Habitus - Issue #62

Designing a harmonious world Habitus Environment Issue Three of Six Collectables #62

Guest Editor Adam Goodrum

Keiji Ashizawa

Various Associates

Multiplicity

Pac Studio

Kristina Pickford

Enter Projects Asia

Vokes and Peters

Blok Modular

Blur Architecture

Neogenesis+Studi0261

Judith Neilson

The Duchess of Northumberland

Earthitects

Ishinomaki Laboratory

Arthur Seigneur

Martyn Thompson

Olive Gill-Hille

Alfred Lowe

Suna Fujita

Isama Noguchi

True to Nature:

Next Generation Woodgrains

Introducing the newest innovation in truly life-like Laminex Woodgrains that celebrate the brilliance of nature. Featuring our new premium AbsoluteGrain® finish for a more authentic look and feel, and TrueScale™ technology for no repeat designs, this extraordinary range includes six new Australian Native woodgrains, designed to complement the existing range of Laminex décors.

Bring the look and feel of nature to any project — with the durability of Laminex.

Eveneer® Prefinished meets the needs of today’s projects offering a convenient and consistent timber veneer, pre-polished and ready to use.

Eveneer Prefinished Fango by Elton Group Design Tom Mark Henry

Photo Cieran Murphy

The fi rst word

As a designer, it is such a privilege to step up for my fellow makers as Guest Editor and let the spotlight shine on some of our incredibly talented designers, artists, craftspeople and architects shaping our world. It’s impossible to include everyone so I have put together some of my favourites from the past and working now, plus some people who just really surprise me with work that continues to resonate (p. 55).

Judith Neilson is such an incredible person I had to include her with an article by another of my favourites, David Clark (p.76).

The theme, ‘living in the environment’ really threads its way through the whole issue, but Earthitects, building homes in coffee plantations (p.84) and the Duchess of Northumberland, creating a Poison Garden (p. 90) really kicks it off.

From building in cold climates (p.100) to bird watching in Arnhem Land (108), how we live in a changing climate has never been more prescient. But how we live in the world as a Pacific identity is also germane, with the Asia Pacific Triennial focusing on culture and our unique personality (p. 114).

The projects are amazing with my friend Keiji Ashizawa giving us a look at a very private garden house in Tokyo (p. 150). A multigenerational home in China is made of bricks using weeds and mud from the site (p. 130) while a vast multi-generational family home in India uses foliage to frame and cool the interior (p.196). Davis by Blur Architecture in Melbourne is completely cool, as is the article by Georgina Safe (p. 188). Beach houses are a particular interest for me with two incredible projects, one in NZ (p. 158) and one in Aireys Inlet Victoria (p. 140), really getting it right. In Thailand the fabulous Enter Projects Asia has used bricks in magical ways to make a remarkable home (p. 168), while back in Australia Brisbane practice Vokes and Peters has teamed up with Blok Modular for an inspiring take on prefab (p.178).

ADAM GOODRUM GUEST EDITOR

ABOVE Guest Editor Adam Goodrum.

lightbox #21

A gathering of the most beautiful, interesting and sometimes challenging designs shaping our world.

makers #55

Meeting the makers, some iconic, some emerging, but all creating amazing pieces to fall in love with.

portrait #75

O ne of the great philanthropists of this generation, Neilson is patron to the arts, across art, architecture, design, writing and music.

Reimagining how coffee plantations can be sustainable from an economic, environmental and cultural aspect.

Bucking English conventions for passive gardens, the Poison Garden of Alnwick Castle questions how we live with plants.

JUDITH NEILSON

TH E DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND

Living in the environment

Guiding us through the way design adapts and responds to the environment, Guest Editor Adam Goodrum puts his very particular lens on those shaping our world.

features #98

100 BUILDING IN THE COLD

Keeping the house warm but letting the view in, is just the start of this challenging space.

108 BAMURRU PLAINS

Once a hunting lodge, this East Arnhem eco-lodge is a twitchers paradise.

114 QAGOMA ASIA PACIFIC TRIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART

The environment has never been more important with artists from our region expressing their concerns in remarkable ways.

122 NAU IN OSAKA AND COPENHAGEN

Australian design is reaching greater audiences across the globe.

on location #129

130 G ONG’S HOUSE

In an environment of perpetual rain, bricks made of local herbs allow this multi-generational home to breathe.

140 AI REYS INLET HOUSE

Neighbours, the environment and the owner’s shell collection are all considered.

150 GA RDEN HOUSE

A small house at the end of the garden for contemplation and peace.

158 WAIMATARURU

Framing and framed, the beach house is perfectly aligned to the landscape.

168 T HE BRICKHOUSE

Rejecting traditional Thai materials in favour of brick, the house is perfect for living.

178 1 :1

A full sized model explores the benefits of prefab.

186 DAVIS

A private pavilion with architectural clout and some seriously gorgeous copper cladding.

196 R ETREAT HOME

Fringed in leaves the cool breez e flows through this extraordinary home.

Habitus takes the conversation to our contributors, discovering their inspiration and design hunter® journeys

ADAM GOODRUM

ALEESHA CALLAHAN

DAVID CLARK

Arguably the loveliest person in design, Adam i s a fi rm believer that every environment is defi ned by the objects within it. As such, he designs to the philosophy that an object must justify its existence – through its story and detailing. Celebrating process and craftsmanship, his designs accentuate components and joinery to create functional pieces with spirit and personality. Adam’s work has been awarded a host of design accolades including the NGV Rigg Prize, Vogue x Alessi Design Prize, and the INDE Luminary Award. His work has been commissioned by global luxury brands including Veuve Clicquot, Alessi and Cappellini. He is also an artist and with Arthur Seigneur is A&A, noted as one of the top 100 designers working today by Louis Vuitton.

ADAM GOODRUM #72

One of the most inspiring and thoughtful writers in the realm of architecture and design, Aleesha has written and commentated on every aspect of the creative world shaping our lives for the past ten years. As the previous Editor of Habitus she introduced Australia to a plethora of architects, interior designers, artist, artisans and the shifts in thinking behind these talented makers.

Having fi rst trained and practised as an interior designer, her passion for mid-century design and architecture began while living and working in Berlin. She continues to enrich our world as a contributing writer, with her extraordinary ability for getting to the heart of the issue always impressing.

1:1 #180

David has worked in the interior design industry for more than 30 years as a curator, consultant, creative director, and editor. His publishing career began as design editor for Belle magazine and as Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Living Australia (2003–2012) he elevated Australian designers globally. He was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame, and made an Honouree of the Australian Design Centre. He is an advocate for the continuing elevation of an Australian design ecosystem and good design everywhere. Portrait photographyJenni Hare.

JUDITH NEILSON #76

Sam is a Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-based photographer specialising in architecture and art documentation. His work features regularly in architecture, interiors, design an d fi ne art periodicals and publications. As a photographer he is rarely the subject of his own work, and like the architect without a new kitchen, he is a photographer with few photos. That said, his role as an artist comes to the fore with his abstract take on the selfportrait. More generally, as an artist his work focuses on the odd with a sharp eye for the poignancy of every day moments. He is represented by Anna Miles Gallery in Auckland.

WAIMATARURU HOUSE #162

SAM HARTNETT

In her role as Editor of Habitus Magazine, Gillian brings a twentyyear oeuvre of design writing to the publication. Focusing on architecture, design, art and interior design, her breadth of knowledge is expansive and generous with all genres and styles regarded for their own merit. For the highly collectable series of Six, Gillian is working with the best designers in the Indo-pacifi region to create content that is engaged and varied. Moreover, by creating each issue through the lens of her Guest Editors, their unique personality is allowed to shape each issue of Habitus. The result is always surprising.

GONG’S HOUSE # 130

George is one of Australia’s most beloved writers. With a twentyyear portfolio across fashion and design, her articles covering the Australian fashion industry and the international collections in Milan, Paris, New York and London have been a revelation of sparkling wit. Her work across design and architecture is similarly insightful, with a keen eye for what does and doesn’t work, plus a fearless approach to quizzing her subjects, as both their design and intent come under her gaze. In this issue she loses her heart to the extraordinary Davis by Blur Architects.

DAVIS # 188

Sarah is always on point as an art, architecture and design writer. A member of the International Art Critics Association (AICA), Sarah was most recently Director, Galleries at Sydney Contemporary – Australasia’s premier art fair. In this role she held the curatorial responsibility for Installation Contemporary featuring 13 largescale projects spanning the iconic, heritage-listed Carriageworks. With over two decades’ experience working in the art world, Sarah has previously held positions at the Biennale of Sydney, Liverpool Street Gallery and Ivan Dougherty Gallery, UNSW. Sarah was a Board Director of Art Month Sydney during its inaugural year and for many years has been an Asia Paci fi c Correspondent in the architecture and design media.

QAGOMA ASIA PACIFIC TRIENNIAL #114

One of the best writers in the industry, Jan is currently an Editor and Program Director of the INDE.Awards at Indesign Media Asia Paci fi c. Her previous roles have included Acting-editor of Indesign magazine, Associate Publisher at Architecture Media, Editor and Co-editor of inside magazine and Interiors Editor of Architel.tv. As Principal of Henderson Media Consultants she contributes to various architecture and design magazines, is a regular speaker at events and has participated as a juror for many industry awards. Jan is passionate about design and through her di ff erent roles supports and contributes to design in Australia.

THE BRICKHOUSE #168

JAN HENDERSON

SARAH HETHERINGTON

GILLIAN SERISIER

GEORGINA SAFE

CHAIRMAN

Raj Nandan raj@indesign.com.au

GUEST EDITOR

Adam Goodrum gillian@indesign.com.au

EDITOR

Gillian Serisier gillian@indesign.com.au

DIGITAL EDITOR

Timothy Alouani-Roby timothy@indesign.com.au

SUB EDITOR

Aleesha Callahan

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sylvia Weimer sylvia@spacelabdesign.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Timothy Alouani-Roby, Aleesha Callahan, David Clark, Stephen Crafti, Jet Geaghan, Dr Prudence Gibson, Adam Goodrum, Jan Henderson, Sarah Hetherington, Georgina Safe, Gillian Serisier.

CONTRIBUTING

PHOTOGRAPHERS/ ARTISTS

Adisornr, Alexander Calder, Chloe Callistemon, Hayden Cattach, Suna Fujita, Olive Gill-Hille, Samuel Hartnett, Dylan James, Christopher Frederick Jones, Timothy Kaye, Jonathan Leijonhufvud, Alfred Lowe, Tadayuki Minamoto, Trevor Mein, Isama Noguchi, Josh Purnel, Ben Richards, David Roche, Dion Robson, Joe Ruckli, Ishita Sitwala, Martyn Thompson, Victoria Zschommler.

PRODUCT MANAGER

Radu Enache radu@indesign.com.au

COVER IMAGE

CEO Kavita Lala kavita@indesign.com.au

SENIOR BRAND MANAGER

Brunetta Stocco brunetta@indesign.com.au

PARTNERSHIPS AND MEDIA MANAGER

Katie Staver katie@indesign.com.au

MEDIA EXECUTIVE

Avaani Nandan avaani@indesign.com.au

GROUP OPERATIONS MANAGER

Sheree Bryant sheree@indesign.com.au

HEAD OF PRODUCTION

Anna Carmody anna@indesign.com.au

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Paul Ayoub print@indesign.com.au

FINANCE MANAGER

Vivia Felice vivia@indesign.com.au

MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Nicola Nolan nicola@indesign.com.au

EVENT MANAGER

Roisin Fagan roisin@indesign.com.au

Davis by Blur Architecture on Wurundjeri Country / Collingwood, Victoria. Photo, Dion Robeson. Page 186.

HEAD OFFICE 98 Holdsworth Street, Woollahra NSW 2025 (61 2) 9368 0150 | (61 2) 9368 0289 (fax) www.habitusliving.com

Printed in Singapore. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or any consequences of reliance on this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, the publisher or the publication. Contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk, and Indesign Media Asia Paci fic cannot accept any loss or damage. Please retain duplicates of text and images. Habitus magazine is a wholly owned Australian publication, which is designed and published in Australia. Habitus is published quarterly and is available through subscription, at major newsagencies and bookshops throughout Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and the United States of America. This issue of Habitus magazine may contain offers or surveys which may require you to provide information about yourself. If you provide such information to us we may use the information to provide you with products or services we have. We may also provide this information to parties who provide the products or services on our behalf (such as ful fi lment organisations). We do not sell your information to third parties under any circumstances, however, these parties may retain the information we provide for future activities of their own, including direct marketing. We may retain your information

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Domo 037 domo.com.au

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John Eussen 126-127 instagram.com/johneussenoffiicia/ Kanebridge IBC kanebridgenews.com

Karndean 043 karndean.com/en-au/floors

Klaro Industrial Design 047 klarodesign.com.au Laminex

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Designs for living lightbox #21

Design worth celebrating

The objects and furnishings, lighting and textures we surround ourselves with are defining of both the times and our own unique aesthetic sensibilities: these should always be celebrated.

“I found myself drawn to the silent, sculptural qualities of sand dunes, fascinated by their ability to off er shelter and protection from the winds,” says DANIEL BODDAM of his latest exploration of ‘the poetry of reduction’ realised as the wonderfully sculptural collection DUNE .

danielboddam.com

Fabulously tactile and decidedly Italian, the VENICE range from S’48 tells the story of the Satori family’s bold move into outdoor furniture in postwar Italy. Always evolving, but always on point, the powder-coated frames and rope detailing add panache to any setting.

obodo.com.au

Celebrating 60 years since the iconic UNIKKO print came into this world, the MARIMEKKO go-to design continues to reinvent itself and impress. Designed by Maija Isola to be an abstraction of a poppy rather than a photorealistic impression, it was instantly loved the world over. Now available in gorgeous rugs for indoor and out, Unikko is just one stream of the 17 new iterations.

myer.com.au

ECCENTRIC by ROGERSELLER pays homage to the quirky genius of some of history’s greatest minds. When engaged, the uniquely off-centered axis of the mixer embraces this quirky genius by progressively revealing an unexpected backplate featuring cold and hot indicators. Once the handle is returned to its closed position, the unconventional backplate is hidden once again. Genius!

rogerseller.com.au

Always at the forefront of design, SPACE FURNITURE has launched SPACE ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS with the same rigour of curation that has set the store apart. The brands are the who’s who of interior delights with Listone Giordano, Moooi Carpets, Glas Italia, Poliform, Lee Broom, Bocci and Roll & Hill just to get them started.

spacefurniture.com.au

TONGUE & GROOVE makes speci fication effortless with GRADING. The naturally occurring beauty and characteristics of European oak reside in its knots, grain, and medullary rays. Grading is used to categorise the prevalence of these natural features, with high quality assured across all iterations. This gives designers unprecedented choice and the ability to create consistently beautiful interiors.

tongueandgroove.com.au

“The greatest joy was getting your hands on a sheet of Laminex t o fl y down the sandhills,” says ADAM GOODRUM of the incredible material that was once synonymous with dune sur fi ng and kitchen tables, which he has now reimagined as the ECHO TABLE , a flexible, and extraordinarily beautiful table (with a nod to the Art Deco envelope table) in celebration of LAMINEX ’s 90th Birthday.

laminex.com.au

Elemental living

T39EL

Is this the future of cooking?

A fusion of intelligence and design is here, and it’s harnessing the power of AI to change the cooking game.

The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but it is also the brain centre, where the latest in innovation and technology can help us cook, entertain, and connect. The newest release from Siemens is taking this to a whole new level, with the launch of the iQ700 studioLine range bringing cutting edge performance and an elegant new design profile to kitchens around the world.

Made for master chefs to novices, and everyone in between, the range empowers us to dream bigger in the kitchen. Enabling consistent, supported cooking that looks as good as it cooks, the black profile sits sleekly against stone, timber, stainless steel, and tiles. A visual statement in its own right, the smooth, polished look elevates the entire kitchen space. Moreover, the black handle sits as a wide, thin feature, blending seamlessly into the oven front for a modern interpretation of the appliance’s most functional element. Simple and intuitive touch-screen navigation reflects the oven’s design approach, by packing the impressive suite of features into a simple bar.

From a technological perspective, the iQ700 range offers AI powered automation and an unprecedented intelligence for home cooking. Like having a sous chef by your side, the new range is perfect for those that prefer to relax or entertain rather than watch over their oven.

With technology across the range including automatic food recognition (currently recognising up to 50 dishes), the oven will automatically select the right program for a perfect finish, while new bakingSensor Plus and RoastingSensor

LEFT AND ABOVE

The iQ700 studioLine range from Siemens.

Plus features can predict the remaining time by measuring the moisture levels and the meat temperatures respectively. A fully integrated camera will also adapt baking and roasting results to personal preference, harnessing artificial intelligence to produce the desired amount of browning from five different levels.

When a quick and easy cook is on the menu, the iQ700 range’s built-in microwave and/or steam cooking functions can allow for faster, healthier meals, without the fuss. The integrated microwave works alongside hot-air cooking, to speed up the preparation of dishes by up to 50 per cent, while a coolStart feature cuts out time consuming thawing, allowing you to put frozen dishes directly into the oven for a single-step cooking session.

When it comes to steaming, fullSteam Plus combines steam and heat at 120°C for a 20 per cent faster cooking time that preserves the vitamins and goodness of your vegetables. A plumbed water connection automates this process, ensuring the oven’s water tank is always full, while the adjacent pulseSteam feature uses hot-air to allow for crisp and moist finishes to raise the bar on traditional steaming. Additionally, the iQ700 comes with an AirFry option to create extra crisp finishes with hardly any oil.

Whether you’ve got a soufflé or frozen fries on the menu, the iQ700 range is ready to turn out a perfect dish, every time. The ultimate convergence of design, innovation and cutting-edge performance, the different options in the range can see baking, roasting, steaming, microwaving, and airfrying made easier than ever before, all just a touch away. What’s more, simple navigation and a sophisticated aesthetic mean performance and design go hand in hand, bringing Michelin-level cooking and magazine-worthy interiors into one, futuristic range.

The EPSON INTERNATIONAL PANO AWARDS ’ overall winner of the 2024 Open Photographer of the Year and the Nature/Landscape category is KELVIN YUEN from Hong Kong for his entries Power of Nature, Wilderness and Mountain of Divinity. “The primary goal of this trip was to capture the iconic mountains of Guilin, renowned for its karst formations,” says Yuen, whose initial plan was thwarted by a thunderstorm, only to reveal a new experience of illuminated layers. Power of Nature, Kelvin Yuen.

thepanoawards.com

House planting

TEXT JET GEAGHAN, ASSOCIATE, WOODS BAGOT

When looking for a house plant, my mind drifts to the understorey of dense bush, or the shaded gullies in the national parks, where light is filtered, and only the most competitive and spartan species survive. From these, a few beauties strike me as true stand-outs.

