss their general design parameters and while there is a lot to like about this open style of living it's also important to consider some quiet areas. Your special place might be anything from a window seat or reading nook to your own private room. In a small extension to an inner city terrace, we achieved this vertically.

Battams House is a tight inner city lot so we used the height of the rooms to magnify its volume, giving the impression of more space than there is. Clever use of doors and windows then adds to the feeling of space in a room with a void over the dining dramatically connecting the common spaces. If your property is unique, it’s often about using that to your advantage and finding a solution that works for your brief and your property.

I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START.

We have all been there and knowing what you don’t know can be half the battle.

I established Three Hat Buildings to design your dream home or retreat. By working together we will select a quality Melbourne-based builder to construct your customised, luxury build. A building estimator to provide costing advice on short and long-term options for you and your family. All you need to bring is an idea of what is and isn't working, as well as what you like about the place. So, what is your dream?

The best place to begin is always with a site analysis and creating a client brief. I believe that a proper site analysis is best performed by a professional, and you can find my pre-brief questionnaire here. As a sole practitioner, I provide a highly personalised service and walk you through every step of your project, whatever you need, wherever you are on your journey I’m happy to help.

How to use the building size and cost estimator

Here is a quick guide on how to use the building size and cost estimator to help you set appropriate goals by determining the scope of the project and the associated budget from the outset.

Let’s design and create a beautiful, healthy and meaningful world.

open plan living basics

Looking at the key elements to creating a functional open plan.

Here’s the link to Stewart Hick’s video on the architectural history of the modern open plan: https://youtu.be/HjbbWX9WbQs

And a brief summary:

Today, I'm discussing the most significant aspects of an open-plan layout.

Rectangles are the most efficient open-plan living areas. (For additional information on the history of open designs, see Stewart Hicks'). A familiar layout will run the kitchen, dining, and living inside the rectangle. Note that there are a variety of reasons why you can pick a different layout than this. Still, your orientation to the north is always the most critical. In this example, lets say, the long side is facing due north for the optimal position to get natural light. You want as little direct sunlight as possible coming in through your windows throughout summer. However, as much light as possible coming in throughout the winter. This requires just a little overhang that will shelter you from the sun in the summer but will not be long enough to keep the sun out in the winter. Your floor, furniture, and everything else will then be lovely and warm throughout the winter. The east and west facades are somewhat different. When the sun is lower in the sky, you'll need a longer overhang. I've also learnt that you may use vertical components to stop these low light angles from hitting your northern façade. Clearly, this is dependent on the design and context. Still, it will offer some structural points and enable indirect, reflected light to enter the area, filling it with lovely orange light.

Lastly, where is the optimum place to enter the space? Most of the time, there are just a few obvious choices. Suppose you're dealing with a typical terrace house with a hall down the centre, for example. In that case, you'll often have a clear solution through the centre. Unfortunately, this often places the dining table near the centre of the corridor, which I don't mind, but others do. Thus you might have to close it off with a door or something similar, such as a screen. The second option is to avoid coming via the centre. You will have more or fewer choices depending on whether you are building a new house or renovating an existing one. Preferably, attempt to enter from either side of the eating area. The dining space will always have a circulation zone from which you are extending. The final alternative is to look at the other circulation zones for the kitchen; it would be approximately half a metre from the wall since your joinery would flow through that side - I'm not too fond of this unless the kitchen has adequate room. The other option is half a metre away from the living room wall since you want to avoid walking directly into your TV cabinet. Again, you're extending the circulation based on how the living room is utilised.

Let's design to create a beautiful, healthy and meaningful world.

Should I automate my house?

In recent years 'the internet of things' has finally hit a threshold point and can now wholly envelop our homes. Some people love that we have finally made it to where TV has been promising for over 50 years, ironically seemingly aligning with the death of television. While others know what happens when a battery runs out or the power goes down, how few things work. So should you go all in or keep things bulletproof and straightforward?

Firstly a confession, I am in the simple bulletproof camp, but like many of us am finding myself using the convenience of voice assistants like Siri, Google and Alexa more and more. Speaking is generally considered at least x3 faster than typing, is hands-free and just convenient when it works. When it doesn't, it is painfully frustrating and irritating. With advancements in AI, voice activation is getting, and will only get, better and better.

