Welcome to our Sondering space!

Here we will share evolving ideas about our practice and the world around us. It is a collaborative space to exchange concepts and perspectives, and we welcome your engagement.

So where to start….?  The best place is always the beginning. And for us the beginning is always the place.

Place is a complex, layered assembly comprising landscape and history in all its forms.  It is where flora, fauna and people share their lives. It embodies both nostalgia and emotion, capturing memories of the past and dreams of the future.

To insert anything new within a place requires careful consideration.  The values of the place must be recognised and respected.

We first observe the physical features of the site. The ancient eucalyptus in the north-west corner, its broad leaves shielding the harsh western sun.  In winter, a lace pattern filters through its branches to the ground.  We spend time understanding the undulating contours, breezes and sun patterns, the existing buildings, pathways and structures.

We also seek out the intangible elements.  What are the patterns of occupation across the site?  How is it used across the seasons? How could it be better used in the future?  How do you want to live?

And then, marrying the physical and intangible, we imagine… what could happen?  What could happen if we inserted a small structure here?  How about a whimsical tower? A pathway leading though the garden to a secret courtyard?

In these times, and we need no further explanation here, nature is primary.  We must build to preserve and enhance the world around us. Every decision must consider a long journey, both past and future, contemplating character, appeal, and comfort, while balancing concepts of longevity, lifecycle, and sustainability.

We live in a city defined by mountains and bushland.  We dwell in the valleys between the hills and commute through eucalyptus lined corridors. We wake to a chorus of birds in the early spring when the frost still touches the ground.

Central to our practice is a response to the natural world.  Our architecture will seek to find connection with the landscape and the people who dwell within it.

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