The leaves of this little pearl, Ligularia dentata reniformis (Ragwort), form a glossy colony of legumes, geometrically uniform but diverse in scale. AKA the Tractor Seat plant, the agricultural reference reminds me of the comfort of functional furniture. Congenially huddled, the foliage is so calmly balanced it begs to be reclined on, like a mound of glossy throw pillows.

Alocasia sanderiana has the tensile strength and tenacity to populate spaces at eye level where their poise captures and holds the gaze. Specimens with projectile shaped leaves and pure curves are like a complementary feature floor lamp – the unbelievable cantilever is best celebrated in varieties with dark, velveteen leaves, feline veins and a pseudo-translucency to the stem.

There are plenty of popular indoor fig species, but my heart cannot stray from the bruiser: Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig). Buttressed trunk and aerial roots are like twisted gothic architecture, and appear in even the smallest of pots and make for a striking bonsai with giant waxy green leaves that hide an oxidised underbelly, and a trunk that could a tangle of Greco-Roman wrestler.

An Australian native fig is especially sentimental for me – several years ago, an overripe seed cluster fell into my open palm from a giant multi-centenarian park specimen, as if from the sky, a few days before my kid was born. From that dried fig I now have dozens of macho potted plants around my house, all celebrating their birthday with my son.

Streamlined and polished

Functional design now sits at that incredible nexus of ease-of-use and eye appeal, where everything works as it should, looks amazing and makes us wonder why we ever put up with less.

Driven by the three pillars of quality, health, and sustainability PARISI in partnership with Newform, has developed a water puri fication system that eliminates hexavalent chromium for better health, safety, and environmental protection. Thanks to the switch to trivalent chromium, PARISI has redefi ned standards of sustainability and quality in Italian-made excellence. parisi.com.au

Created in collaboration with industrial designer ZACHARY HANNA , the lamp collection from MUD AUSTRALIA was a year in the making and represents Mud Australia’s fi rst foray into collaborative design. Each of the three lamps merges traditional artisanal porcelain-making methods with the intricate demands of contemporary lighting. Photo, Sean Fennessy.

mudaustralia.com

@fulgormilano_au

www.fulgormilano.kitchen

L’eleganza italiana sulla scena mondiale.

Bringing the beauty of Italian design to your kitchen. Combining innovative technology with elegant craftsmanship, the Matteo range of induction cooktops and built-in ovens ensure high-performance cooking with a sleek aesthetic.

Transcend your space with Fulgor Milano.

Pictured: Fulgor Milano Matteo Series in Matt Black

JUN meaning ‘pure and sincere’ in Japanese is highl y fi tting for a collection that touches the heart. The eponymous creation designed by Compasso d’Oro winner MARCO ACERBIS for TALENTI, delivers an immediate and authentic design. Celebrating the interplay of voluminous cushions and the clean lines of teak, the collection is an aesthetic big bang combining great comfort and visual presence.

www.talentispa.com

An exploration of biomorphic shapes and structures, PIETRA by GREG NATALE is inspired by the contrast between organic forms and manmade geometry within modern and contemporary design and architecture. The interplay between form and void fosters an intricate design dialogue that is as dynamic as it is beautiful.

gregnatale.com

SIEMENS IQ700 built-in oven with added steam or microwave function uses AI in conjunction with an integrated camera to automatically produce the desired amount of browning fr om fi ve di ff erent levels. Moreover, currently recognising 50 dishes, simply place the dish inside, and the appliance will automatically select the right program.

winnings.com.au/siemens

The next generation in solar power is here. Designed to look like tiles, but now a solar power generating system. Genius. E ff ectively, VOLT SOLAR TILES integrate with Bristile Roofi ng’s roof tiles for a seamless integrated solar solution.

volt-tile.com

Domo Showrooms in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Adelaide

Robust whimsy

These seemingly contradictory aspects of design are brought together with magnificence by incredible designers who understand character, joy and the insouciance of excellent pieces that make our homes unique.

Gorgeous blocks of deep rich colour and the newly introduced surface options for outdoor use, make BREEZE by ROSS GARDAM one of the most engaging and versatile ways to bring a bright dash of colour to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Launched at Saturday Indesign with Stylecraft, the range includes a new marble option sourced from the Pilbara. stylecraft.com.au

Sydney-based design studio OBJECT DENSITY ri ff s on the philosophy of Ai Weiwei — “When a person attempts to determine his relationship to a space, he attempts to understand that which is outside his own body, he attempts to understand existence beyond the material” — to deliver the latest explorative collection PROPORTIONS OF SPACE .

objectdensity.com

Always at the forefront of the design movement, Ligne Roset’s new reedition of the emblematic KASHIMA seating collection designed by MICHEL DUCAROY, available through DOMO, continues to impress. Noted as the ‘comfortable Chester fi eld’ Kashima’s original mid-century design and generous proportions are gorgeously enhanced by a fully quilted cover with pinched seam details.

domo.com.au

making places inspiring

Play around with colours, shapes and dimensions and design your own furniture with our online configurator

Australia: Anibou – anibou.com.au

Sydney 726 Bourke St.Redfern NSW 2016, 02 9319 0655

Melbourne 3 Newton Street, Cremorne VIC 3121, 03 9416 3671 info@anibou.com.au

New Zealand: ECC – ecc.co.nz

Auckland 39 NugentSt Grafton 1023, 09 379 9680

Christchurch 145 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central 8013, 03 353 0586

Wellington 61 Thorndon Quay, Pipitea 6021, 04 473 3456 info@ecc.co.nz

Designed by Jesús Gasca and Jon Gasca for STUA , the PETAL TABLE is gorgeously elegant. Embodying modern craftsmanship, the design’s organic forms of gently curved, petal-shaped legs revere nature with sustainability and just a touch of playfulness.

stylecraft.com.au

TRENT JANSEN is a designer who absolutely never fails to turn design expectations on its head. New from the studio, SWAMP CREATURE LOUNGE , does this in spades, with the squishy curves and contours of this incredible design presenting the ubiquitous lounge chair as something altogether unique, inviting and completely sculptural. Love love love!

trentjansen.com

INSPIRED BY NATURE, BUILT FOR LIVING

Discover resilient designs that bring the beauty of natural materials, the practicality of advanced engineering, and the innovation to transform modern spaces. Perfect for creating luxurious, enduring interiors with ease.

Elevate every step and discover resilient LVT designs that bring luxury, practicality, and innovation to modern spaces.

karndeancommercial.com

@fhiaba_au

Redefining Refrigeration

Fhiaba, the epitome of luxury kitchen appliances, is the perfect choice for those who demand the highest quality and design standards. Made in Italy with meticulous attention to detail, Fhiaba products boast premium finishes and sophisticated style, elevating the look and feel of any kitchen.

Pictured: Fhiaba X-Pro Series 75cm Refrigerator in Satin Steel Made in Italy

Bringing together fi ne timbers, timeless European craftsmanship and a global design vision, Portugal-based furniture brand DE LA ESPADA draws its design ethos from in fluences including the Arts and Crafts movement, the minimalism of contemporary architecture, and 1950s Scandinavian elegance. Recently, De La Espada partnered with Italian designer LUCA NICHETTO to launch the AZORES COLLECTION, showcasing luxurious upholstery and solid wood. Magní fico.

winnnings.com.au

‘Exceptionally useful; occasionally functional’ the delicious inventions of DIEGO FAIVRE take on the traditional Australian milk bar with his exhibition for USEFUL OBJECTS, titled Diego Super Bonza Store. The gorgeously quirky pieces are each a delight, and en masse deliver a world unto themselves.

usefulobjects.com.au

Taking inspiration from the Amal fi coast, Amal fi , Miami is the latest body of work from Italian artist SAURO MELCHIORRI . Opening at STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN ’S Miami gallery for Miami Art Week, the solo exhibition celebrates Melchiorri’s passion for raw materiality and form. “His ability to translate the beauty of organic materials into timeless works of art and design is built on a rigorous respect for nature and deep knowledge of art and design” says Nacho Polo, founder and creative director at STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN. Photo, Kris Tamburello.

Studiotwentyseven.com

KELLY WEARSTLER just keeps getting better and better with some excellent collaborations shaping her work. The latest range NUDO 2.0 are phenomenally good, stools, chairs, benches to die for, a table that switches between ping-pong and dining, and some seriously great coffee and side tables are all carved form onyx by ARCA , yet continue the narrative of textiles established in the original NUDO series.

kellywearstler.com

A coffee table for conversations

A desk for your hustle

A dining table for memorable meals

A bar table for elevated evenings

Shop now, Elevate your space a table that moves with you

PETRINA HICKS, the recipient of the Korea-Australia Arts Foundation Prize (KAAFP) for her work Mnemosyne IV, presents this piece as the centrepiece of her new series and landmark solo exhibition at the Museum of Australian Photography (MoAP) in Melbourne. Her meticulously choreographed images are lensed with a heightened, hyperreal precision, subverting the coolly seductive visual language of advertising while drawing motifs from classical myths, folklore and art history to reframe the contemporary female experience.

michaelreid.com.au

Perfectly aligned

Celebrating the original, while bringing the whole into a contemporary aesthetic, is just the starting point for Winter Architecture’s approach to Cremorne Townhouse.

[The] minimal approach also allows the home to function in different ways.

As a collective, Winter Architecture is an everchanging entity that at one particular point was largely comprised of architects who had been taught by Richard Tucker during their studies. As such, it was true kismet when Tucker approached the practice during this period to rethink this townhouse. “It was an honour to be asked,” says Jean Graham, project lead and Director of Winter Architecture.

Built in 1995, the townhouse is one of a series of townhouses designed by architect Craig A. Rosetti, and the recipient of the Robin Boyd Sustainability Award for its use of cost-effective materials. The thinking behind these materials has been continued with Winter Architecture approaching the project from a position of reuse and cherish, rather than overhaul and deny. “We are trying to enhance what was there: we felt we should celebrate the existing. So, even though it’s old, doesn’t mean it’s bad,” says Graham. Adding, “The spotted gum floors are exquisite, but they were in the wrong varnish and had become orange with time. We sanded them back and now they look amazing. It’s a solid wood floor. You can’t get that anymore.”

THROUGHOUT

Cremorne Townhouse by Winter Architecture, photography by Anthony Richardson. ABOVE Reflective surfaces soften the dark palette.

This kind of intervention expands the narrative of the original to a new level of richness and can be wholly transformational. In fact, the built changes on this project, at around 11-square-metres, are minimal. “The footprint of intervention is so little, it is hardly anything, but the change is phenomenal and it makes such a big impact on how they are able to use the house,” shares Graham.

Introducing a dark palette with soft lighting, the aesthetic suits the owners’ lifestyle and negates the light-industrial feel of the original build. The staircase for example, is now dark with all structural elements quite quickly being covered in vines to eventually be a green wall seen from all three floors.

Winter Architecture and Graham’s forte however is a meticulous attention to aligned detailing. “When you can do that properly, that level of detail creates comfort for the user in a way that is subconscious, and you relax in the space,” says Graham of the perfectly aligned Besser blocks, cabinetry, shelving and mirrors that make the kitchen so extraordinary.

Within the dark palette, the V-ZUG Combi-Steamer oven and V-ZUG Cooktop seamlessly integrate and add to the aligned grid foundation. “When everything is aligned it becomes quieter and just makes sense” says Graham, who has noted that the clients use the cooktop as an extension of the working surface and often put things on it as you would a tray.

“It has become part of the benchtop at a seamless level, which is only demarked by the reflective surface,” she says.

With space at a premium, functionality that paired with lifestyle was a prerequisite for all utilities. As such, a beer tap, for example was selected over a hot tap. Likewise, the oven needed to “work hard and provide multiple options,” Graham shares. The V-ZUG CombiSteamer oven was selected for just that, with baking, steaming and a great range of cooking functions within a minimal presence.

This minimal approach also allows the home to function in different ways. “It’s considered minimalism in that it’s a platform for the user to be creative, so they can choose to add or subtract according to their personalities or their use of the space,” says Graham, who notes that the client presented an unusual request. “They came to us with a pool table with the idea of a dining table that is also a pool table. They got the table second hand, but they really loved the idea,” she says. Now very much the centrepiece of the kitchen, the cabinetry and benches are also aligned to accommodate the two different heights of the players. Yet nothing looks contrived. Rather it is spacious and exceedingly clever with specific cabinetry such as a slim cooking utensil drawer right where it is needed.

OPPOSITE

On the upper floors, this same attention to detail, mirror and, aligned volumes and grids, has had a transformative effect. A large services area for example, blocked much of the view, while a bathroom, though boasting a large bath, was unusable. Winter Architecture’s intervention here, while restrained is profound. “We created the space to be used by the clients in different ways. When alone or when guests are staying. If they are alone or feeling brave they can bathe with the door open,” she says. As such, the bathroom on the top floor for the primary bedroom is small with the basin tucked behind a mirror. On the middle floor however, the bathing is expansive, where the clients are more likely to bathe when alone.

Beautiful, rich, minimal and decidedly sustainable, Winter Architecture is proving itself a remarkable practice in making a space work for its owners and the environment.

V-ZUG Cooktop and CombiSteamer oven are seamlessly integrated into the design.

Coming to

Melbourne

Saturday Indesign is coming back to Melbourne in 2025. Bringing the design and architecture community together in a highly activated footprint, Saturday Indesign 2025 is set to ignite passion, inspiration and connection.

A better world makers

An unusual designer

TEXT JAN HENDERSON | PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

The traditional craft of straw marquetry is re-interpreted for today with astounding results – and finding young followers on the journey.

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Arthur Seigneur is an unusual designer by anyone’s standards. He reinterprets the traditional making of straw marquetry in a contemporary style, and the results are singular objects of beauty. Born and raised in Paris, France, Seigneur’s pathway to product design and his particular focus of straw marquetry, came by a circuitous route.

At an early age he was fascinated by his father’s artistic prowess as an engraver but also energised by his love of music. In fact, at once stage, he wanted to become a musician but was persuaded by his parents to apply himself to a more stable career.

Next to becoming a musician, the best idea was to become a musical instrument maker and so Seigneur commenced study. After four years of an Ébénisterie or cabinetmaking course, he gained employment at a workshop retouching harpsichords, restoring marquetry on furniture and creating bespoke furniture pieces.

It was here that the designer realised he had found his career path, not in making furniture per se but in the intricacies of marquetry – a traditional 17th century French style of decorating furniture using inlays of wood veneers of different colours.

With a trade and experience under his belt, he and his Australian partner travelled to see the world, living and working in London and finally

arriving in New Orleans, USA. Here he found work through his expertise in wood veneer but when, by chance, he was introduced to straw marquetry, Seigneur knew he had found his true professional calling. Returning to France, Seigneur furthered his knowledge of straw marquetry at the renowned workshops of Lison de Caunes, which became the genesis for the future and his next global adventure.

In 2015 Seigneur and his partner arrived in Australia. With no contacts or friends, a serendipitous meeting with industrial designer of note, Adam Goodrum, changed everything. The pair recognised their design synergy and began creating together. In 2018 they founded their studio, A&A, collaborating and creating unique collectable objects that celebrate the delicacy and elegance of straw marquetry.

While Seigneur is certainly a remarkable craftsman, he is one of a small group of global artisans working today. He has learnt ‘on the job’, honing his craft, extending his knowledge and attempting more difficult interpretations for each project. Together Goodrum and Seigneur have forged a new style of object making that has received multiple accolades and awards.

While straw marquetry is uncommon, it is also a time-consuming process and intricate in its detail. It can take a seasoned maker seven or eight hours to split open 500 grams of material, as each straw is cut by hand, and this is all before making begins. However, it is interesting to know that the process of straw marquetry has been introduced to Australian schoolchildren and the future for the craft is finding new followers.

The connection with Australian school children began while Seigneur was presenting his work at a gallery. He was astounded to hear a six-year-old boy say that he knew of straw marquetry. Investigating, it was revealed that the child’s teacher had introduced the craft to her young students.

This provided food for thought, and speaking with the teacher at Princes Hill school, there was the opportunity for the maker to address the children and discuss their work. While this school is in Noth Carlton, Victoria another in Perth has also introduced straw marquetry and making to its students.

What was old is new again, and straw marquetry is enjoying a resurgence through the work of A&A and Australian school children. The profession is particular, the end result breathtaking and it is heartening to see that a traditional craft has found a re-energised life with followers for the future.

A&A | adamandarthur.com

Adam Goodrum and Arthur Seigneur together as A&A with cabinet from the Exquisite Corpse Collection

Photo Victoria Zschommler.

A&A Archant, console.

Photo Josh Purnel.

The tinkering mind: Isamu Noguchi

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LIVING EDGE AND VITRA

“I love the way the lamps arrive flat packed and are just so absolutely perfect in form and light and the way they hold the space,” says Guest Editor Adam Goodrum of the Akari lamps designed by Isamu Noguchi from 1945 onwards.

In 1968 artist and designer Noguchi wrote: “Concepts appear and disappear. How easy it is to lose track of them in the myriad relationships, of depth to shallowness, of volume to plane, of density to clarity, small to large, palpable life to something dead.” He was writing about his stone sculpture Time Thinking, but the philosophy underpins all his work from the quintessential Noguchi Coffee Table to the breathtaking bubbles of sculptural light known as the Akari.

For Noguchi, “Everything is sculpture. Any material, any idea without hindrance born into space, I consider sculpture”. As such, all lines between art, architecture, design and landscape are blurred into the simple pronouncement of art. Granted, he trained as a sculptor under Gutzon Borglum, the artists who conceived and created Mount Rushmore, but the act of making art was without the contextual tethers of the day. Rather, Noguchi was inclined to work across all realms with form answering function only when it needed, and the result pleased him. There is an awareness to his work as “a vital force in our everyday life … as something which teaches human beings how to become more human” that is underpinned by his own social, environmental and spiritual consciousness.

“I think art is too much in the hands of the so-called tastemakers, dealers, critics and so forth you see, who have a prior lien on the product, whereas I like to think that art may be something that everyone should be able to enjoy and have access to. And, the Akari lamp was partly motivated by wanting to be able to have my art in everybody’s home,” Noguchi says in a video produced by Barbican Centre.

Working in a kind of tinkering method with scraps of wood, clay and paper which he arranged and let ideas formulate, he says: “Through the process of making you can find out how to do something and do it, or do something, and then find out what you did. You see, I seem to be of the second disposition. I just do it, and then maybe I’ll try to name it or find out what I did. You know, one generally starts out with pencil and paper, and one fishes around for ideas. One has an idea, perhaps, and one tries to give it a form. And then another way is to mess around with the pieces of clay and pieces of paper, pieces of wood, you know, and in that way, you get to sort of formalise an idea.”

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Large Akari floor lamp. Akari black collection.

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Sculptural groupings of Akari lamps introduce a new dynamic

Martyn Thompson: Super Star

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY MARTYN THOMPSON

Extraordinarily multifarious, Martyn Thompson’s practice is an everevolving extravaganza of creativity.