If you're also in the simple bulletproof camp, you have likely considered sustainable power generation, like solar or wind power. While requiring an in-depth look another time, what is interesting here is that a solar power system with a battery backup and having an option of grid supply would mean it would be an infrequent event that you would lose power. More likely to be an internet failure to cause you to lose your automation capabilities. But again, with a fibre connection and wireless backup, this is also less likely. So if you have a reliable power supply and internet connection other than convenience, why would you not automate your home? 

Well, most likely, you already do; a sensor for your alarm, a remote for your garage door, and a temperate sensor for your hot water all make life a little easier. None of it is required, but over the next few years, the sheer convenience of voice assistants in parallel with advances in technology will make it become like the light in your fridge, what people expect.

Luckily people also like to be surprised, so while the reasons not to automate your home are vanishing, it thankfully comes down to how you want to live. All of this technology will continue to make life easier, from turning on the lighting to getting directions while playing your favourite song, but it is in the doing that there is a pleasure. I love reading a map; you may like running a bath hotter than you should, lighting a candle even though it's a bit too dark to see, cooking a meal or a billion other things; automation gives you choice.

Do I need an architect if I have a builder?

The question of who is best to design your project is widespread, and furthermore, whether architects are genuinely worth the investment? So I was very excited to see a report in conjunction with the University of Melbourne released answering the question, “Do small practice architect designed renovations improve capital gains in the Melbourne residential property market?”

Often, architects are labelled as too expensive, which this report finally counters with peer-reviewed data, directly correlating money spent on an architect and the property’s future value. What an architect brings to the table is highly trained, specialist skills in design and construction for your project. Unbeknownst many builders avoid design not just because it is not their area of expertise but because builders are limited by law to charge not more than 5% on preliminary works. Secondly, there is no legislation on who designs your home, just that the drawings meet minimum standards. So, unfortunately, in Australia, it falls on the owners to demand quality home design.

Why Architects are the best place to provide quality home design is a topic for another time. This report sustains that projects with architects saw increases in value by 1.2% per annum more quickly than without an architect. And that for “every dollar spent on Architectural fees, there were 11.4 dollars gained in Capital Appreciation”. Consequently, owners no longer have to rely on the positive but often intangible value of an excellent solar orientation, airflow, or just the perfect place to sit and relax; now, there is a concrete analysis of a return on your investment.

Full Report

A4 Fact Sheet

What is personalised home design to you?

Architecture is a luxury design profession, and design is a solution-based practice, unlike art. At its best, it is grounded on deep listening and understanding, with no preconceived ideas about the outcome.

Design evolves through dialogue with you (the client), the builder, and various trades and regulatory bodies because they all contribute to the final outcome. Unlike art which is often an exercise in self-expression and can push against its environment, design should embrace and even embody these influences. Design is a complicated process requiring the removal of egos. Still, in this, something fantastic can evolve as a building slowly comes off the paper and out of the ground.

This contrasts with ‘Architecture’ as an art form. Home design is a process based in the market, working to truly understand the goals and how it fits on the site and into your budget. Not once but constantly. It is more work to design this way and even more difficult within tighter financial constraints and lower build costs. This means you have to get it right the first time because redesign is extraordinarily expensive and painful for everyone and is where projects go to die.

It is better to do it properly upfront, systematically, and constantly value engineering against the goal because, for me, the core competency of an architect is to get buildings built.

Interview with alexander

How would you describe your style?

I’d describe my building style as responsive to the site and the client. Ultimately I refer to classical ideas of living and like to reinterpret them with a contemporary twist.

What are the essential elements in your homes?

An excellent floor plan is always a solid start. It provides a lovely flow and connection between the spaces. The next thing I quite often think about is volume and vertical space. Architecture is a funny thing; creating a sense of discovery and wonder in your buildings is a privilege, and I like to start that vertically.

Are these your main go-to elements when designing a home ?

I also like to think through how the primary elements sun, heat, water, cooling, rocks and earth will interact with one another. At the moment, I love water; it brings life and movement to a building but can also be like a devastating disease. So I enjoy finding the synergy each building must have with the elements.

What do you include in homes that you weren't ten years ago?

It's interesting how much changes and how much stays the same. I’ve recently noticed in the conversations with clients there is a desire to create a space or an area for meditation, a quiet personal place to retreat and recharge. 

What is the first thing you do when designing a new home?

I checked the site dimensions, topography and direction of north.

What is the second thing you do when designing a new home?

I imagine where the most miniature building would best go on the site. Then I like to consider where a billabong could naturally evolve if there isn't one already. This gets me in touch with the contours of the land.

