Values

We collaborate and innovate

Collaboration lies at the core of our culture and design process, serving the interests of our clients. It is a process that draws out knowledges and advanced skills from diverse disciplines to achieve innovative, enduring, and integrated designs.

We respectfully engage with the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We integrate First Nations advice and design thinking in our project teams. We also ensure the views of approval authorities and the local community are thoroughly considered in the design process we lead.

We don’t impose abstract architectural ideas or apply archetypes to deliver preconceived design solutions. Instead, we hear the ambitions of our clients and key stakeholders, integrate technical and design contributions from specialists as well as fabrication methodologies from the construction team to deliver optimal, robust, and appropriate design propositions.

Our designers work as a team across diverse project types to ensure knowledge and skills evolve and develop. We observe that sharing different ways of thinking about design encourages unexpected lines of enquiry and often delivers ground-breaking solutions. Recent examples of our work that provide evidence of the benefits of a collaborative design culture include International House and Daramu House, Dangrove, and Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, and 6 Hassall Street.

Photograph of the award-wining International House front elevation designed by Tzannes

An enlightened client was the key to a successful collaboration at International House Sydney (IHS) and Daramu House. The architecture is constructed from cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), and recycled timber, delivering exceptional green credentials. Following DA approval and during construction of IHS, prospective tenants were hesitant to commit to a lease, making it difficult to assess the commercial viability of this development. Lendlease, who shares our commitment to sustainability, innovation and placemaking, were unwavering in their support for the design proposition. Once completed, the first engineered timber commercial building in Australia was in high demand – together with Daramu House, built three years later, these projects proved that the Australian commercial market accepts and encourages the use of timber in architecture.

Dangrove, an art storage facility to house Judith Neilson’s collection of contemporary Chinese art, relied upon a visionary client who was closely involved in the project from start to finish. The design brief included the requirement of 100-year life and that it should be the best art storage facility in the world. Our client’s commitment to design excellence enabled the concept of art storage to be extended to include curation, conservation, and performance functions in spaces that achieved high standards of indoor amenity for staff. The project brief included strict budget control and timeframes that were met using a collaborative delivery model with the chosen builder.

We were privileged to be selected to then design the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, housed in a heritage-listed former glass factory in inner-city Sydney. Again, Judith Neilson played a central role in the design process. The vision for the institute developed, both physically and philosophically, during the design and construction phase. Examples of collaborative practice include the careful design work carried out, and guided by the heritage consultant, to reveal layers of the building, and the work of the fabricator/industrial designer, with whom we designed a brass/bronze garage door challenged by limitations of space, significant size, ventilation and security requirements.

6 Hassall Street in Parramatta was a joint venture between a developer and university as the client. Charter Hall and Western Sydney University were equal shareholders in the project and yet had seemingly conflicting, but often complementary, requirements and priorities, which needed to be understood and interpreted. In addition, we collaborated in a joint venture with Brisbane architect Blight Rayner, winning a Design Excellence competition to secure the commission. With the two practices in different states (and pre-Covid), we had to formulate new ways of working remotely and, with a great deal of trust between the two studios, how to equally split the design work efficiently and effectively. We also collaborated with Hassell, who were engaged to do the interior fitout of the university component of the development.

A large publicly accessible plaza was incorporated within 6 Hassall Street for the use of office workers and students, as well as residents and visitors to Parramatta. Working collaboratively with all stakeholders has ensured success of this design proposition.

A design integrity panel, consisting of members of Parramatta City Council and leading architects met during design development and construction phases to oversee the delivery of the competition-winning original vision.

Despite multiple pandemic lockdowns, 6 Hassall Street was delivered on time and on budget. It has set a new benchmark for approval, design and delivery of projects within Parramatta City Council, as all new developments now follow the same process.

Photograph of the elevated retail roof terrace at 6 Hassall Street

Notes

Image Credits:
Ben Guthrie (International House Sydney and Daramu House, Dangrove Art Storage Facility, Judith Neilson Institute of Journalism and Ideas, 6 Hassall Street)
Martin Mischkulnig (6 Hassall Street)