Starting in fashion Martyn Thompson slipped into fashion photography before shifting first to lifestyle photography, then to personal photography and textile design, which remains an ongoing passion. “At some point, about eighteen years ago, I started moving more towards a personal photography practice. And that led back into a sort of design practice, which was mainly working with textile, Jacquard textile, which I work with still,” says Thompson.

In turn, his fabric designs led to ceramics, “Someone asked me, ‘Would you like to do what you do with the textiles? Would you like to make some ceramics with us?’ And I said ‘yes’, and that was 1882 Ltd in England. It’s been a very organic process for me,” says Thompson, whose collection for 1882 Ltd won Best Tableware 2020 from Elle Decoration UK.

Heading overseas was the right choice for Thompson who for the past 30 years has continued to paint, design interiors and collaborate with major designers, including a long relationship with Ilse Crawford. Moreover, he has developed the visual messaging of leading global brands such as Hermés, Jo Malone and Ralph Lauren, while also writing two books –Interiors and Working Space: An Insight into the Creative Heart.

Living in Paris, London and New York for much of his career, the move back to Sydney from New York just before the pandemic was pivotal. Selling up in America and embracing the Sydney

lifestyle, the change of location prompted yet another shift, this time to the world of glasswork.

Exhibiting at the Melbourne Design Fair in 2022 with Studio ALM, Thompson found himself between Canberra Glass Works and ceramics studio R L Foote Design Studio. “I chatted with both those people, and organised to start producing work with them,” says Thompson of the serendipity of the right people, right time.

Thompson’s method is creative with his paintings being realised as jacquard textiles by American weavers. Likewise both his ceramics and glass works are designed by him, but made by others. “My process with ceramic is to design a shape. I either have that shape, slip cast, handbuilt, or mould-built, which is not a process I personally do and then I decorate it and have it fired. With the glass, I’m even more hands-off. I again design, pick the colours, the patterns. I have my vision, and I work with Tom Rowney, who is an incredible glass blower,” says Thompson of the highly regarded glass artists and technical manager at Canberra Glassworks.

“I love being in a factory. Whenever we make glass, I’m always present, I love the process. It’s magical to watch. I just get to say things like, ‘That’s fantastic, stop now.’ I just get to be really excited, which is wonderful,” he says.

Martyn Thompson Studio | martynthompsonstudio.com

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Martyn Thompson in his Melbourne studio with large ceramic vessels and art work.

A force of nature –Olive Gill-Hille

Sumptuously tactile and of the body, the work of Perth-born multidisciplinary artist and designer, Olive Gill-Hille speaks to her interests in sculpture and furniture in equal measure.

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS AND GALLERY SALLY DAN-CUTHBERT

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Olive Gill-Hille, Figures, side tables

Having relocated to Melbourne to complete a Bachelor of Fine Art specialising in sculpture at the Victorian College of the Arts, Gill-Hille became interested in the utilitarian element of furniture and began an ongoing experimentation with melding abstract and artistic concepts with practical objects. “To truly activate a space, furniture obviously has to be just as considered as any artwork. There’s such a relationship between art and furniture, I found it very easy to combine the two. Having these furniture pieces that are a type of artwork, really create value in a space, they make it more dynamic and more interesting. Furniture is something we live with every single day. So why wouldn’t we try and make it as special as we can?” Gill-Hille muses.

To enable her vision Gill-Hille undertook the Associate Degree of Furniture Design at RMIT, where she further developed her ability to transform timber, a traditionally static material, into involved and unconventional works of art. Working with ethically sourced West Australian hardwoods as well as imported timbers with proof of a low carbon footprint, each piece is considered from inception forward.

“I try to work as ethically as possible. There are times where I also use imported timbers, depending on what the exact shape and the exact purpose of the work is, or the idea behind it. At the moment, I’m working in Western Sheoak, which is a really beautiful timber. It has a very fine network of cells, and the grain is quite unique. I love working with it, it polishes up to such a beautiful, rich, consistent finish – gorgeous.”

Often referencing the human body, bodies supporting bodies, or adapting shapes and forms from the natural environment into manmade works, Gill-Hille has developed a narrative

surrounding the artworks. These stories extrapolate the material’s history, and the artist’s working environment as key aspects of her practice.

“There is a lot of consideration towards the body, the fact that the artworks are made with my body, usually through hectic, laborious work for weeks and months on end. They’re made by the body. And there is this sort of bodily element to the shapes that I do. There is a lot of referencing the human body. There’s also reflecting on my own body. I’ve often said that some of the pieces are almost like a form of self-portraiture: there’ll be little nooks or curves that I know are actually part of my own physique, a sort of mirror.”

Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert presented GillHille’s first solo exhibition Trunk in 2021. “There is a strength required in wrangling wood and using the requisite machinery and equipment that brings the artist’s own physical structure into acute focus. They are, as such, not only objects unto which the viewer might project, but extensions of the artist in the first instance; they embody her physical and emotional self,” says Gallery Director Sally Dan-Cuthbert.

Gill-Hille has been included in exhibitions at the NGV Design Fair (2022/2023), Sydney Contemporary (2022), New Australian Design at the Powerhouse, Melbourne Design Fair (2023). Her work is found in important private collections both in Australia and internationally, and a museum collection in the USA.

Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert | gallerysallydancuthbert.com

Olive Gill-Hille | olivegillhille.com

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Olive Gill-Hille in her studio working on Bones

Taking a stand –Alfred Lowe

As an Arrernte person from Akngwirrweltye (Snake Well) just north of Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in the central desert, Alfred Lowe’s keen interest in politics and racial justice is fuelled by Central Australia being a politically and racially charged region.

For artist and advocate Alfred Lowe, the way culture and identity are navigated and manifested in modern times underwrites the themes explored in his astounding sculptural work.

Using ceramics to explore themes of Country, Lowe investigates form and texture as a medium that responds to, and is informed by, his intimate knowledge of the central desert landscape. Hand-building the forms to create organic vessels, Lowe applies underglazes and a range of mark-making to the surface as well as fibre, often in extraordinarily vivid hues.

Having grown up in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), his interest in fine arts is heavily influenced and inspired by his upbringing with his neighbour. Clifford Possum in particular, is of paramount importance to the young artist. Lowe recalls standing on truck tyres to peer over the fence and watch Clifford paint for hours at a time. The influence of the community has similar strengths with Araluen Arts and Cultural Precinct just across the road, a place where Lowe spent a significant amount of time in his youth.

The recent winner of the MA Art Prize at Sydney Contemporary, his career has all the appearances of being on a sharp trajectory. That said, it should also be noted that Lowe has a quiet certainty to his work and continues to practice daily at the APY Studio in Tartanya (Adelaide). Moreover, and importantly, as an early career artist he is still examining how the influences and experiences of politics and culture are reflected in his artistic practice and will continue to develop his concerns as his work evolves.

Lowe has been a finalist in the 2023 Ramsay Art Prize exhibition, Art Gallery of South Australia, and in 2022 was a finalist in both the Shepparton Art Museum Ceramics Award & NATSIAA Awards. His work has been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Shepparton Art Museum and the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria.

Sabbia Gallery | sabbiagallery.com

APY Studio | apygallery.com

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Alfred Lowe at Sabbia Gallery with his work, All Dressed Up

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Installation view Alfred Lowe exhibition, The Gathering, Sabbia Gallery.

DIY doesn’t mean doing it alone

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ISHINOMAKI LABORATORY

Making news the world over, the great earthquake and tsunami that hit southeast Japan in March of 2011 was the single most devastating event of Japan’s recent history with thousands of homes lost. Ishinomaki Laboratory was established in one of the coastal towns most affected by disaster, with the goal of creating simple furniture to help rebuild the community.

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Maker Pack Carry Stool in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture.

Led by Tokyo-based architect Keiji Ashizawa (the architect of Trunk, the hippest hotel in Tokyo) and former sushi chef (and Ishinomaki local) Takahiro Chiba, Ishinomaki Laboratory began as a common utility space ‘for the people’ where residents in the disaster area could freely access materials and tools – as provided by designers and volunteers – to conduct their own repair work. Donated Canadian red cedar was the crucial material at this early stage.

DIY workshops were the primary vehicle for residents affected by the disaster with simple designs being freely shared to make furniture-making as easy as possible.

“Utilitarian forms, functionality and durability merge with simple design. Our products have been created for ordinary people and everyday lives,” says Ashizawa.

During the crisis Ishinomaki Laboratory started restoring local shops and the appeal of artisanal craftsmanship started to resonate more profoundly with the group. This, in turn, led to the establishment of the Ishinomaki Laboratory label with the idea of marketing the DIY products beyond the local community.

“We didn’t start Ishinomaki Laboratory with a business strategy, branding, or marketing in mind, and in the last ten years, we’ve learned that ‘doing it yourself’ doesn’t mean doing it alone. As our project grows, so does our global community – and our furniture has come to symbolise so much more than great design,” says Ashizawa, who has tapped into a long tradition of Japanese woodworking to offer high-quality, modern furniture that is entirely maker made.

The laboratory is a shifting entity by nature and at present the group comprises a collection of young and talented designers from Japan and abroad who contribute to the planning and products behind the brand. This is realised through six staff members who work under the supervision of Chiba.

As the world’s first DIY label, expanding the world of DIY and its potential through the power of design is a driving force. As such, workshops continue to be a mainstay of the practice with DIY events in Japan and internationally, an ongoing part of the label’s commitment to providing a sustainable resource. Likewise, collaboration is a key element with partnerships fostered the world over. The collaboration with Karimoku Furniture, for example, has a great simpatico of ethos. “Through the spirit of making, we at Karimoku Furniture aim to restore the resilience of forests, which are a vital natural resource, and enhance the sustainability of the forestry industry responsible for the management of forests,” says Hiroshi Kato, Vice President of Karimoku Furniture.

Adapting the clean designs of Ishinomaki Laboratory’s furniture, Karimoku’s highly evolved manufacturing techniques and networks of resources has resulted in the Maker Pack line. Easily shipped around the world, the Maker Pack collection is based on the concept of Maker Made and continues the original idea of aesthetic furniture that is simple, yet functional and attractive, but also delivers the DIY spirit that remains at the core of Ishinomaki Laboratory.

Ishinomaki Laboratory | ishinomaki-lab.org

Maker Pack Kobo Table and Kobo Bench in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture.

Tokyo drift –Alexander Calder

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY TADAYUKI MINAMOTO © 2024 CALDER FOUNDATION NEW YORK / ARS NEW YORK

With 35 years between exhibitions in Tokyo –Alexander Calder still holds the attention and hearts of the art world.

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Alexander Calder with Red Disc and Gong (1940) and Untitled (c. 1940) in his Roxbury studio, 1944. © 2024 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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Installation view of Calder: Un effet du japonais, Azabudai Hills Gallery, 2024. Photo: Tadayuki Minamoto, © 2024 Calder Foundation New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

s the story goes, according to Calder biographer, Jed Perl, in 1949, six years after his extraordinary retrospective at MoMA, Calder was commissioned to create a mobile for Dorothy Miller, an important curator at the Modern. Expecting a delivered artwork, she was more than a little surprised when Calder appeared at her Greenwich Village apartment with his pliers and a suitcase full of wires and various biomorphic shapes. As she tells it, Calder had gotten up on a stepladder and begun, on the spot, to fashion the mobile that hung for decades from an old chandelier mount.

This is just one of the stories around Calder, who also upgraded his 1943 MoMA Catalogue by offering to donate a horse sculpture, “Do you think we could bait that catalogue trap with horsemeat and offer them this in exchange for further expanding the catalogue[?],” Calder wrote. He was also keen for people to touch his sculptures, which flies in the face of most art exhibitions. In 1944, Mário Pedrosa, the Brazilian art critic was amazed that, “anyone could touch them, move them, sway them and even push them with their feet; in particular the large free moving mobiles,” and was “surprised” by an “overwhelming absence of taboos”.

In Japan, Calder’s work is held in particular reverence. In fact, Pace Gallery opened its

new Tokyo outpost in July 2024 with an accompanying exhibition Calder: Un Effet du Japonais at the adjacent Azabudai Hills Gallery. Comprising around one hundred works from the Calder Foundation, the exhibition explored the enduring resonance of the American modernist’s art with Japanese traditions and aesthetics.

Curated by Alexander S. C. Rower, President of the Calder Foundation, New York, and organised in collaboration with Pace Gallery, spanning the 1930s to the 1970s, the exhibition includes the artist’s signature mobiles, stabiles and standing mobiles, oil paintings and works on paper.

The alcove lined with thick sheets of blackened paper reinforced the dynamic interplay between Calder and the Japanese aesthetic and lent a contemporary edge to the exhibition. The large sculptures, however, were the primary attraction with huge mobiles including Untitled (1956), slowly rotating overhead and the stately floor pieces, such as The Pagoda (1963) and Black Beast (1940) having huge visual and physical presence.

Pace Gallery | pacegallery.com

Calder Foundation | calder.org

Suna Fujita: wit and whimsy on a chopstick rest

Suna Fujita, the Kyoto-based partners and ceramic artists, have exhibited extensively throughout Japan, China and Taiwan. They have also both continued as active ceramicists working independently, as well as together.

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SUNA FUJITA AND LOEWE

The dreamy utopian world of Suna Fujita plays on the quirky moments of everyday life, while providing respite from the harshness of the world. These are the thoughts behind the work of ceramic studio duo Shohei Fujita and Chisato Yamano, whose ceramic studio Suna Fujita is bringing delight and whimsy into homes all over the world.

“We are overloaded with unpleasant news in our daily lives,” Fujita says, who counters, “So I wanted the world we depict to be somewhere dreamy, almost utopian, where people can escape to.” Yamano is in accord with the memorable moments from her life (from feeding to chickens, to walking in the forest with their son and dog) fuelling her wonderfully peculiar drawings. “My drawings hide playful scenes among them, which I hope people will find and have a giggle,” she says.

The shared ethos of the artists, who have been working together since 2005 and officially became Suna Fujita in 2014, is underpinned by a love of nature and tradition. “A world where animals, nature and humans coexist as equals,” says Yamano. Moreover, it is the tradition of ceramics as a means to speak for the times in a profoundly personal way.

“I feel that familiar landscapes and sceneries are continuing to fade away. Pottery works can last for a long time. Even after being broken into pieces, the images drawn on the surface teach us the culture and ways of living at that time. I

feel pottery can be a medium to leave behind the stories of our life,” Fujita says.

The works themselves are beyond divine with children catching a ride on the fin of a giant flying fish, a benevolent octopus hosting a party, fabulous goop connected animals, shark surfboards, tea parties and the delightful joy of a whale boat puttering along. Full of humour and wit, such as an ocean of fantastical sea creatures looking into a bowl of playing children, the imagined worlds are hand-painted as miniature scenes onto ceramic plates, tea bowls, cups and chopstick rests. Touching on fantasy, memory and the wonders of the natural world, there is an abundance of happiness in every piece.

Introduced to Australia at the Melbourne Art Fair, the collaboration with Spanish fashion brand LOEWE has rocketed the duo to cult status. Shifting the images from ceramics to bags, clothing, lighting, books, animation (by Joseph Wallace) and packaging, the collectability of Suna Fujita has taken on exponential growth.

The launch in Tokyo in 2023 of their first collaboration, for example, was significant, but the latest collaboration for 2024 had lines around the block. Singapore has seen a similar attraction with the holiday collection 2024 selling out almost immediately.

LOEWE | Loewe.com

Suna Fujita |@suna_fu fita

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The delightful images and ceramics of Suna Fujita.

A privilege in the making

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

Growing up in Perth, Adam Goodrum feels fortunate to have been part of a culture deeply rooted in the art of making. “Everyone had a quarter-acre block, and almost everyone had a backyard shed to tinker,” he recalls. “You could always find someone to help, to build parts for a go-kart, turn an axle on a metal lathe, or laminate some ply to make a sandboard.”

Goodrum fondly remembers Todd Taylor’s dad, Mr. Taylor. “If we needed something turned on a lathe, we’d go to my friend’s father. And if it was something really intricate, we’d go to his father, a fitter and turner with a number of metal lathes in his back shed. He was incredibly skilled and always had a solution.”

This hands-on culture was perfectly aligned with Goodrum’s design sensibilities, further inspired by his mother’s hand-spinning at home. “The spinning wheel was such an honest object,” he reflects. “Its analogue nature was beautifully transparent in how it worked. The mechanics were so thoughtfully designed, with timber construction and lovely forms. And then there was the rhythmic sound it made –absolutely mesmerising.”

With craft and engineering and makers around him, Goodrum was a designer from the get go, plotting his projects as drawings before starting on a task. “I was one of those kids who was always drawing and loved Lego. I used to do drawings of what we were going to make. So, if we were going to make a cubby house or a go-kart or something, I’d do drawings beforehand.”

One of his first designs, complete with drawings, was for a surfboard leg rope, which were expensive to buy. “The plug in my design was a Coca Cola lid with a nail through it that was Araldited into the foamy board. The leg rope was part of mum’s clothesline, and one of her pantyhose was turned back on itself to make a donut that you could slip over your foot, it worked a treat,” says Goodrum, who still surfs.

Goodrum now designs furniture of exceptional quality for two icons of Australian design: Tait and NAU.

For Tait, his work focuses on outdoor pieces that embody a distinctly Australian aesthetic, marked by clean, linear detailing and a touch of playful charm. “Tait has developed its own unique language,” says Goodrum. “It’s robust, approachable and occasionally sprinkled with a bit of whimsy.”

He particularly values Tait’s manufacturing expertise, led by Gordon Tait, who brings a

deep understanding of metal fabrication to the process. “Working so closely with the client is incredibly rewarding,” Goodrum shares. “Visiting the Melbourne factory, working with the team on the floor, and collaborating with Gordon, who has such an incredible depth of metal knowledge is such a pleasure.” One standout feature of this collaboration is access to cutting-edge tools. “Right now, I’m loving the 3D tube bender – it’s a phenomenal piece of equipment. I’m pretty sure it’s the only one of its kind in Australia, and possibly in the AsiaPacific region,” Goodrum adds.

Early in his career, Goodrum created all his own prototypes. This has now shifted to others with NAU’s production, but the elation remains. “I feel incredibly privileged to work with such amazing makers,” Goodrum shares. “There’s nothing more exciting than visiting a factory to see a prototype for a new project, whether it’s an upholstered sofa or a timber chair.”

For NAU, the focus is on indoor furniture that doesn’t aim to compete with European brands but matches them in aesthetics and quality. What sets NAU apart is its emphasis on bespoke production rather than mass manufacturing, informing in a refined yet effortless design language. The timber pieces are crafted from solid wood, showcasing a strong handmade quality, while the upholstery patterns are cut by hand, reflecting the meticulous attention to detail.