What is your favourite period or era of architecture?

I don't think I could choose just one. I appreciate all typologies and am just a lover of beautiful spaces and places no matter who or when they were created?

Do you have a favourite architect?

Again it is hard to choose just one. I love Gaudi and what he was able to do and conceive before computers is justincredible. Contrast that with the work of Mies a few decades later. I'd love to be in a room with those two talking about how people live. Then there is Frank Lloyd Wright who also began designing hundreds of houses, Gehry, Liebskind, Murcett, Wardle, so many outstanding architects.

Can you remember your favourite building?

100% Palau Guell in Barcelona. 

Having completed my studies in my early twenties i was full of ideas and confidence. I remember being in Barcelona and walking through the Palais in complete awe. Here I realised that pursuing architecture to this level would be the pursuit I got a lifetime. With all its beautiful drawings, billions of photos, 3-D models that you can experience virtually nothing can compare to physically feeling the space of Palau Guell. For me, there was architecture before this moment and then architecture after this moment. 

What is your least favourite building?

There's a phrase about putting lipstick on a pig. This is my main objection to so many modern buildings today. We build the cheapest, most basic box dressed up in a futile effort to disguise the fact that it is that the sum of its parts with no consideration to where it is or what it is doing.

Is there anything you would never do in one of your designs?

Put carpet in a bathroom.

What's one of the questions you always ask your clients?

Do you wear your shoes through the house and take them off at the door?

What's your favourite room to design in a house?

The entry. It is the way you start your journey; sometimes it's a big grand gesture, sometimes it's a surprise, and sometimes it's understated to contrast against an experience that is about to come.

What's your favourite thing you like to do at your home?

I like to sit outside under a bit of shelter and look out at the world going by.

Do I use an Architect, Custom Builder or Volume Builder for my new home?

As you collect your Pinterest images in preparation for building your new home, you will face the question of where to start. Do you choose a volume builder offering low prices, a custom builder in the local area, or an architect to provide a unique, one-off home design?

In this article, I will outline the differences between the three, so you can decide which is better for you. 

Volume Builders & Modular Homes

A Volume Home Builder (also called Project Home builder) offers a set of pre-designed house plans. These plans are usually designed for flat, rectangular blocks and don't consider complex sites, bush fire regulations, views, natural lighting and your lifestyle. Some will allow minor changes to their plans, if any, and will likely charge you a hefty mark-up. This is because the key to a Volume Home Builder's business model is to know precisely what they are building down to the last nail. 

Advantages of Volume Home Builders & Modular Homes

• They have extensive buying power because project builders have a higher volume of house builds and can negotiate better material prices. These savings are generally passed on to you, making some packages irresistibly cheap.

• They offer a range of plans to suit most first-time homeowners.

• They also can offer houses and land as a package.

Disadvantages of Project Home Builders & Modular Homes

• Bulk purchasing means you have limited ability to customize.

• House plans are not site-specific, meaning site costs can be expensive, and the passive performance of your plan is dependent on site selection.

• Rarely provide a complete turn-key solution to reduce the advertised sale price. Contracts generally have a lot of exclusions.

• Tradespeople and sub-contractors are usually not local, often poorly paid and on a strict time limit, compromising the build quality.

Architect & Custom Home Builder

There are many differences between an architect and a custom home builder, but the two go hand in hand when building a home, so they are worth discussing together. Many believe an architect and a builder have reasonably similar jobs, so they will contact an architect to do a builder's job and a builder to do an architect's job. This can create confusion from the very beginning, so here are a few key things to remember:

• A builder can complete a project without the help of an architect, but an architect will never be able to work without a builder. If you engage a builder without an architect, you are the architect.

• An architect has completed a formal education where they received a master's degree in architecture, giving them a unique skill set that allows them to visualize a specific design, aesthetic, or construction method in line with the customer's wishes. Whilst many custom home builders began their careers as carpenters refining their skills with years and years of hands-on experience.

•  An architect provides the vision of how the finished home will look and a set of drawings to build it. A custom home builder offers the most practical methodology to create this vision on time and within a specified budget learnt through years of trial and error.

• Both will give you the flexibility to design your house and choice of materials and fixtures used, creating a unique, one-off home that is site-specific, factoring in all your individual needs. 

Advantages of an Architect & Custom Home Builder

• A unique, one-off home designed specifically for your needs.