“There’s an aesthetic in my NAU work that nods to European design while maintaining its own unique identity,” Goodrum explains. “That individuality is important – it allows interior designers to curate across brands for a cohesive result that feels authentically Australian without falling into cliché.”

Goodrum also highlights the collaboration with NAU’s founder, Richard Munao, as a key factor in the brand’s success. “It’s such a pleasure to work with someone with Richard’s expertise and vision. I’m incredibly lucky in that regard,” he adds.

Adam Goodrum | adamgoodrum.com

LEFT

Fat Tulip Sofa for NAU. ABOVE

Adam Goodrum in the Tait showroom.

Photo Timothy Kaye. Swing Chair for Tait. Photo Haydn Cattach.

Outside the box portrait #75

A collector in flux

Chippendale is a small pocket of a suburb adjacent to the Sydney city centre. Historically an industrial area with workers cottages and some of the poorest and most substandard housing in the city, over the last decade it has transformed into a vibrant cultural precinct. By 2024 Time Out named it the coolest neighbourhood in Australia (which also ranked it 7th in the world).

TEXT DAVID CLARK |

Activated by the development of Central Park on the old Carlton United Brewery (CUB) site opposite UTS, it has also become one of the richest architectural quarters of the city with a collection of buildings by excellent international and Australian architects.

A significant player in the transformation of the area is collector, philanthropist and patron, Judith Neilson.

White Rabbit Gallery came first, opened with her former husband Kerr Neilson in the heart of Chippendale in 2009. A significant survey collection of Chinese contemporary art, the gallery had an immediate impact on the Australian and international art scene. It was a prescient move for the Neilsons. Construction on the award-winning development of the nearby CUB site would not start until the year later. They were early players.

Neilson is a pragmatically elegant woman born in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in 1946. She studied graphic design at art school in Natal, South Africa. In 1983 she came to Australia with Kerr. Initially, she worked at Grace Brothers designing catalogues, until her children (two daughters) were born. In the meantime, Kerr Neilson was building an asset management consultancy that, when it went public in 2007, made the Neilsons a fortune and made them philanthropists.

When she divorced her husband in 2015, Neilson had the financial independence and ability to devote her life to her own philanthropic and aesthetic pursuits. She funded the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas. She endowed a Chair of Architecture at the UNSW to focus on housing solutions for refugees. And she became a prominent patron of art, architecture and design.

Around the corner from White Rabbit Gallery, are three buildings commissioned by Neilson that, while private, contribute much to the streetscape. They are a necessary stop for any architectural tourist surveying the area.

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Judith Neilson.

PREVIOUS RIGHT

Indigo

ABOVE

Inside Indigo Slam, design and artworks, including a credenza by Adam & Arthur, sit perfectly within their natural habitat.

Slam, Neilson’s private home by Smart Design Studio.

Along with other more personal pieces collected over a lifetime, the interior has become more layered and more eclectic than it might otherwise have been.

OPPOSITE

The upper balcony of Indigo Slam by Smart Design Studio is as much artwork as architecture.

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Pairing expansive settings and nooks within the same space, each room in Indigo Slam is designed to be lived in.

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Dangrove, by Tzannes, currently houses Neilson’s significant collection of Chinese art.

Indigo Slam, with its machine-like sculptural façade, was designed by William Smart, who also remodelled the old warehouse that became White Rabbit Gallery. It is Neilson’s home for much of the year. The rest she spends in her private apartment on the vessel The World, cruising the high seas. Beside it is Phoenix, really a pair of buildings unified by the texture of long and shallow handmade bricks. It houses a private gallery by John Wardle that primarily holds her collections of African Art. Beside it, separated by a private courtyard, is a semi-private performance space designed by Neil Durbach.

A suburb away in Alexandria is Dangrove, Neilson’s spectacular, state-of-the-art storage facility designed by Alex Tzannes. “I never sell a thing,” says Neilson. “I have more than 800 artists, more than 4,000 artworks. So, I needed Dangrove.” The collection is in constant flux, moving between buildings as required.

As an art collector, Neilson likes a ‘pure collection’. White Rabbit Gallery, for instance, is only Chinese contemporary art post 2000. Nothing prior. Phoenix is currently devoted to African art collections. At other times it will be Australian Indigenous art.

When she commissioned Indigo Slam to Smart, she also commissioned Adelaide-based Khai Liew to design every piece of furniture for the interior – more than 160 pieces. For a designer like Liew, who died in 2024 and was surely one of Australia’s best, it was the brief of a lifetime.

Filling a house entirely with furniture from one designer is a bold act of patronage. But it doesn’t easily make a home. Rather, such an interior can feel more gallery-like. The owner’s own aesthetic expressions of domesticity are minimised. Over time, Neilson retired some of Liew’s pieces to Dangrove and replaced them with work by Adam Goodrum (guest editor of this issue), or by Goodrum with his collaborator Arthur Seigneur. Only these Australian designers are represented (currently), and Liew’s and Goodrum’s designs play beautifully off each other.

She says that from the moment she saw Goodrum’s work, she was “right there”. She commissioned a conference table for her offices nearby Indigo Slam. Then she began to buy, for the house, but also for her collection.

The first major piece was a large dining table on the first living level of the house. The entry level has a spectacularly long dining setting by Liew for monumental dinners. The other is of a more intimate scale, but still seats 16 at minimum and is 2.8 metres square. It needed to be carried upstairs in four parts by a team of movers and connected onsite. The square configuration was a

stipulation by Neilson to create a more convivial seating arrangement and to avoid not being able to connect with people at the other end of a long rectangular shape.

Other pieces followed – a mirror and storage cabinet for the private bedroom; stools covered in alligator skin from a friend’s farm in Africa; long credenzas for storage.

Some years ago, Goodrum started a collaboration with Arthur Seigneur, a French craftsman trained in the art of straw marquetry. As Adam + Arthur, their formal, kinetic, and wildly patterned straw marquetry pieces have become global collectors’ items. Neilson bought several pieces (from Tolarno Gallery), some for the house and some for the collection at Dangrove. Another piece is commissioned to sit beside Liew’s table downstairs.

These colourful, sculptural pieces add ‘oomph’ to an otherwise tonal interior. Along with other more personal pieces collected over a lifetime, the interior has become more layered and more eclectic than it might otherwise have been.

Goodrum says: “Judith is aesthetically driven and likes things that are ambitious. But she’s practical as well. The piece needs to work properly for her.” A drawer that is too low, for instance, is removed from a design. Apart from the functional requirements, Goodrum works with an open brief.

Like all great collectors, Neilson operates on intuition and gut feel. Her first piece of Australian design was not a chair nor a table or a light. It was a car. A Ford racing car, in fact, that had sped around racing tracks and been virtually hand built or had an artist of some sort involved in its making. “Even if that artist was an engineer,” says Neilson.

That purchase, like most, was serendipitous and instinctual. The day she was made aware of the car’s auction was her father’s birthday. Her father had been a manufacturer of car radiators. She felt it was kismet and bought the car straight away. Now it sits in Dangrove, and she says it’s the first piece that every visitor gravitates to, bypassing all the painting and sculpture.

Neilson shares she has been collecting since she was a child. Her first ‘piece’, nothing more than a child’s keepsake, was a small bell, fallen from a horse that had been pulling the flat-backed carriage she and her aunt were riding in Africa. “That bell never rusted, and brought me good luck,” she says. Now, as an act of faith in that continuing luck, perhaps, she puts a handful of small bells into every concrete pour for every new building she does.

Judith Neilson Projects | judithneilsonprojects.com.au

ABOVE TOP

ABOVE BOTTOM

Phoenix by Durbach

Block Jaggers and John Wardle Architects, includes a gallery, a central garden, and an intimate performance space.

OPPOSITE

The pool at Indigo Slam.

Judith Neilson at home in Indigo Slam.

Reverse urbanisation

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EARTHITECTS

When the old model doesn’t work, a new one needs to be created. This is the thinking behind Earthitects’ approach to bringing sustainability to coffee plantations.

Convinced that living in a nature-rich environment was superior to cities, Earthitects posits reembracing nature as a means to a more harmonious life. “It’s very clear that we were not meant to live in concrete jungles the way that we do right now,” says George E. Ramapuram, principal architect and managing director of Earthitects.

With wells in Bangalore once reaching water at 30-metres, urbanisation has put too much pressure on the land and wells are now 300-metres. As such, urbanisation is unsustainable and as Ramapuram argues, “living in smaller, dispersed areas allows the earth to regenerate.”

Sustainability, however, needs to be multi-faceted with social, cultural, financial and environmental aspects all underpinned by sustainable solutions. To this end, the company’s projects, including the Stone Lodges at Coorg, incorporate built sustainability with methods to support the coffee plantation culture and community.

For Ramapuram the endeavour is personal with his family involved in the plantation industry for the past century. The region’s plantations, which once flourished, have now flattened with countries such as Brazil and Vietnam entering the market. Simultaneously costs have increased. “In India, the labour rates have gone up and up, which absolutely should happen. It is the right way and the right thing to happen. But for a planter, it isn’t great and for many farmers they’re not able to make a living,” says Ramapuram.

Effectively he realised that unless there was a different model with a supplemental income, the plantations could no longer be viable. “In the current market it does not make any sense getting into plantations or maintaining a plantation. It makes more sense coming to a place like Bangalore and getting a job and taking a salary back home.” In this model however, social and community ties are lost, as is the culture of plantation life.

The model Earthitects has developed leaves the plantations intact and working, while new homes are built within the plantation. In this scenario, the social and cultural aspects of plantation life remain intact, while the immediate financial gain of the sale is extended through new income streams. All operational aspects of the plantation, for example, are continued as a service to the new homeowners. “We are offering the services of managing the plantation for the homeowner so they can do whatever they like,” he explains of the mix of permanent residents and corporate owners who purchase the homes for use as a retreat. “The teams enjoy working in a location that is surrounded by greenery. It is a brilliant atmosphere to be close to the real nature, rather than concrete jungles, real trees and real jungles, which is awesome,” says Ramapuram who realised the shift to remote working would make this project work and be better for the environment. “COVID showed us that with the internet, with the ability to be completely off-grid, we are moving more and more towards a place where the earth can regenerate.”

“It is sustainable socially, economically and environmentally. Coffee plantations in themselves, have so many trees around. Coffee requires shade and a lot of trees. Of course, a jungle will be much more sustainable than a coffee plantation, but you try to do your bit to leave the place better than you found it,” says Ramapuram.

Bringing free enterprise into the equation is also about bringing good minds back to the plantations. “The idea was to get coffee to a level of entrepreneurship so we can show the locals that having a coffee plantation means more than just labour,” he says. By keeping the plantation under one management, even though the land is divided into acreages with a house, the enterprise can leverage the economy of scale of the whole plantation. “Previously, the land was being divided into five-acre coffee plantations that were then not looked after until there were no

“The planning system is such that the entire layout of the house is built for large families in a way that when you want to congregate, you can congregate”

coffee plantations. I feel we are also losing a part of our history at Coorg. I grew up here and it’s a place that was very, very close to my heart, and I feel if we lose coffee in Coorg, we’ve lost a part of our culture.”

The culture of the plantations is just one part of the equation with architectural traditions reinvigorated by the company’s ethos. “The beautiful thing about India is, every 100 kilometres, our language changes, our culture changes, our building technique changes. Because we have such a beautiful change in culture and change in building techniques, it is important for us, before we start any project, to figure out what the local architecture of the place used to be.” To this end, Earthitects is rediscovering traditional building methods that are entirely suited to the microclimate of each site.

Challenging ideas around tradition, Earthitects looks to all areas of influence for the best possible outcome. Coorg for example takes from the English influence of wide verandahs.

From the reign of the Tipu Sultan comes the still standing 500-year-old fort of local laterite stone. There’s also the architectural style of Kodava family homes, known as Aynmane, which are large and sprawling with central hubs. “The planning system is such that the entire layout of the house is built for large families in a way that when you want to congregate, you can congregate, but also the nuclear families have their privacy.” And then of course there is the building techniques with wood and stone of the native Kannadigas people.

Translating these influences, cultural concerns and ideals into large sprawling homes that sit gently in the plantation forest, while sustaining, culture, community and economics, is a big ask. It is however one Earthitects is championing, as more and more people take the step away from the urban and into the real jungle.

Earthitects

| earthitects.com

OPENER

Designed for flexibility the plantation houses are comfortable for family groups.

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While the aesthetic is rustic, the execution and facilities support a luxurious retreat experience.

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Terraces and courtyards ensure engagement with the plantation remains paramount.

ABOVE

Extensive glazing ensures the connection to nature is experienced throughout the home.

LEFT

George

E. Ramapuram Managing Director of Earthitects.

The Poison Garden

The Duchess of Northumberland, Jane Percy, lives on the north-east coast of England, at Alnwick Castle where the Harry Potter movies were famously filmed. She is an expert on plant poisons, and has built the most renowned poison garden in the world, attracting 800,000 visitors per year.

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The Duchess of Northumberland, Jane Percy amongst the (only mildly-poisonous) lavender of Alnwick Castle.

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The avenue of Laburnum is lovely, but all parts of the tree, including seeds, are toxic.

OPPOSITE

THESE PLANTS CAN KILL is not hyperbole in this garden where everything is toxic.

RIGHT

Contact with Giant Hogweed is seriously toxic and is pruned and contained accordingly. Wall plaques throughout the garden note significant herbaceous poisoners including Lakhvir Kaur Singh, who added Indian Aconite to her unfaithful lover’s curry.

OVER

While laid out in keeping with the rest of the castle gardens, hedges conceal high fences surrounding the garden.

Creating her poison garden in 1995. She thought, “Ok let’s do kill, rather than cure.” This is a reference to the swathe of traditional European gardens that were created as apothecaries for medicine, or as pleasure gardens for entertainment. The Duchess wanted to do something different and focussed on the darker side of the vegetal world – poisons rather than cures.

She travelled to Padua in Italy to see the world-class garden that the Medici family built in 1545, which included areas of specialist poisonous plants. “I went looking at all sorts of great gardens. And I couldn’t understand why there were so many apothecary gardens” she says.

Being decidedly nobility, a member of the British aristocracy, I start to wonder: surely, the establishment did not appreciate or support her darker plant interests, let alone her creation of an expansive public place with sensitive cultural material? Surely meadow flowers or rose competitions would be more appropriate?

She explains her decision to create a poison garden rather than a meadow: “It was obviously very expensive to be doing something the way I was doing it. And I received government

funding…there was a massive row because I looked around England and I couldn’t find the garden designer I wanted …I couldn’t back then. There were five elderly ladies who weren’t going to be flexible. And so I brought in the Belgian landscape designer, Jacques Wirtz. So, they were cross about that to start. They called it a vanity project.”

Creating a poison garden has enormous challenges that have nothing to do with vanity.

The day-to-day operation of a poison garden is not trivial. The Duchess says, “[The poison garden] is difficult. You have to police it. You can’t just let people roam around. And we tell the stories of how the plants kill. In truth, the plant doesn’t kill without man’s intervention, usually. And it’s how we as humans have decided actually to experiment with them.”

She explains that when approached by a professor at Edinburgh University from their botany department to write a forward for his upcoming book on poison, she replied, “Well, I will, but can you get me that plant Gelsemium?… I can’t find it.” His sombre response was:“No, we don’t have it. We did have it, but a student stole it from the garden and used it to suicide. And our license has been revoked.”

“Surely, the establishment did not appreciate or support her darker plant interests, let alone her creation of an expansive public place with sensitive cultural material?”

So even Gelsemium, the yellow jasmine, is dangerous. It is a twining vine known as heartbreak grass. Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes, attempted to treat his nerve pains with Gelsemium and purposefully poisoned himself to see at what point the curative elements became dangerous. He had severe side effects of giddiness, diarrhea and agonising frontal lobe headaches. But he still managed to publish an 1879 letter in the British Medical Journal about his self-experiments.

The interesting point about a poison garden is that it’s counterintuitive. People love plants and gardening as something that is ‘good.’ Good for carbon sequestering, good to grow your own food for sustainability and good for mental health. A poison garden presents plants as no longer benign, no longer necessarily good. This can be confronting and even scary. “Maybe people are scared because of the power of these plants that you and I know, this isn’t just something fun. They have the power to kill. They kill quite easily.” The Duchess says.

The poison garden has Deadly Nightshade, which looks like honeysuckle but has fatal shiny black berries. There is Wolfsbane, which has purple flowers sprouting up and down the stem. Wolfsbane is one of the most lethal plants in her garden as its toxic roots affect the human

heart and nervous system, if eaten. There is Henbane which can cause a hallucinatory effect or relieve nausea and vomiting, but the leaves and seeds can kill. There’s Ricin or castor bean, its seeds are highly toxic. Mugwort (regulates menstruation), Foxglove (affects heart function), Laburnum (helps with constipation) and other poisonous plants are also in the poison garden, all of which have some medicinal use in small quantities but can cause death if the dose is too high. The Duchess also has Cannabis plants which are securely caged and padlocked.

It’s important to remember that your average plants – such as Oleander, Dieffenbachia, Hydrangeas, Rhubarb, and Daffodil – are toxic if eaten in certain high doses. While the idea of a designated poison garden is unusual, there are poisonous plants in almost every suburban garden in your vicinity. Plants are serious business and should not be thought of carelessly or relegated to the background. They are active and powerful.

The Duchess started her garden in order to share her interest in this plant power. The result is that humans hopefully have more respect for plant life.

The Poison Garden | alnwickgarden.com

An immersive journey with stone

Natural stone is often the centrepiece of a design project.

Located in the heart of Alexandria, Sydney, CDK Stone’s new Selection Centre offers more than just a curated display of natural stone – it’s an immersive experience of luxury design inspiration and refined aesthetics.

Designed by CDK Stone’s in-house team, led by Natasha Stengos, in partnership with Intermain, the concept responds to the needs of architects, designers and home renovators, where the act of selecting the right stone is an integral part of the design experience.

CDK Stone’s director, Tony Victor, explains the vision behind the project: “Our new Alexandria Selection Centre is a reflection of our commitment to providing Sydney’s design community with the best possible access to premium natural stone. We have designed a beautiful space where clients can explore a wide range of natural stones and find the perfect options for their projects.” This sentiment is echoed in every design detail, where stone is presented to highlight its timelessness and potential to transform spaces.

The Selection Centre is arranged as two distinct zones – a showroom and a warehouse selection area. Of course, when creating an interior that is all about the celebration of natural stone, it would be remiss to not have unique pieces as part of the showcase.

When entering the reception area, guests are greeted with a concierge counter and coffee station crafted from a richly toned, highly patterned Carpathian Marble with deep brown hints and soft neutrals. “The Carpathian Marble offers a tactile intimacy that contrasts beautifully with the visual weight it brings to the space,” says Stengos. These sculptural pieces serve as practical yet inspiring examples of how stone can integrate into interior spaces, where mitred edges and bold curves showcase its versatility and elegance. Skye Jamieson paintings (Saint Cloche) bring a soft touch to this area, where furniture by Arthur G and an elegant Nelson Bubble lamp (Lights, Lights, Lights) are partnered with a custom coffee table by CDK Stone, forged in Calacatta Verde marble.

Beyond the reception area, the Selection Centre offers a curated sample library and collaboration spaces that cater to different needs. The sample library, for example, is a central focal point that provides clients with a tactile experience, where they can touch and feel each stone’s texture and finish. A central table, crafted with a solid stone motif and articulated double bullnose edge detail, ties the library’s design to the Centre’s overall aesthetic.

The boardroom spaces allow clients to explore samples in a sophisticated setting, where stone is the undeniable feature. Here a dramatic table crafted in Austral Dream Dolomite, including solid stone legs, speaks to this uniquely Australian material.

Adding another layer of artistic dimension, CDK Stone collaborated with art gallery Saint Cloche to integrate artworks into the project. This collaboration underscores the Centre’s role not just as a showroom but as a gallery, a space where stone and art intersect to create an inspiring environment. As such, behind the sculptural reception desk in Carpathian Marble, are equally organic curving sculptures by Greg Penn from his Dance of Bliss series. The team also worked closely with Lights, Lights, Lights to ensure the lighting was the perfect ambience in each of the different zones.

The rear of the Centre houses a dedicated stone gallery space featuring custom A-frames to hold the stone slabs. The layout ensures that each piece of stone is displayed with intention, allowing clients to imagine how these materials could shape their own interiors.

ABOVE

The tactile nature of Carpathian Marble delivers an exceptional reception area. Photography Tom Ferguson.

CDK Stone’s Alexandria Selection Centre invites visitors to rethink stone as an artistic medium that defines spaces. Tony Victor also notes, “We’re excited to open this centre to both industry professionals and the public. With a curated range of natural stones and access to our national inventory, this centre offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the beauty and diversity of natural stone.”

LEFT Stone, art and furnishings are curated as an inspiring design experience.

The environment

Arctic experimental

From New Zealand mountain huts and English Lake District museums to experimental design in Svalbard and Greenland, Habitus Living Editor Timothy Alouani-Roby investigates the fundamentals of designing for cold climates.

TIMOTHY ALOUANI-ROBY

Mountain altitude, water, snow, wildlife, temperate changeability and unpredictability – these are just some of the specific isues to be confronted in any given place.

There is no single ‘cold climate’ – only many different landscapes, cultures, economies and weather patterns, not to mention the design typologies and histories unique to each place. Having sought out wisdom from an eclectically varied range of designers and thinkers working in vastly diverse places and at utterly different scales, however, it does seem possible to outline some broad common foundations for designing well in the cold.

PREVIOUS Shaktoolik, Alaska, by the Bering Strait, where David Garcia has studied communities being relocated due to coastal erosion and permafrost melting.

Photo: David A. Garcia.

OPPOSITE CLT used for indoor comfort in a Living Places prototype.

Photo: Adam Mork.

Mountain altitude, water, snow, wildlife, temperate changeability and unpredictability – these are just some of the specific issues to be confronted in any given place. For David Garcia – Copenhagen-based architect, founder of MAP Architects, associate professor and Head of Master Program ‘Extreme Environments’ at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts – designing in an extreme environment begins fundamentally with a highly tuned approach of working with the landscape. Garcia takes students annually to work in places such as Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland (indeed he recently edited a book titled Extreme Environments).

“Every project should be incredibly sitespecific and not generic,” asserts Garcia. “I think the only way is to fine-tune the dedication and study of context even more – being so sitespecific is the key to all of this for me. The more [we understand] context and how communities live, as well as understanding the changes that are happening – that dedication generally leads to good solutions.”

Engaging in extreme environments is, for Garcia, a means of un-learning some of the unquestioned assumptions that accumulate in design over time. His work is of course at one extreme end of an environmental spectrum (not everyone is about to design a high-end residential project in the Arctic Circle), but the experimental spirit is similarly found in the work of Lone Feifer. Also based in Copenhagen, Feifer is an architect and Director for Sustainable Buildings at VELUX Group as well as contributor to another recent book, Living Places: Principles and Insights for a New Way of Thinking Buildings

The VELUX Group has been involved in the design and construction of over 30 demonstration projects in 22 (cold) countries, with the Living Places project as the latest example. Feifer emphasises the need to move away from reliance on air-conditioning, for example. “That is the classic approach to climate, and it’s probably the key thing we’re trying to change – that you have to go with climate and not against it,” she says. Feifer also draws attention to theories surrounding alliesthesia in the built environment: the idea that we shouldn’t be “in the same thermal comfort range all the time… On the contrary, you need to experience lows and highs; your body gets more robust and it makes you healthier.”

Feifer’s work is geared directly towards impacting housing solutions for indoor comfort, but, like Garcia, it places a high value on experimentation in the form of learning

“When designing in those large, dramatic landscapes, [the question is]: how you can immerse yourself and hunker or integrate into the landscape?”

from built prototypes – like the Living Places project developed in partnership with EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers. It also similarly emphasises cultural context, with Feifer pointing to the work of Glenn Murcutt as an example of designing with sensitivity for a specific climate. It’s perhaps less about the cold per se, then, and more about heightened context and sitespecificity no matter where the project might be.

Moving into more familiar territory of commercial and residential architecture, Warren and Mahoney (WAM) Principal Ian Adamson has years of experience designing out of Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand. Speaking to him about various projects in and around the mountain environments of this climatically extreme region, it becomes evident that high-end houses, ski resorts and mountain huts in the cold all share similar principles.

“Ultimately, it’s about shelter, comfort and warmth,” says Adamson. “When designing in those large, dramatic landscapes, [the question is]: how can you immerse yourself and hunker or integrate into the landscape?”

and the landscape as much as the buildings themselves.” The form, materials and dark profile of the buildings allow them to nestle sensitively in the mountainous landscape, with water in general and flooding in particular being the preeminent climatic concerns in this particular instance. A concrete base provides flood resilience, but it’s the material choices of timber and copper that really create an atmosphere of place as they weather over time in a region where four seasons can pass by in any given day.

PREVIOUS Winter Ice Tiles, Daniele Miller. Photo: David A. Garcia.

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The architecture at Carmody Groarke’s Windermere Jetty Museum welcomes water inside, both for functional and climate-resilience reasons. Photo: Christian Richter.

The approach here is fundamentally about materials, orientation, integration with the landscape and site-specificity in terms of climatic changeability; what differs, whether in Svalbard, Copenhagen or the Southern Alps, is usually a matter of scale. At Lake Windermere in the English Lake District, an esteemed project by UK practice Carmody Groarke highlights the importance of materiality on one hand and cultural context on the other.

“The Windermere Jetty Museum tells the story of the lake,” says Rowan Seaford, Associate Director at Carmody Groarke. “We hope that when people visit, they experience the lake

Returning to the Arctic, Garcia similarly emphasises the importance of local materials as well as a highly bespoke approach to their ageing and behaviour in the cold. Snow, for example, will stick differently according to the land material it falls on – a small, tantalising hint at the endlessly rich possibilities for engaging sensitively and contextually in extreme cold climates. Whether it’s experimental prototypes in northern Europe or luxury houses in New Zealand, the cold demands attunement to local conditions, appropriate materials, readiness for unpredictability and change, and a peeling back of some of the unnecessary layers of technology for a more homely relationship to the environment.

Danish Architectural Press | arkitektensforlag.dk

MAP Architects | maparchitects.dk

VELUX Living Places | buildforlife.velux.com

Warren and Mahoney | wam.studio

Carmody Groarke | carmodygroarke.com

Twitching at Bamurru

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER

PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM

GIBSON, COURTESY

EXPERIENCECO

LOCATION ARNHEM LAND, YOLNGU COUNTRY / NORTHERN TERRITORY / AUSTRALIA

Nestled within a 300 square kilometre floodplain in northern Arnhem Land, the Bamurru Plains eco-resort experience is very much in the tradition of safari tourism.

Designed as an eco-experience where nature takes centre stage, the bird-life experience when visiting Bamurru is unparalleled. Anywhere. It is in fact a twitcher’s (birdwatchers) dream with 256 species of birds identified on the property. Not bad for the rest of us either, with an estimated one hundred thousand magpie geese breeding on the floodplain throughout the season.

Then there are the superstars of the bird world – the black-necked stork (often misnamed Jabiru) – that make timely and sensational appearances during the morning run. Standing around 1.3 metres tall with a wingspan of two metres, and an iridescent dark blue neck, they are a majestic sight as they stalk through the grass and in-flight.

With a depth of about 60 centimetres the Mary River floodplain is covered in coarse native grasses, including wild rice grass (Oryza rufipogo ), swamp rice grass (Leersia hexandra) and native hymenachne (Hymenachne acutigluma), ideal for the nesting geese. To give perspective, the floodplains at the top end of the Northern Territory cover around 1,420 million square kilometres from just east of Darwin, through the top of Kakadu, joining with the Timor Sea. Crocodiles and barramundi are plentiful in what is ostensibly a breeding ground for aquatic life.

Bamurru Plains sits on the Swim Creek Station, a property of some 300 square kilometres, which has the onerous task of managing a huge number of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) that were introduced into the Northern Territory in the 19th century. There is a mysterious stillness of the buffalo grazing among the paperbark trees, which is ethereal and other in all the good ways. They also feed the local crocodile population, which takes around a hundred yearly.

The completely off-grid accommodation takes its cues from the African safari school with raised platforms supporting a tent-shaped room with glazing and a screen-enclosed deck facing the floodplain. Deliberately low-key and pared back to immerse guests in nature, the individual bungalows are exceedingly comfortable with fine linen and premium bedding. The style also allows for new bungalows to be added as needed with the most recent addition, Jabiru Retreat, a private, ‘camp within a camp’ experience

featuring two safari bungalows connected via a raised walkway. Complete with its own private plunge pool, alfresco lounge and dining space plus direct access to the incredible view; the larger size fills the need for families or small groups.

The lodge itself is rustic and sprawling with a pool overlooking the floodplain and the utterly mesmerising, kaleidoscopic sunset. A large communal table occupies one side, while lounges and nooks are arranged across the other. The central corridor is open to take in the view of the plains across the pool and the huge flock of corellas that constantly play in the surrounding trees. Buffalos, brumbies, agile wallabies and the incredibly elegant banteng cattle from Thailand have free range across the plain and create a constantly changing vista of beautiful creatures to enjoy as you while away the afternoon.

The shift towards an eco-friendly lodge has been a game changer with a more relaxed clientele enjoying the birds and the great many wallabies hopping around the camp. It is bucolic, expansive and provides a seamless integration between accommodation and the wetlands.

Bamurru Plains | bamurruplains.com

OPENER

The large deck and pool overlooking the flood plain gives guests a relaxed view of the wildlife.

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The, literally, thousands of Magpie geese make Bamurru Plains an unforgettable twitcher experience.

OPPOSITE

Agile wallabies are in abundance and provide afternoon entertainment as they gather in front of the lodge.

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Mesh walls ensure guest engagement with nature is fully realised while no mossies get in.

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The large communal table is hosted by a different guide each night as the chef wows with a good mix of gourmet safari fare and First Nations ingredients.

Asia Pacific Triennial

The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is a testament, not only to Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art’s (QAGOMA) curatorial commitment, rigour and depth of research practices, but to the Asia Pacific region’s artistic dynamism and cultural diversity. TEXT SARAH HETHERINGTON | PHOTOGRAPHY VARIOUS

Presenting the complex interwoven cultural landscapes of Australia, Asia and the Pacific poses challenges. How can these diverse perspectives across this vast geography be explored in any real depth? Developed over a three-year period, the exhibition has been assembled by a curatorial team led by Tarun Nagesh, curatorial manager, Asian and Pacific Art. Committed to strong regional engagement through co-curated projects developed with in-country partners, an interlocutor program and community engagement initiatives, the result is rich, engaging and cohesive.

The exhibition spaciously spans both museums and maximises each site’s architectural environment and context. It’s an approach best demonstrated by the site-specific, ambitious work of Thai artist Mit Jai Inn, whose immersive painting installation transforms Queensland Art Gallery’s Watermall entryway. The artist’s practice is embedded in politics, consciousness and spirituality; through an expanded painting practice using layers of paint, pigments and binder materials, his canvases transform into sculptural environments. While there is a saccharine quality to the overall chosen colour palette, the experience of the tunnel, scroll and totem-like forms is quite sublime and transformational.

Similarly, in GOMA’s central atrium audiences are welcomed by Māori artist Brett Graham’s installation Tai Moana Tai Tangata (2020) comprising five monumental sculptures and a moving image work. Acting as an anchor point, the impenetrable austerity of these stark black and white towering monolithic forms directly addresses histories of imperialism and global indigenous issues.

The intricately carved surfaces, motifs and embedded narratives embody spiritual resonance and meaning for Māori people.

Scale and impact play an important role in the spatial design of triennials and biennials, where visual saturation and fatigue can overtake wonderment. While the 11th edition of APT does have brilliant moments of awe and crescendo, sensationalism is not at its core. One such significant work where impact and ambition meet with sensitivity is in Indonesian artist Albert Yonathan Setyawan’s Spires of Undifferentiated Being (2023-24). Here, 3,000 individual terracotta objects comprising two symbols – a flame and a hand – are arranged in mandala-like repetitive patterns that span the gallery wall.

Equally compelling is the site-specific work of Jasmine Togo-Brisby, an Australian South Sea Islander artist whose installation Copper Archipelago (2024) brings into focus Australia’s colonial legacy and participation in the Pacific “blackbird” slave trade.

Suspended from the ceiling, a large, copper hued ship in silhouette-form hovers. The underside is decorated with ornate pressedmetal ceiling patterns of 19th century colonial architecture, a reference to Togo-Brisby’s ancestors, who in 1899 were enslaved to the Wunderlich family – known for their manufacturing of rosettes and other such interior decorations.

During this time, 62,000 Pacific Islanders were forced into indentured labour in Australia. By confronting her personal and colonial history, Togo-Brisby forces audiences to look upwards in the dimly lit space, as though in the oppressive bowels of a slave ship. The impact is visceral and arresting.

“The Triennial excels in curating artists who blend traditional technique with contemporary interpretation, preserving cultural heritage and knowledge while fostering innovation.”

OPENER Mit Jai Inn, Untitled (Tunnel #APT) installation view 2024. Oil on canvas, eight parts: 150 x 1200cm each. Commissioned for APT11. Courtesy: The artist and Silverlens, Manila and New York / © Mit Jai Inn / Photo C Callistemon © QAGOMA.

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Installation of Haus Yuriyal’s artwork Haus Toktok at The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery. Photo: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.

The Triennial excels in curating artists who blend traditional technique with contemporary interpretation, preserving cultural heritage and knowledge while fostering innovation. Upon entry to the GOMA exhibition spaces, Bard artist Darrell Sibosado’s impressive wall installation IIgarr (Blood) (2024) stands sentinel and immediately draws the eye. Sibosado has become known for his innovative upscaling of riji (carved pearl shell). Traditionally worn by men for ceremonial purposes. Here, the geometric patterns are enlarged onto sanguine-tinted enamelled steel, further enlivened by LED backlighting. Bard ancestral lore, language and culture are shared in the 10 by four metre piece, while also showcasing the importance of blood as kinship and life force.

The Triennial’s commitment to material innovation and cultural preservation is further evident in works such as Kim Ah Sam’s Our Country (2024). The Kalkadoon/Kuku Yalanji artist has created ten woven mobiles using repurposed rope, twine, raffia, wire and emu feathers. Hovering between abstraction and representation in an open-ended manner, these sculptures resemble strangely familiar otherworldly forms. In reality, with delicacy and a lightness of touch, the objects tell the stories of Country; flecks of colour in the landscape, termite mounds in Queensland, rolling hills and vast plains, and traumatic massacre sites.

Similarly, non-Indigenous artists have explored the use of land or nature as material. Saudi Arabian artist Dana Awartani has arranged 439 bricks comprising compressed earth in varying shades of pigment in a pattern following principles of six-fold geometry. Standing by the ruins (2024) is the continuation of a series commenced in 2019.

In creating something evocative from the ruins of war or crisis in the Middle East, beauty can be found.

OPPOSITE & OVER

Installation of Albert Yonathan Setyawan artwork Spires of Undifferentiated Being 2023 at The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery. Photo Joe Ruckli © QAGOMA.

LEFT TOP Rithika Merchant, Silo 2023. Gouache, watercolour and ink on paper, 105 x 150cm. Courtesy: The artist and TARQ, Mumbai / © Rithika Merchant.

LEFT BOTTOM

Wardha Shabbir, Paths to Portals 2024. Gouche on acid-free paper, 28 x 40.6cm. Courtesy: The artist and Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid / © Wardha Shabbir.

The Triennial is a critical platform for new voices, including those not widely recognised in the global contemporary art world. And, there are many artist discoveries to be made. Moreover, painting takes on astonishing dimensions. Pakistani artist Wardha Shabbir’s miniatureinspired small-scale paintings explore femininity and identity through mesmerisingly-detailed abstractions of Lahore’s trees, natural vegetation, gardens and flocks of birds. In stark contrast, Japanese artist Masaya Chiba’s small-scale figurative paintings offer absurdist scenarios where landscape, still life and portraiture combine and where artifice and reality collide.

The exhibition also addresses urgent global concerns – climate change, environmental care, conflict, cultural heritage, indigenous sovereignty and migration. The Mumbai-based artist collective and studio group, CAMP transforms surveillance footage into a poetic exploration of urban life, blurring boundaries between documentation and art. Bombay Tilts Down (2022) is an immersive seven-channel video installation that reveals layers of CCTV footage of Mumbai and its inhabitants. Using a remotecontrolled pan-tilt-zoom camera mounted on the 35th floor of a building in Central Mumbai, the ‘falling’ footage combines images of distant seascapes, rain in the wet season, working class neighbourhoods, construction sites and labour workers, shantytowns and roads, set against hypnotic electronic music by Tushar Adhav (BamBoy). The result is utterly captivating.

Using a more nuanced approach, in a series of five paintings, Indian artist Rithika Merchant offers speculative visions of transformation, creating post-apocalyptic landscapes where new life emerges on distant planets, bridging mythology, science and imagination.

First Nations, minority and diaspora cultures play a crucial role in this Triennial, which is further enriched by the collective, performative practices and co-creation that thrives in the region. Powerful, community-led installations include works by Haus Yuriyal (Papua New Guinea), Artists for Waiapu Action (Aoteoroa New Zealand) and Kawaki and Dreamcast Theatre (Solomon Islands). Performance and video work add another layer of complexity and engagement.