• Designed to suit your block of land and your budget.

• Greater passive solar performance costs you less to heat and cool in the long term.

• Flexibility to customize all building elements.

• A greater level of one-on-one customer service.

• Use highly skilled, local tradespeople with very high build quality and finish.

• No hidden costs.

• Can provide a complete turn-key solution, meaning all you will need to do is move in.

Disadvantages of an Architect & Custom Home Builder

• Typically more expensive due to reduced buying power

• Customization may lead to further costs due to the complexity in design and skills required to complete the build.

Conclusion

If you have a flat block with no severe zoning regulations, don't want a one-of-a-kind home, and can compromise on build quality to enjoy the lowest price, then a project home builder is best suited for you.

While if you want a unique home designed to take advantage of your block's views, slope or shape and maximize passive solar design. Don't want to be limited when it comes to choices of materials, fixtures and fittings and are looking for a high-quality finish, then an Architect & Custom Home Builder is the best choice for you.

HOW TO MAKE A NEW HOME YOURS

How do you create a space that calms and revives you from scratch? We spend more time than ever in our home and require it to be comfortable and stylish. So as you begin your journey, I thought I'd offer some prompts to help you discover what that means to you, your place.

HOW TO MAKE A NEW HOME YOURS

How do you create a space that calms and revives you from scratch? We spend more time than ever in our home and require it to be comfortable and stylish. So as you begin your journey, I thought I'd offer some prompts to help you discover what that means to you, your place.

PART 1: Reflections and Visions 

When starting your new home journey, it is important to be able to capture and communicate your ideas, wants and wishes for the house. It doesn't have to be comprehensive, just enough to create a high-level vision of what your home could be. Below are some things to simply ponder or jot down some answers for when you are ready. Beginning your design journey starts with a vision.

PART 2: Concepts and Imagery: 

Pictures help a lot when communicating a sense of space, a feeling or style. What helps most is having your top ten. So just copy and collect what feels right, don't worry about connecting the dots. While they may seem unrelated to you, to the trained eye, they often have connections in colour, material, spatial arrangement, lighting etc. Just do it.

PART 3: Creating your sanctuary

The concept of your home as a refuge, the place you can just be, is an essential component of designing your new home. Studies in the neuroscience of architecture have shown how space can positively and negatively influence your mood. So as you move through your day, think about:

What works well in your home? These can sometimes be hard to spot because they have become automatic. 

What doesn't work well? 

How do you use your house each day?

What rhythms does a typical day have?

What's important to you in a home? What's not. 

Is this a forever house, or just for a season in life? 

How adaptable does it need to be over time?

PART 4: Connection with your world 

Architects love to talk about a sense of 'place'. This is because it brings immediate meaning to our work. So we like to know:

What is it about the property that you love? 

What's located around you and nearby that makes this place unique?

How do you imagine interacting with it?

How do you enjoy light or the sun? Wind or breezes? How will we create this in your new home?

When do you not enjoy these things and prefer to block them out?

PART 5: Connection to your people

It is rare to design a home for one. Even the most introverted amongst us realise that other people will occasionally have to visit our cave.

Who may visit you? Will it be brief or semi-permanent?

Who will live with you, and how will you interact? 

Do you have furry friends, feathered ones? 

PART 6: Having a positive impact

A home can easily be self-sufficient, zero waste, and productive, providing shelter, producing food and generating energy; this is my passion. It can also be beautiful, timeless and robust, perfectly adapted to its environment, though sometimes it cannot be all of these things. Let us not fixate on perfection and instead just on moving forward. 

Rethink how a space can serve more than one function. 

What could the building give back to its environment? Think birds, frogs, habitats...

Reduce energy consumption and disposable waste

Reuse waste through compost and gas, and invest in durable products that can be fixed

Recycle locally.

PART 7: Making it personal 

What unique things or little quirks would you like in your home? Cool tech, clever minimalism, a nook for your hobby or a door for your furry best friend. Are you naturally ordered, or do you need a place just to dump stuff? Have fun with it.

I hope this is helpful, and if you have any queries, don't hesitate to reach out.

Alexander

At my house, we sit on the floor.

I believe that we sometimes think too small. That we are unnecessarily constrained by cultural standards when it comes to housing and what we deem normal, necessary, or even conceivable. What are the architectural possibilities of your home, room, or even furniture? What impact does it have on your everyday life? It's revolutionary to take a step back and see how much good can be done by looking at the world in a fresh light.