The Asia Pacific Triennial is more than an exhibition – it is a critical platform for dialogue, cultural diplomacy and understanding of the rich, complex and diverse ecosystem of artistic expression that is the Asia Pacific region. It reminds us of art’s importance and profound capacity to build relationships, engage and reimagine our shared human experience.

Qagoma | qagoma.qld.gov.au

NAU is the time

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CULT DESIGN

Perhaps what he didn’t expect was a tiny bit of world domination, a direction the company is now embracing with both the Osaka World Expo and 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen in its sights for 2025.

For Munao, there is a serendipity to how things work out, but he is also a chance taker and doesn’t let opportunities pass him by.

“We had Copenhagen locked in and were in conversations with DFAT (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and the Buchan Group, who were looking at the Osaka World Expo. And we said: ‘Well, wouldn’t this be a great way to showcase Australian design?’” he says.

Taking on the exercise from an environmental point of view each piece will be returned to Australia via Cultivated, the arm of Cult Design that refurbishes used furniture from its stable. “We’ve put together a proposal where quite a bit of our furniture will go there and stay for the whole six months of the World Expo Exhibition. At the end, we are cultivating it, so we’ll be taking it back and putting it back into the market,” Munao explains.

Speaking about the experience, Adam Goodrum shares: “It’s just been such a privilege working with Richard, and his support of the whole Australian design industry is phenomenal. Taking Australian designers on the journey to Osaka and Copenhagen is such a Richard thing to do, and an honour to be part of.” Goodrum has been designing for Munao since 2014 and was one of the original NAU designers.

The nine designers currently producing work for NAU are championed by Richard under the NAU banner with representation in Cult showrooms across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland and Singapore.

Embarking on NAU in 2015, Cult Design founder Richard Munao set out to support Australian design and manufacturing.

“It’s been wonderful to see NAU go from strength to strength since its inception. It has become an important anchor in the Australian furniture design community presenting a considered, diverse and flexible collection,” say Mark Simpson and Damien Mulvihill, DesignOffice principals.

Specification has been robust within the residential market with the high-quality handfinished nature of the NAU brand a favourite among interior designers. So too with the commercial sector, with large architectural practices specifying in quantity for major projects including the Australian Embassy in Washington DC by Bates Smart. “It has a very good Australian language, and I think it’s the right time with architectural interiors putting Australia’s product designs on the map,” Munao says.

Munao intends to leverage this exposure with the Hida factory in Japan now producing the NAU pieces for Asia. To some extent this contradicts his original intent of manufacturing in Australia, but distance and sustainability are at environmental odds. Moreover, shipping adds lead times that most jobs can’t accommodate.

“One of the things that we’ve been very, very aware of, is that Australian-made makes a lot of sense for Australia, but Australian-made, doesn’t make a lot of sense for the rest of the world,” Munao muses. To counter this, the NAU branding includes the sales, distribution and manufacturing rights, “That means we can literally plonk the manufacturing anywhere that we think is going to keep the same quality or better than what we do in Australia.” The 110 Molloy Chairs destined for Osaka, for example, will be made in Japan.

Aesthetic understanding is another key driver with both Japanese and Scandinavian audiences who respect high-quality craftsmanship and design. “There’s an absolutely unbelievable appreciation for good quality in Japan, they will look at in the Molloy Chair and understand the value that it represents,” Munao comments. Anchoring the exhibition and providing diningspace is a twenty-two by six metre table

designed by Tom Fererday and produced by Mark Tuckey in Australia.

Over the nearly 30 years of Cult Design, Munao has established strong ties with the Danes through his representation of the Fritz Hansen range and he sees 3daysofdsign as an extension of that narrative. “I’m obviously tremendously happy that we’ve been able to secure a wonderful spot in Copenhagen, right opposite the Danish Design Museum,” Munao shares. This shift from one market to another is in accord with his view of how the design house works. “Part of the brief was always to not compete with our overseas partners. And of course, you could say a timber chair is a timber chair and how does Molloy not compete with some of the other timber chairs that we bring in? But visually, it’s quite different, and we’ve tried to deliberately make sure that it doesn’t look out of place in our showroom,” he notes.

The result is a curated collection of furnishing, lighting and objects, that while defiantly Australian, work beautifully with European and Asian design and take NAU one step closer to that tiny bit of world domination

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NAU Director Richard Munao in the Sydney NAU showroom.

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Billo sofa and Billo ottoman for NAU.

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NAU designs in Cult’s Perth Showroom.

DEMPSEY MODULAR

Interior Designer: Birdblack Design

Photographer: Prue Ruscoe

The future looks bright

The brainchild of design figurehead John Eussen, the Eussen Design Competition has once again delivered excellence in student competition.

Now in its twelfth cycle, the Eussen Design Competition is designed to foster exceptional industry talent, while elevating the work of students onto the national stage in Australia.

With students across the country vying to be crowned the annual winner, the competition asks entrants to respond to a specific theme or brief, with previous iterations including tiny houses, community housing, and a Fire & Ice Boutique Hotel.

For 2024, Eussen took his thinking digital, asking applicants to draw inspiration from viral visual artists to create an exhibition pop-up-space that, as he puts it “transports the audience to a destination real or imaginary”. Raising the bar further, he asked the winner of the 2018 Eussen Design Competition, Joss Knight, to lend his considerable talent to the competition. As such, entrants were tasked with including a piece from the multidisciplinary designers Studiojos collection, the Sphaira Series.

“The 2024 edition of the competition is particularly exciting because it challenges students to engage directly with my work and the Studiojos brand,” says Knight. Beautifully realised in oak and linen, the collection of lighting and furniture, is Joss’s contemporary reflection on ancient Greek architecture and the symbolic importance of the sphere. For the competition, students were challenged to create d ig ital renders of an exhibition space that could exist

LEFT John Eussen.

ABOVE Joss Knight.

wherever students chose to locate it, while remaining within the constraints of 50 cubic metres. That said, the competition additionally addresses the way students respond to a brief. For John, brand alignment plays an integral part of the design process and in particular for the design of a successful exhibition space.

“Brand awareness is an innate part of good design that needs to be woven into the narrative through a shared ethos and appropriate representation. It also has to look amazing, which is considerably harder than simply putting a goodlooking space together,” says John. With Joss adding, “I’m thrilled that they’re interpreting the series within their own submissions, applying the same design principles I use in my studio – an emphasis on innovation, the careful selection of materials, and the importance of creating a narrative through design. It’s an opportunity for students to push their creative limits, all while grounding their work in a practical and thoughtful approach to design.”

The 2024 jury, comprising John and Joss, were particularly impressed by the submissions as transportative and evocative, with creativity and boldness in equal measure. “As a competition that recognises the next generation of interior design talent, we were particularly pleased to note that the spaces encapsulated the future of design, while pushing boundaries and expectations in their creation and concept,” John says.

Moreover, as Joss points out, these competitions are where theoretical knowledge meets practical application, to help bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world: “Being a part of this journey, whether through mentorship or by providing a starting point for their designs, is incredibly fulfilling. I believe that by nurturing the next generation of designers, we continue to push the boundaries of creativity, ensuring that the future of design is in capable, innovative hands.”

With these tenets in mind the competition was steep with John and Joss determining that equal first place be awarded to Katerina Couroyannis (RMIT) and Miriam Eberhoefer (Billy Blue College of Design).

“Each of these designers presented work of an exceedingly high calibre, that clearly expressed its own unique character through a space designed to engage and invite curiosity,” says John.

S e cond place was awarded to Genevieve Schneider (Collarts), with third place going to Jackie Keenan (RMIT), while Hana Kamio (Sydney Design School) was highly commended.

Touching nature on location #129

A place of celebration

PROJECT GONG’S HOUSE

ARCHITECT VARIOUS ASSOCIATES

LOCATION YONGJIA, ZHEJIANG, CHINA

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER

PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN LEIJONHUFVUD

Set within the valley between three Jiangnan mountain peaks, a small village in the north of Yongjia County is the site of an extraordinary, cross generational home, made entirely from the local vegetation compressed into bricks.

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Surrounded by towering mountain peaks, the location has the look of a traditional Chinese ink painting.

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Timber clad ceilings and floors bring a softness to the large volumes.

ABOVE

Large communal areas are carefully arranged to feel intimate.

OVER Timber furniture and sisal mats in the same tones as the compressed weed construction bricks lend a natural connection to the courtyards and surrounding landscape.

Gong’s House, by Various Architects, sits in a valley in a state of near-perpetual precipitation, with snow, rain and water flowing from the mountains making this area the source of the Nanxi River. With towering peaks, seasonally different terraced fields, mist and snow, the ever-changing landscape typifies Chinese ink paintings. It is this aspect that Various Associates has captured with framed views that are each perfectly aligned with the rich diversity of vistas.

To start at the beginning, when a place is beloved by a family, but the family has grown, dispersed and changed in the way they like to live, the family home needs to evolve to keep pace. Effectively this is the brief Various Associates was given for a family gathering home for at least thirty people. Ranging from grandparents to grandchildren, plus in-laws and guests, the home needed to accommodate all, be connected to the community and have a welcoming tone.

At present, the elders of the family live in rural China, while the middle generation of six siblings and their children, including the homeowner (Mr. Gong) live in cities. Gong has been living in Beijing for many years and his lifestyle has evolved from rural to city. As such, when the family gather in Yongjia for festivals and celebrations, the existing village house could not satisfy their needs.

It was essential that the home be embedded in its rural location but of an urban aesthetic in tune with how much of the family now lives. Practical considerations for the whole extended family were also elemental to the design, which places communal activities, including a courtyard that is open to the village, on the ground floor. Adjacent to this is a large dining hall with access to a kitchen, public and private

bathrooms and a long corridor space where the elder Gongs gather for Mahjong while maintaining connectivity with the inner spaces across linking courtyards and fishponds. The local village remains visible through large doors and windows that bring the breeze through the house. “The relaxed atmosphere is further enriched by the tradition of elderly family members conversing with neighbours outdoors, adding a communal charm to daily life at Gong House,” says Dongzi Yang, project designer and co-founder of Various Associates with Qianyi Lin, who also notes their habit of inviting people on a tour of the house.

A children’s hall on the mezzanine is visually connected to the ground floor over secure storage cabinetry. Above this are three floors with lounges, TV rooms, small dining rooms, nooks and private spaces arranged to circle around the connecting staircase. There are also seven family bedrooms plus large flexible spaces with futons providing lounge-to-sleep options for extended guest stays.

As a rural home with urban refinements, materiality was a key concern with traditional methodologies being weighed against modern construction aesthetics. “Local methods face significant implementation challenges due to the scarcity of rural labour and specialised skills. Urban construction methods offer simplicity, feasibility and efficiency, making them easier to adopt and promote in modern rural construction. But often these approaches fail to resonate with the local context,” says Dongzi.

As such, a process of research was undertaken to establish a material that could answer both the rural nature and urban practicalities. The issue of the perpetual rain and extremes of temperature (snow in winter, humid in summer) were also to be considered.

It was essential that the home be embedded in its rural location but of an urban aesthetic in tune with how much of the family now lives.

The local village remains visible through large doors and windows that bring the breeze through the house.

The resultant herbal brick takes advantage of the rain that produces high vegetal growth with herbaceous weeds abundant.

“The formula, derived from natural elements, supports mass production and allows for easy localisation and customisation to meet specific size requirements. It presents a contemporary yet natural aesthetic to the walls with a range of brick patterns,” says Dongzi, who adds, “Indoors, the herbal bricks provide exceptional thermal stability, significantly reducing energy usage for temperature regulation. They even mitigate moisture retention (“stop sweating”) during Wenzhou’s most humid, rainy seasons.”

The architectural form is similarly cognisant of temperature control with the four floors topped by a sloping roof punctuated by skylights to allow as much light as possible into the home. Windows are placed to catch the breeze and the thermal quality of the bricks combine to eliminate any need for heating or cooling.

The raw nature of the herbal bricks continues to the interior where variations in colour create margins between the wall and floor of

the ground floor, which is slightly lighter. This is refined by an elegantly pared-back interior palette of teak used for cabinetry stairwells, ceilings and the floor of the upper floors and mezzanine. The base palette of timber furnishings, large sisal rugs and stone benchtops is a backdrop for lovely furniture such as the Egg lounge chairs in cream boucle, paired with an oversized lounge in sage velvet.

As a gathering place for the whole family, there is no overriding artistic sensibility, but rather a well-selected range of work that gives a contemporary edge to traditional artworks. The large rabbit painting hanging in the children’s hall is particularly fabulous, apt and surprisingly delightful. As are the lamps – Volute lamps by Sebastian Herkner, a Lanvin floor lamp, and Alice Mushroom lamps – all dotted throughout the project. It is, in fact, a home for all the family where connection, community and sharing are at its heart.

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Sunlights over internal lounge areas make these more intimate settings light and welcoming.

PREVIOUS RIGHT

Throughout the entire home the view is framed to delight.

ABOVE

A series of windows give a range of views designed for different aspects including from standing, sitting and while still in bed.

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Precise detailing and attention to line and colouration elevate these humble materials.

Out of its shell

PROJECT AIREYS INLET HOUSE

ARCHITECT MULTIPLICITY

LOCATION WADAWURRUNG COUNTRY / AIREYS INLET, VICTORIA

TEXT STEPHEN CRAFTI

PHOTOGRAPHY TREVOR MEIN

The word ‘context’ is often used in the same sentence as the word ‘architect’, which is certainly appropriate for this new beach house designed by Multiplicity.

“The light is continually changing down, and irrespective of the weather, the mood and feel of the house is continually changing.”

At Aireys Inlet, a two-hour drive from Melbourne, the city skyscrapers are replaced by rugged beach. Here, a new beach house by Multiplicity responds to the coastal environment, where even the sound of the waves can be heard. Designed for the owner, an avid shell collector who also loves shell art, the house forms a delightful backdrop for both this art form and the coastal garden, designed by Mel Ogden.

The form is single storey with a raked ceiling that follows the three-metre fall across the site. Less than 200-square metres in area, the modest beach shack takes inspiration not only from the site, with its gnarled tea trees, but also by the few remaining beach shacks. Dating from the 1950s through to the ‘70s these vernacular abodes have stood the test of time.

“We were mindful of the neighbours and protecting their views of the water (Bass Strait) as much as being part of the broader landscape,” says architect Tim O’Sullivan, who worked collaboratively with his life and business partner, interior designer Sioux Clark, and the Multiplicity team.

Embedded in the landscape, and devoid of high fences, the Aireys Inlet house incorporates Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) panels to screen areas requiring privacy, such as bathrooms and bedrooms. Operable flywire screens have been used to enclose areas such as the welcoming verandah and living area at the front of the home. “The idea is that the house can be completely opened up during the warmer

OPENER

The large operable fly screen allows the home to be fully open to the elements.

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Texture has been upped a notch with the ubiquitous 70s shag pile used on walls.

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The small footprint allows the home to sit unobtrusively in the environment.

months of the year, keeping the insects out, while allowing the south-westerly breezes in,” says Clark.

Keen to respect a neighbouring ‘70s brick house, the mix of materials and forms includes an inverted curved arched brick wall that separates the carport from the home. Also used in the interior these beige-coloured bricks appear as feature walls, a hearth for the fireplace in the living area, and as the island bench in the kitchen – complete with a brick splashback, rather than the usual tiles. As with many of the remaining holiday shacks that survive, shag and deep piled carpets form part of the material palette. Here it has been used on walls and a custom bench seat that separates the kitchen from the front porch.

While the carpet meets the client’s brief for texture, the FRP screens juxtapose the home’s cement walls, adding depth and a luminosity to the design. Shells, collected by the owner over many years, have also been thoughtfully interwoven by Multiplicity. “We wanted to accommodate Gaby’s (the owner’s) shell art, but not be too referential to the sea or the sand,” says Clark, pointing out the steel shelves that allow the shell art to be displayed. Clark even contributed to the collection, gifting her mother’s shell light fitting, filled with coloured coral, that once took pride of place on her family’s television set.

While shell can be seen throughout the three-bedroom house, including the bunk room, it’s in the ensuite of the main bedroom that the

Unlike many contemporary beach houses, designed to maximise views regardless of neighbouring homes, this home is nestled into the landscape, with carefully articulated views.

ABOVE

A banquette upholstered in 70s carpet follows the kitchen corner of windows for optimal reading positions.

OPPOSITE

Within the raw palette, Fibre Reinforced Plastic panels (FRP) provide privacy screening.

OPPOSITE

A

ABOVE

Art is carefully curated throughout

art of arranging shells is fully celebrated. Rather than the usual vanity, be it timber or stone, this iteration was conceived as a work of art. “Initially I placed the shells in quite a random manner, but Gaby was looking for something that evoked the creek at the end of the property,” says O’Sullivan, who combined shells with mirrors to allow the installation to be viewed through a glass panel in the main bedroom.

Multiplicity was mindful of the surrounding environment and brings it into the home via a periscope-style aperture. Cutting into a wall from the main passage, the opening uses mirrors to reflect both the sky and the landscape. Additionally, an extruded window set above the top bed in the bunk room allows for a child to stand up and see the ocean before heading off to sleep.

Unlike many contemporary beach houses, designed to maximise views regardless of neighbouring homes, this home is nestled into the landscape, with carefully articulated views. “I wanted a house comfortable to be in and to not simply replicate a home you’d find in the suburbs,” says Gaby, who, with her dogs, Lucy and Maggie, shares the beach house with family and friends. Before the open fire is lit, Gaby along with the design team and their dog Chippy (who are also close friends since designing Gaby’s city home), often head up to the roof terrace for a glass of wine. “The light is continually changing down, and irrespective of the weather, the mood and feel of the house is continually changing,” adds Clark.

Multiplicity | multiplicity.com.au

high window with a view of the beach is augmented by screened windows to bring light into this charming bunk room.

the project to evoke the mood to 70s chill without ever overplaying with typical tropes.

Perfection

PROJECT GARDEN HOUSE

ARCHITECT KEIJI ASHIZAWA DESIGN

LOCATION TOKYO

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER

PHOTOGRAPHY BEN RICHARDS

To say a garden is never complete is a truism that few would dispute. There are however, moments in a garden’s evolution that are perfect. The completion of Garden House is one such moment.

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In 2011 Keiji Ashizawa Design commenced the House S project in a quiet Tokyo neighbourhood. The site of a former Samurai home, the lush vegetation surrounding the home was prized and deeply understood by the owner. As such, the design addresses the dual desires for a home that acts as a natural backdrop to an impressive art collection, as well as equally bringing the surrounding landscape into the home.

Constructed at the north-eastern end of the block to allow a garden to be planted along the south-western perimeter, the three floors of House S are arranged to engage with different aspects of the environment and a neighbouring garden.

A few years after the house was completed, the client bought an adjoining plot of land on the west side of the property, which is now maintained as a garden, also designed by Ashizawa, who sees the project’s evolution as appropriate to such a substantial home.

says, who shares that the room’s use is now mixed and can be for quiet contemplation of the garden, or where the chef sets up during parties.

The Garden House has no dictated use, giving it the ability to serve dual purposes, which is innate to the simple nature of the building. Large enough for four tatami mats and a tokonoma (display area), the interior space is intimate but comfortable and is sometimes used as a guest room. The space, however, is expanded by the extended roof sheltering a large timber slab. “We incorporated a piece of camphor wood into the project that the client had fallen in love with,” says Ashizawa.

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The garden itself contains two parts, a traditional Japanese garden and an active social space for barbeques and entertaining. As time went on and the garden developed, a conversation began about whether to introduce a room – possibly a tearoom, possibly a guest room. “The client wanted something more relaxed and less tied to a function… a place where the garden could be enjoyed differently, as a kind of hut, as compact as possible,” Ashizawa

Locating the site for the Garden House was considered from both how it would be seen from House S and what views it would afford. “A small hill was built in the centre of the garden to create a sense of distance between the garden and the Garden House behind it,” Ashizawa says. As such, only the roofline of the Garden House is visible from the lower floors of House S. Conversely, the garden is the focus from the Garden House with the house only coming into view from the periphery. To a large extent the enveloping nature is the point, with the small hill truncating the view to an immersive experience of the garden. Even the arrival is orchestrated for immersion with paving stones in the surrounding garden leading around the front of the hut before turning back to arrive at the entrance.

The Garden House is completely surrounded by gardens.

A slim light illuminates the camphor slab.

A sculptural paper lamp brings a warm glow to the interior

Designed for

appreciation of the garden, every aspect is considered.

The design addresses the dual desires for a home that acts as a natural backdrop to an impressive art collection, as well as equally bringing the surrounding landscape into the home.

OPPOSITE

The large eave shelters the Garden House without enclosing.

ABOVE

Always evolving, the addition of the Garden House continues the flow and form of the garden.

The large piece of camphor wood, arranged as a traditional sunken kotatsu (tabletop), is the aesthetic foundation for the project and visually connects the structure to nature. A fine steel frame from the roof overhang aligns with the tabletop, “to create a feeling of lightness” as Ashizawa explains. The steel in turn is anchored to the camphor by stones once used by the client for weighing down pickles at his family home in Kyoto.

The interior is simple with tatami mats, flat cushions in dark grey and a large and sculptural white paper lantern, plus the tokonoma in dark grey. Open at the front with narrow shoji screens that slide back to occupy only a small space, the form is fundamentally a hut. But it is intricately considered with a paved hearth of stones that are tonally similar to the pickle jar stones, and one central stone of ochre, extending from below the camphor table to the building’s foundation.

A clever design inclusion can be seen where the foundation conceals secret drawers for shoes and the increasingly necessary air-conditioning. To some extent there is a presumption that a garden house in a Japanese garden is somewhat sacred and it is nice to have this notion over turned. Instead it is a good place to take a few drinks and something to eat, or even where the host might set up a bar for a party. It is all part and parcel of the evolution of a house and garden. As Ashizawa notes: “It was not until we had finished the project that we realised the Garden House seemed to complete the garden. Of course, a garden is never complete. I believe that it is constantly changing and evolving, but what this house has brought about is not just a mere space. It has a significant impact on the garden as a whole.”

Keiji Ashizawa Design | keijidesign.com

The exquisite rocks

ARCHITECT PAC STUDIO, RORY KOFOED

INTERIOR DESIGN KRISTINA PICKFORD DESIGN

LOCATION TE TARA-O-TE-IKA-A-MĀUI, AOTEAROA / COROMANDEL PENINSULA, NEW ZEALAND

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER

PHOTOGRAPHY SAM HARTNETT

Wedged into the lower face of a steep hill overlooking Otama Beach, the house Rory Kofoed designed in collaboration with owner and interior designer Kristina Pickford is conceived entirely for living.

FOPENER

OPPOSITE

The space between the main house and guest wing is a sheltered outdoors space just made for company.

ABOVE

Stepping down the slope, each window is positioned precisely for its own view. The timber screen remains open at top to allow the elements in.

orgoing internal doors, the house comprises a series of framed views, with each room flowing seamlessly as the house shifts direction and height to offer different perspectives. “We stood out on ladders in multiple different types of weather over a number of site visits, sketching from different parts of the site to figure out where these spots might be and how you might frame them,” says Rory Kofoed of his and Pickford’s preference for intimate and rugged views rather than the horizon or the typical elongated beach view.

Granted, both these views or ‘viewage’ as Pickford quips, are available simply by walking to the window or terraced space, but it is the blur of sand glimpsed through treetops or the waves crashing around giant rocks that Kofoed has focused on. “The rocks are so exquisitely beautiful, they’ve got so much character. And that headland, which is also protected bush and local tribal Iwi land, I just love that. While it is great to look out to the abyss of the ocean, I prefer more restrained vignettes,” Pickford says.

The view and setting are further orchestrated by a circuitous approach that starts below the house before following a path through ancient Pohutukawa trees, over a small bridge,

up a broad set of stairs to the rear. “I really wanted people to have to walk through the bush, and then to pop out and not really know what to expect. The view is a real surprise, in a way. That real ‘wow’ when you walk through the door, and experience that duality of light and dark, north and south, bush and beach,” Pickford says.

Entering through a large black door that speaks to Pickford’s studies of Japanese design, the home spans outwards to a lounge area. Black waxed steel is used to create an internal containing wall that wraps the Philippe Cheminees fireplace and seating nook. “I didn’t want powder coated steel. It would have changed the character. Steel can have such softness and a life to it. We did lots of lots of samples of different waxes and different surfaces, and left them lying around for months and months beforehand, and we settled on this particular wax technique, and it’s perfect,” says Pickford.

Materially rich, New Zealand-grown Eucalyptus globoidea timber has been used for the floor, eucalyptus recut veneer for the cabinetry, New Zealand grown Lawson’s cypress for the island and other joinery components and ash for the sarking. The walls are richly textured with a natural lime plaster that invites the hand.

The design of Waimataruru House frames the rocks of Otama Beach.

A built-in seat running the length of the large open window gives the perfect view of the headland, while forming part of the frame for the arrival view, which is spectacular.

From the main entrance to the dwelling, stairs ascend westward to the kitchen and dining area, with access to a covered outdoor room and a terrace to the north. Interestingly, Pickford and Kofoed resisted covering the terrace area preferring a lattice of timber which affords some sun protection, frames and screens the house, and allows a shadow play throughout. This lattice also connects the guest quarters via the outdoor room, which has a large fireplace and casual seating.

There is a simpatico of response inherent to the design of this coastal home that works with all elements of the landscape. The house sits below the iconic and highly awarded house owned and designed by architect, Ken Crosson. Both houses converse with each other architecturally, share similarities driven by the same needs, but remain unique to their separate design outcomes. “They are both responding to the environment with similar priorities,” Kofoed says, adding, “The

landscape is pretty extraordinary, and it’s got a lot of quite varied and dynamic differences that you can see within one kind of panorama, and some long views and short ones… One’s a permanent home, which is this project, and then the other is more of a holiday home. So there’s slightly different ways that you live in them, but I think in general, they are both responding to the special nature of the landscape.”

Rigorously tested for strength, the glue laminated portal frames are pinus radiata while all the exterior cladding is New Zealand grown Lawson’s cypress, most of which has been left to silver naturally. The utility pods at the rear of the house, also clad in Lawson’s cypress, are charred in the Shou Sugi Ban style.

Turning eastward from the entrance, the stairs descend to the dressing room, bedroom and ensuite. Revisiting the black waxed steel, the room is a continuation of the home with the timber spine of the bedroom continued here to incorporate wardrobes and storage. A ceramic vessel by New Zealand sculptor Christine Boswijk, shifts the materiality of the room with a delicate touch.

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While predominantly timber, the interior is richly diverse with different species lending different qualities of tone and texture. These are then enhanced by swathes of lime plaster and waxed black steel.

PREVIOUS RIGHT

The main part of the house is free flowing and without internal doors.

LEFT

Built-in banquettes invite an afternoon nap or place to enjoy the view.

RIGHT

Future proofing the home from climate change and increasing wind events, the large glue laminate portal frames have been rigorously tested.

OVER LEFT

The bedroom, like the fireplace, is wrapped in an alcove of waxed black steel, but is otherwise open to the rest of the house.

OVER RIGHT TOP

The house is reached via a path through the surrounding bush.

OVER RIGHT BOTTOM

The utility pods at the rear of the house are charred in the Shou Sugi Ban style.

The view and setting are further orchestrated by a circuitous approach that starts below the house before following a path through ancient Pohutukawa trees, over a small bridge, up a broad set of stairs to the rear.

Pickford’s passion for art and objects is an intrinsic component of the whole. Collected over a lifetime, the works are of a very particular and private aesthetic with some incredible pieces. The arrival point, for example, has a nook built into the cabinetry to frame a large photograph of the New Zealand’s Fiordland by Haru Sameshima. “That photograph sits on the southern wall with the regenerating bush behind. I love Fiordland and the darkness and the richness of its forests, the purity of its water. When I look at Haru’s photograph I am reminded of what the native bush behind the house would have been – and could be once more. It’s conceptually odd, as it is a dark moody image, in a bright, beach environment,” Pickford shares.

A painting by Tomislav Nikolic, 5: Lies Come Hard in Disguise, in the living area is another well considered piece with gravitas and presence. The furnishings are likewise deliberated; a vintage Polish gym mat has been specifically incorporated into the design of the dining area to serve as informal sitting. The kitchen island has been designed to abut at one end to a Belgian chocolate table which gives a striking contrast of styles. An antique Turkoman Salt rug brings its subtle opulence. Added to this is a combination of contemporary built-in elements with original mid-century pieces from Børge Morgensen, Eames, Yngve Ekstrom and Paavo Tynell.

There is, in fact, nothing expected or ordinary in the design language of Pickford’s aesthetic. Rather it is a personal history of well-chosen pieces imbued with meaning and importance. It is also absolutely lovely.

Kristina Pickford Design | kristinapickford.com

PAC Studio | pacstudio.nz

Brick beauty

PROJECT THE BRICKHOUSE

ARCHITECT ENTER PROJECTS ASIA

LOCATION PHUKET, THAILAND

TEXT JAN HENDERSON

PHOTOGRAPY ADISORNR / ENTER PROJECTS ASIA (INTERIORS)

Creating an exceptional residence in Phuket, Thailand, Enter Projects Asia has excelled in a home that is unexpected in form and materiality and oh, so exciting.

“I think the conventional approach of a house with four walls can be turned upside down – or at least inside out. It’s better for Australasian climates, where the focus should be on outdoor living.” —Patrick Keane.

Thoughts of living in Thailand conjure images of rustic bungalows near the beach or large hotels towering over the landscape, however, The Brickhouse defies these ubiquitous visions and makes a unique statement in its form, materiality and sustainability credentials.

The Brickhouse is a substantial 525-square-metre built structure on a 988-square-metre site and is anything but typical. With deference to mid-century design, this is a residence that captivates and delights, all while being sustainably sound and sitting beautifully in its surroundings.

Patrick Keane, principal of Enter Projects Asia and lead on the project, has created a slice of paradise within the Laguna Homes estate in Bangtao, and, formed from brick, this home is quite exceptional. While there is a blending of Thai and international residential architecture in this home, local craftsmanship is on display and celebrated.

The residence is designed around a courtyard that helps thermally restrict the use of air-conditioning but also becomes the heart of the home where family and friends can gather. As a single-level structure on a deep rectangular block, the planning includes three bedrooms and bathrooms, the main bedroom suite and a study positioned along each side of the floorplan, with kitchen, living and dining rooms across the rear. From the public areas, there is a view of the 18-metre, free-form pool that encompasses the site’s width. The spatial layout is simple and form follows function with an easy flow throughout and around all areas.

Keane elaborates: “We were always looking to remove the default house template, suburban room arrangements with their clear front and

back, and the prescriptive dichotomy of outside versus inside as we developed the functions of the project.”

However, what makes The Brickhouse singular is the materiality, the bricks. Made to order, these locally sourced bricks bring solidity, warmth, texture, and colour to the design and are the obvious continuum within the home. The motif of the arch, both fully or partially formed and angled, dominates. Glass bricks sit beside clay bricks and have been laid in a solid or breeze block-inspired pattern bringing relief and lightness to the design.

While bricks become both the exterior and interior decoration, a slightly sloping aluminium shingle roof has been included, making deep eaves that overhang the perimeter of the building into the courtyard that provides shelter from the elements.

The Brickhouse reveres materiality. There are swathes of bricks that either fully or partially cover walls and they appear much like draped fabric, allowing for glimpses of a room and landscape or a place that is open or private. Even the front wall to the street creates interest as the pattern is echoed in the entrance façade and the garage at the side. “In the design process, we wanted to give the house a form, but also make it formless. The bricks simultaneously build up the walls and erode into openings and breezeways,” says Keane.

While bricks dominate, engineered marine plywood has been used within and has become a ceiling feature. The timber ceilings rise upwards in a gentle curve that creates another dimension of space, whether in the kitchen, the bathrooms, or the living areas. Green slate tiles add to the limited and authentic material palette but also bring a dash of colour to bathrooms.

OPENER

Fully openable to the outdoors, the home flows seamlessly through material continuity.

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A large central courtyard becomes the thoroughfare connecting the home’s separate parts.

AVOVE

Occupying the entire block width, the house borrows from the landscape to extend the back yard and invite the view into the home.

OPPOSITE

Large cane furnishings are sculptural and well suited to Thailand’s climate.

“In the design process, we wanted to give the house a form, but also make it formless. The bricks simultaneously build up the walls and erode into openings and breezeways.”

—Patrick Keane.

PREVIOUS LEFT

Glass bricks and voids set into the brickwork

exaggerate the effect of the dynamic zig-zag border. Slate flooring is continuous both indoors and out.

PREVIOUS RIGHT

Concealed lighting within the timber ceiling leaves gently articulate the curving structure.

OPPOSITE TOP

Rhythmic shifts in the brickwork give the home a distinct character.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM

The large volumes of the home’s social spaces open directly to the pool.

ABOVE

Along with the structural innovation in the building, sustainability is at the forefront of this design. Keane is a great advocate of sustainability and generally works with rattan in the design of his products, installations and projects. For The Brickhouse and the client, it was imperative to design a home that would be environmentally friendly.

While the home’s design creates excellent airflow, as the entire residence can be opened to catch the breeze, using porous bricks allows the structure to breathe. Solar has been included and is so effective that there are no electricity bills, and there is a hybrid water heater for internal use and an EV charging station for the car. Landscaping is concise but appropriate, with small pocket gardens of local flora and the few large central trees in the courtyard. “I think the conventional approach of a house with four

walls can be turned upside down – or at least inside out. It’s better for Australasian climates, where the focus should be on outdoor living,” remarks Keane.

While there is so much to recommend about The Brickhouse, through sustainability, locally sourced materials, and artisanal participation, it is the concept and design of the home that are exceptional. With attention to every detail, this is a residence that celebrates living with style and panache.

Keane and his team at Enter Projects Asia have created an outstanding exemplar of residential design in The Brickhouse where authenticity, (not so simple) simplicity, and materiality all combine and contribute to the success of this exceptional home.

Enter Projects Asia | enterprojects.net

Mirrored doors screen the more private spaces.

A meeting of minds

Vokes and Peters and Blok Modular build highly efficient, articulately detailed homes, all within a factory. And in the process, they’re raising questions about how homes have traditionally been built.

TEXT ALEESHA CALLAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK JONES

Modular and prefabricated construction is not a new concept. And it isn’t a silver bullet for the housing affordability crisis. But it can offer a different methodology for building – one that puts designers and trades in the same room, while increasing efficiencies and minimising waste.

Seeing this potential architect Daniel Burnett, founder of Blok Modular, struck up a partnership with Stuart Vokes, principal Vokes and Peters, back in 2017. The result has brought a fresh perspective on sustainability and efficient building. Putting this design thinking on show, the pair recently hosted an ambitious 1:1 exhibition in Brisbane showcasing a full-scale modular house – car, tree and all – to demonstrate how modular design can shift perceptions and challenge our notions of housing and construction.

The 1:1 exhibition was not a house of the future or an unattainable ideal. It offered a provocation – a moment to pause, reflect and question what we need from our homes. “It’s not about asserting a ‘better way of living’ but starting conversations. How much space is enough? How can we rethink what a home can be?” Vokes explains. A key part of the exhibition’s impetus came back to the simple illusion of scale. Walking through a building inside a building creates a powerful shift in perception. At first glance, it feels miniature, what Vokes describes as “a doll’s house”. But step inside, and the reality was clear: this was a generous, well-crafted home.

For Burnett, modular design began as an exploration of efficiency and affordability. Inspired by container architecture, he set out to create homes that could be built faster, smarter and with fewer resources. Over time, his approach matured. “At first, it was about making objects that were interesting and efficient. But I realised just how important it was to consider place, people and context,” he says. This led to what has become an ongoing collaboration

with Vokes and Peters, a partnership Burnett describes as “a master’s degree in sensitive design and technical rigour”.

Together they have created something greater than the sum of its parts. “The energy that comes from a design team and a building team working together – where every detail is refined, every challenge is solved collaboratively – leads to better buildings and a better process,” Burnett notes. Trades and designers walk the factory floor daily, ensuring that ideas are grounded in buildability and efficiency. “We’re not just designing on paper,” Burnett says, “We’re moderating, refining and evolving the details in real-time.”

Modular construction offers a compelling alternative to traditional builds. By working within precise factory constraints, Burnett’s approach prioritises efficiency, waste reduction and as much as possible, affordability. “Our goal has always been to make good architecture accessible to more people,” he says.

The 1:1 exhibition wasn’t just for show, it was a commissioned house with the new owner’s taking occupancy just days following the exhibition. The partnership has led to several examples that are a bridge between bespoke and modular. For instance, the recently completed Three Sisters project on North Stradbroke Island. The series of three identical terrace houses explore the potential of modular design to provide innovative, efficient housing solutions beyond the typical single-family detached home. It responds to a unique site and an equally unique story: three sisters who holidayed at the location in their childhood but now needed a house where each could spend time with their own families. “The solution was three 3-bedroom terrace houses, comprising a total of 12 modules. They were built in the factory over 24 weeks and installed over two days, with finishing touches done on site over the following weeks, with Christmas in between,” Burnett explains.

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Despite the warehouse ceiling, it is easy to imagine this house in the landscape.

OPPOSITE

A house with everything that is needed, but nothing more: could this be the perfect house.

For Burnett, modular design began as an exploration of efficien and affordability.

The 1:1 exhibition was not a house of the future or an unattainable ideal. It offered a provocation – a moment to pause, reflect an question what we need from our homes.

ABOVE

A soft Australian palette invites the outdoors in.