Removing The Mystery From Your Architectural Design

The greatest talent of an architect is the ability to create places as well as communicate them to their clients and trades. We recently used ConceptV to add colour and texture to our Red Hill House to create an online tour that is accessible from anywhere using the URL below.

Jump in and let us know what you think.

- Interactive Model Link -

THE BUILDING

Foundation

Reinforced low-carbon concrete 

Materials

Printed walls: Low-carbon concrete or Adobe

Frame: Solid masonry (3d print) + Laminated structural timber framing

Outer walls: Solid masonry (3d print) natural finish 

Inner walls: Solid masonry (3d print) + Structural timber framing

Floor: Recycled timber + Carpet 

Roof: Laminated structural timber framing + Stone tiling

Sliding door and small window: uPVC, tilt-turn sash

Architecture is not an endless universe.

Your new house will be created by fully understanding your ideas, the site's particular traits, and how they interact. It's an essential truth that all structures are constructed within the confines of time, budget, environmental constraints, and any regulatory restrictions. They established the limits where we would create your future home. And while great design might occasionally utilise illusion to push past these boundaries, we waste time and energy when we perceive these limitations as negative; they just are. But when we treat them as something as tangible as gravity, we improve the quality of the architecture.

Why your ideas matter the most!

I'm not building my own house. I'm not going to wake up and drink a cup of coffee in this kitchen or on this deck. This is your stage to inhabit, so it has to be about your story, about the storyline of your life, not mine.

Each client and site have their own unique set of characteristics, and they all intersect differently. The concept of light, space, form, and movement comes from an understanding of who and where you are. I am not the centre of the project; instead, I am the scaffolding to create opportunities for your experiences, whether it is living with your family or exhibiting your art. After all, architecture is where we play out the story of our lives.

Mark-up vs Margin

Here’s a common confusion worth clearing up; if a product costs $80 and is sold for $100, what is the Margin and Mark-up of the product?

Margin - is the sale price ($100) minus the cost price ($80) i.e.  $100-$80 = $20 Margin, or, as a percentage: ($100-$80)/$100 = 20% (profit/sale)

Markup - is the amount by which the cost price ($80) of a product is increased from the sale price ($100). ie ($100-$80)/$80 = 25% (profit/cost)

A useful site: Markup Calculator

Understanding timber grades and sustainability.

From Ironbark to Radiata Pine, timber can be a significant part of many buildings and is a material loved by many. To ensure you get the most out of this beautiful product, consider three metrics; hazard, durability and appearance grade. To ensure the longevity of your build (and that you don't spend too much or too little money) establish timber’s purpose in the design.

First, a note on sustainability. Timber is great; it is salvageable, reusable, recyclable and renewable. Therefore the most sustainable path is to use reclaimed timber. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to source and build with reclaimed timber, so if not recycled, look for timber from well-managed sources and avoid timber from old-growth forests. 

1- Hazard level (see: http://www.tpaa.com.au/faq/) is straightforward enough rated from H1-H6. H1, the lowest rating timber, should be used inside, undercover, protected from the weather, and well ventilated. H6 is the most extreme rating, which can be used in a marine environment. 

2 - Durability relates to the useful life expectancy of the timber to resist pests (fungi, borers and termites) and its environment (hazard level). In contrast to the Hazard Level (H1-H6), durability ratings range from high to low. Class 1 is highest (generally hardwood) with a +15yr life expectancy. Class 4 is lowest, it may not last five years (depending on where you use it).

3- Appearance grading is broken into three grades; Select, Standard and Merchant. Select grade is best for furniture (often divided again into sub-grades A to D). Standard grade is suitable for most decks and cladding. Merchant grades are generally rough, containing knots and varying greatly in looks.

The other rating you’ll see when purchasing timber is the stress grading (an 'F' or 'MGP'). While the building engineer specifies this, it’s useful to know what the ratings mean; the strength of the timber to bear a force without failure. Failure (in this case) is when the timber bends too much. The F-number stands for the amount of force (MPa) the timber can withstand, F4 (low) to F34 (high). It’s also commonly rated with MGP (Machine-graded pine), which can be converted to an F rating but let’s leave that discussion for another day when we have some ice-coffees, spiced danishes, and a warm spot to sit in the sun.

By matching timber’s use to its hazard, durability and appearance grades, you’ll ensure that you’re spending the right amount and building something stunning that will last.