OPPOSITE

Though pre-fabricated, attention to detail, flow and room use is considered.

The modular approach allowed the terrace houses to be prefabricated in Blok Modular’s factory and transported by private ferry to the fragile coastal site, where the modules were craned into place with minimal disruption to the surrounding ecology. “On such pristine landscape, it was critical to minimise environmental impact. Traditional construction sites are chaotic, generating waste, people everywhere,” Vokes notes.

The terrace house typology blends the efficiency of modular design with a sensitivity to place. A central garden brings light, air and openness into the narrow floorplans, while the ground level is a shared plane for extended families to gather.

“What’s fascinating about modular is its capacity to provoke. It allows us to question what a home is and what it can become,” Vokes says.

While Blok Modular also independently designs its own projects, the partnership brings an undeniable synergy. As Burnett shares: “Our architecture team are interested in product and furniture design, design for manufacture, we are technical and understand every aspect of the modular system. The Vokes and Peters team, unburdened by this level of technical modular knowledge, bring a focus on history of architecture, cultural narrative, people, place, and our experience of nature.”

OPPOSITE

Looking inwards to a central courtyard with windows designed to frame a wellplaced tree.

ABOVE

Complete with car and tree the home exhibited for 1:1 was shifted to its final location just a few days later.

“The beauty of modular is its ability to disrupt our instinct for excess,” Vokes says, adding, “The clients here were prepared to ask how much space they really needed. These are the topical conversations we need to have. Could these homes adapt to multigenerational living? Could they evolve with work or life circumstances?”

The modular homes designed by Vokes and Peters and Blok Modular are systems that respond to changing lifestyles and rising economic and environmental challenges.

Whether in an exhibition setting, or any of the numerous award-winning completed projects, this partnership challenges architects, builders and clients to rethink how we design and build.

Blok Modular | blokmodular.com.au

Vokes and Peters | vokesandpeters.com

Pagewood Projects | pagewoodprojects.com.au

P for private pavilion

PROJECT DAVIS ARCHITECT BLUR ARCHITECTURE

LOCATION WURUNDJERI COUNTRY / MELBOURNE VICTORIA

TEXT GEORGINA SAFE

PHOTOGRAPHY DION ROBESON

One of Melbourne’s most loved architectural activations is the MPavilion, an annual commission by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation for an Australian or international architect to design a groundbreaking gazebo for the city.

The process for the entire project was a true collaboration, with each party bringing their particulars and personalities to the table.

OPENER

The double shells of Davis make for a spectacular twilight swim.

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The brutalist arc of formwork concrete is a suitable entrance to the Bond-ish lair.

OPPOSITE

The copper shell, while artificially aged, is taking on a subtle environmental patina.

ABOVE

Framed by large street trees the extension and entrance are further surrounded by trees and landscaping by Myles Baldwin.

OVER

The glass corridor view is slowly being filled with the richly ebullient plantings.

While Pritzker laureate Tadao Ando’s sublimely serene shaping of daylight and shadow is currently in residence in the Queen Victoria Gardens for all to visit, in South Yarra one man’s private Pavilion has popped up permanently – designed entirely around a swimming pool.

P stands for personal but mainly for piscine, as a 21-metre lap pool is the centrepiece of the residence by Melbourne studio Blur Architecture.

“Basically, the client just got up one morning and wanted a pool and it developed from there,” says Blur Architecture director Khalid Bouden. “The pool is central to the whole design, and connects to a gym, a bedroom and bathroom. The idea is, he wakes up, works out, gets into the pool and then his bathroom. The extension was calibrated exactly to meet the needs of his daily life.”

The pavilion occupies a lot adjacent to the client’s existing Victorian townhouse, which he purchased in order to provide a lifestyle extension, that by removing everything he didn’t want, would give him everything that he needs.

“Everything is about efficiency,” says Bouden. “He was always talking about efficiency, efficiency, efficiency and that was really key to the project.”

The brief was to optimise the client’s swimming, exercise and sleeping routines, with the extension comprising a gym, bedroom, bathroom designed around the aforementioned pool, all self-contained yet connected to the main house via a glass corridor Bouden refers to as “the umbilical cord.”

The corridor was originally designed as a liminal space, but due to its northern light and views to the lush gardens, the client literally bagsed it with a pair of bean bags – that have since been replaced with two chairs.

“It was winter when he moved in and the nicest sunlight was here,” says Bouden. “He had a couple of bean bags so he moved them there to relax in a place we hadn’t imagined during the design process.”

Bluestone crazy paving lines the way through the corridor from the first property to the second, which from the street appears as a weathered Verdigris copper and concrete curved structure that seamlessly talks to its leafy South Yarra surrounds.

While copper typically takes seven to fourteen years to oxidise and gain a patina, in this instance the ageing process was expedited to the power of 100. “He wanted it and he didn’t want to wait,” says Bouden. “In Europe they used to do it by using horse urine but in this case, we found a company that could do it by putting a chemical on it which sped it up to a matter of days.”

Inside, the pavilion features curved ceilings and a sinuous and sexy layout that gives a killer Bond villain lair vibe. In contrast, the primary bedroom combines a timeless Tuscan palette inspired by Mediterranean architecture with contemporary life’s essentials such as a hot and cold Zip tap and bar fridge. “He didn’t want to walk all the way to the kitchen in the main house – which is not far,” laughs Bouden.

From the bedroom, there is no need for budgie smugglers as a ladder ascends directly

While copper typically takes seven to fourteen years to oxidise and gain a patina, in this instance the ageing process was expedited to the power of 100.

OPPOSITE

The totally fabulous 21metre lap pool connects the two parts of the pavilion.

ABOVE LEFT

Precisely detailed stone work sees the wall of travertine rise above the curved pelmet to the skylight above.

ABOVE RIGHT

Exterior surface finishes including copper, microcement and crazy paving make their way into the interior thoroughfare spaces for easy passage to and from the pool.

into the private pool, which is particularly pretty in the evening when the bubbles and the underwater lighting come into play. The gym is also just steps away from the boudoir, with possibly the best view from a treadmill in South Yarra – or heck anywhere – courtesy of lush landscaping by Myles Baldwin, who deftly blurred the division between open and enclosed spaces and framed the transition between buildings.

The process for the entire project was a true collaboration, with each party bringing their particulars and personalities to the table. “He would never say no to an idea, he would say ‘ok

you need to convince me why,’” says Bouden. “He had a lot to say in terms of what he liked and what he disliked and we would have to find a solution for that.”

The bold juxtaposition of the old and new properties was deliberate, and as forthright as their owner. “As a character he is very strong,” says Bouden. “He wanted an extension that wasn’t fake or mimicking anything, as he is all about authenticity.” Authentic, efficient and strong. Job done. Blur Architecture | blurarchitecture.com

A fringe of leaves

PROJECT RETREAT HOME

ARCHITECT NEOGENESIS+STUDI0261

LOCATION SURAT INDIA

TEXT GILLIAN SERISIER

PHOTOGRAPHY ISHITA SITWALA / THE FISHY PROJECT

There is an assured elegance to this vast and sprawling retreat that weds indoor and outdoor living through considered design, and foliage that creates rooms.

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Cascading vines are clipped to a sharp edge as a fringe surrounding the courtyard.

OPPOSITE

Pebbles create a textural shift for areas that are not generally walked on.

ABOVE

Low

Designed by Surat based Neogenesis+ Studi0261, the client, a diamond merchant, came to the practice looking for a genuine retreat. “They wanted a weekend home that would serve as a calm refuge from city life, with a mix of private and common areas for family gatherings,” says Ar. Chinmay Laiwala, cofounder of Neogenesis+Studi0261 with Ar. Jigar Asarawala and Ar. Tarika Asarawala, who started the multidisciplinary design practice in 2011, and shared the architectural role on this project.

What this simple request fails to acknowledge is the size of the family that would be gathering. Indeed, the project has nine family suites, plus four generously proportioned staff quarters and large, very large, gathering spaces.

The client was also clear about the aesthetic direction of the home and had come to the practice with an understanding that the slightly tropical brutalism of the studio’s portfolio would suit their needs. “They wanted the design to incorporate rustic beauty with modern amenities,” J. Asarawala says. The foundational design is a two-tiered structure that blends with the landscape, through the use of locally sourced natural materials.

To this end, a floor of Kota stone laid in diverse patterns is used to define spaces and demark transitional zones. The living area,

for example, features a Kota stone terrazzo pattern of stripes with polished and unpolished stone that effectively resembles a large rug and contains the space. Other areas are filled with the creamy white pebbles of Rajula stone masonry rubble. It shifts the zone through a textural change that speaks directly to local building. This is paired with a muted interior palette of teak and white oak wood, lime plastered walls, timber lined ceilings and occasional brass detailing. The furniture in timber and cream boucle is custom designed to the requisite scale of each room.

Surrounding a large central courtyard, the rooms on the ground floor are set back by a deep overhang of the floor above and the surrounds of cascading vegetation. “The fringe of leaves contrasts with the robust stone and concrete, softening the design. While the stone and concrete provide strength and permanence, the foliage introduces a dynamic, natural element, creating a harmonious balance between the man-made and the environment,” Laiwala says of the single species planting at the outer edge of the large planters. It’s a move that tumbles into the space, shading and containing the broad sheltered avenues created by the overhang. The planters are then filled with large broad-leafed tropical species and bright bursts of bougainvillea, which provide seasonal

feathery foliage provides a contrast with the more architectural clipped vines.

Containing the whole is a landscape design, also by Neogenesis+Studi0261, of native species including gulmohar, neem, banyan, coconut trees and tabebuia rosea.

ABOVE

Large covered walkways surround both the courtyard and gardens accessed from the private family wing.

OPPOSITE

The spa pool and surrounds are designed for large family gatherings.

The dynamics of the home’s layout, however, are not only social. Surat experiences a tropical savanna climate, meaning that while winters are mild, summer is hot and dry, followed by the monsoon.

Lounge areas within the bedroom suites open directly to either the courtyard or private gardens.

ABOVE

OPPOSITE

Polished floors of Kota stone keep the interior cool.

ebullience and calm in equal measure.

The public spaces on this floor, foyer, dining room, lounges, sports rooms, TV rooms and such are completely connected to nature by large windows looking inwards to the courtyard and outwards to the surrounding landscape. Here the internal courtyard is landscaped to include a tree, lawn and paved areas.

Transition between interior and outdoor areas is also seamless with the large avenues and the quadrangle itself providing thoroughfares. On the same floor, a suite comprising the largest of the two bedrooms, with a private courtyard and separate housing for live in staff. The whole area is arranged as a private retreat within the overall scheme.

The upper floor again functions as a retreat within the home with bedrooms to the sides. and lounge areas front and back. A deep balcony runs the entire internal parameter with direct sight lines to the courtyard. At the periphery, large windows continue the engagement with nature, as do the large, glass walled terraces that look out to the front of the property and the Mangalore tiles of the roofs below.

Containing the whole is a landscape design, also by Neogenesis+Studi0261, of native species including gulmohar, neem, banyan, coconut trees and tabebuia rosea. These “connect to the tropical context, profoundly echoing with roots,” J. Asarawala explains. This open area is pathed with irregularly-cut red Agra stone, which appears randomly across the lawn.

The dynamics of the home’s layout, however, are not only social. Surat experiences a tropical savanna climate, meaning that while winters are mild, summer is hot and dry, followed by the monsoon. “The house’s form enhances cooling and airflow through a pitched roof for heat dissipation, large windows for cross-ventilation, and shaded areas to block direct sunlight. Natural materials like brick and stone also help regulate indoor temperatures.” T. Asarawala notes. While the deep sheltered avenues allow the house to be navigated and enjoyed during even the wildest of rainstorms.

Neogenesis+Studi0261 | studioneogenesis.com

LEFT

Expanding into the lush plantings of the garden, a large and simple gazebo provides outdoor shelter, lounges and amenities.

OPPOSITE

With so many family members gathering in one space, games are essential and this games room caters to all.

Gong’s House

Airleys Inlet House

ARCHITECT Various Associates

INTERIOR DESIGN Various Associates

CHIEF DESIGNERS Qianyi Lin, Dongzi Yang

DESIGN TEAM Yongliang Huang, Liangji Lin, Chao Luo, Yuewen Cao

VARIOUS ASSOCIATES various-associates.com

FINISHES

Custom designed and made on site: Floors, Herbal brick; Walls, Herbal brick; Floors, Teak; Cabinetry, Teak.

FURNITURE

Clients own.

LIGHTING

Clients own.

ARCHITECT Keiji Ashizawa Design

ARCHITECTURAL TEAM

Keiji Ashizawa & Rie Honjo

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ASA. Akira Suzuki

KEIJI ASHIZAWA DESIGN keijidesign.com

FINISHES

Tatami mat. Diatomite interior walls. Exterior walls, rammed earth with sum, a charcoal ink mixture. Ceiling, cedar plank. Floorboards, mulberry.

FURNITURE

Camphor slab with client’s own natural stones. Tokonoma, alcove post, wrought iron.

LIGHTING

Isama Noguchi, Akari lamp

Waimataruru

ARCHITECT multiplicity

INTERIOR DESIGN multiplicity

ARCHITECTURAL TEAM Tim O’Sullivan, Natasha Wheatland, with Shayne Lacy

INTERIOR DESIGN LEAD Sioux Clark

BUILDER Kett&Co.

ENGINEER Tebbs Engineering

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Mel Ogden –Land Art Australia

MULTIPLICITY multiplicity.com.au

FINISHES

Lightweight timber. Concrete slab. Reverse brick veneer. New generation cork flooring, Calais Cream, Cork Imports Australia. Face-cut brick slips, nubrik artisan, aurora, Brickworks. Timber decking boards, blackbutt, Barwon Timber. Colourbond ultra roofing, Shale Gray; Coir matting; Cementel barestone fibre cement sheeting; and galvanised steel sheeting, Fagg’s Mitre 10. Mini-mesh FRP grating, Staircase. Celenit AB Woodwool panels, Lohas. Upcycled vintage Axminster carpet, Facebook Marketplace. MDF Panels, Living Space Joinery. Nagoya mosaic tiles, mitoko linen, Academy Tiles. Upcycled salvaged brown granite slab, multiplicity. Blackbutt timber work, Pickerings Joinery. Aluminium windows, Innovative Windows. Brio 612 retractable pleated insect screen, Kett&Co. Screenguard flyscreens, Fly Screen Solutions. Custom super screens, bushwire mesh, Kett&Co. Raw mdf panels, hot rolled black steel sheeting; galvanised steel sheeting; stainless steel benchtop, Living Space Joinery. Natural finish laminate, Laminex. Armourcab, blackbutt, Big River Group. Shell medical cabinet, multiplicity.

LIGHTING

Nordlux aleria outdoor wall light, Fat Shack Vintage. X-Light, Studio Iralia Tommy track lights and adjustable ceiling mounted lights, Socialight Architectural Lighting. Vintage 1950’s aluminium pendant lights, multiplicity.

FITTINGS

Neff flexdesign induction cooktop; Westinghouse bottom mount fridge; Neff pyrolytic slide and hide oven; Neff dishwasher; Qasair rangehood; Electrolux washing machine; Electrolux dryer, E&S. LG OLED TV; Easymount TV mount, JB HI-FI. . Elysian’ kitchen mixer, solis, Abi Interiors. Astra Walker basin mixer set; Icon wall mounted shower; wall tap and dual off set handle; Assemble hob set; Swivel Spout; Mary Noall. Clifford single sink, Buildmat. Roca inspira undercounter basin; Abey the hunter stainless steel sink, Reece. Parisi Linfa toilet pan, Mary Noall. Custom giant clam bowl, Kett&Co.

FURNITURE

Vanderoza modular sofa. Numen Prostoria Polygon armchair, Smith Street Bazaar. Kartell nesting tables; side table Didi and Dora. Reggie steel side table, Proxima. Jute rug, Kabinett in Kyneton. Vintage dining table, Bill Luke. Vintage Aristoc dining chairs. Vintage rugs, Leonard Joel. Cushions, Plump Cushions, Geelong. Ikebana Vase, Mel Ogden.

ARTWORKS

Untitled, J F Rogeon. Carly Tarkari, Mars Gallery. Robin Morrison, Farmer at Blue Door, Webb’s Auction House, Wellington. Ian Hassell, Red Gum Blossoms, Leonard Joel. B Ackford, Two Irish Wolfhounds, Murray Street Bazaar. Siang Aloa, Designs for a Western Samoan Tapa Cloth (4), 1994, Gibson’s Auctions. Love in the time of Covid-19 series 2020 - Jenny Watson, Untitled; Noel McKenna, Untitled, Glenn Barkley, The Critical Citizen, Gag Projects. Anne Zahalka, Exotic Birds,2006, Wild Life Series, Centre for Contemporary Photography.

ARCHITECT Rory Kofoed, Pac Studio in association with Kristina Pickford

INTERIOR DESIGN Kristina Pickford Design

LEAD ARCHITECT Rory Kofoed

BUILDER Damian Percival, Percival

Construction

ENGINEER Enovate Consultants PAC STUDIO pacstudio.nz

KRISTINA PICKFORD DESIGN @ kristinapickford

FINISHES

Floor, New Zealand grown Eucalyptus globoidea. Walls, Authentic natural lime plaster. Kitchen joinery and joinery spine which runs down the southern side of the house, Natural veneer, Eucalyptus recut. Stone in bathrooms and kitchen bench, Atlantic granite. Timber Cladding, New Zealand grown Lawson cypress left to weather on the north side. Lawson cypress on southern ‘pod’s charred (shou sugi ban).

FITTINGS

Oven, Gaggenau. Induction hob and dishwasher, Miele. Single gas ring, PITT Cooking. Fridge/ Freezer, Liebherr.

LIGHTING

Brass perforated counter-weight pendant in the kitchen, vintage Paavo Tynell (Finnish) c.1955.

FURNITURE

Living Divani modular couch, Neowall by Piero Lissoni. NZ swamp Kauri timber coffee table, custom designed by Kristina Pickford. C19th marquetry European envelope table. Antique Turkoman Saltuq rug. Cheminees Philppe fireplace, F.L Bone. Borge Mogensen Model BM57 oak sideboard. Linen webbed arm chair, vintage by Yngve Ekstrom. 18th Century French Elm dining table from Vitrine. No 18 Thonet chairs from Thonet, NZ. Antique Belgium chocolate maker’s table, Vitrine. Vintage Polish gym mat, Vitrine. Borge Mogensen Model BM64 oak tallboy. Danish 1950’s woven cane chair. Eames ‘Shell Chair’ in walnut. Moroccan kilim rug. Granite sink – adapted from a French trough. Reclaimed Kauri pendant lamp, Walk in the Park.

ARTWORK

‘Putiki Survival Tick’ sculpture by NZ artist Peter Hawkesby. ‘Hukatai’ a commissioned piece by NZ artist Maureen Lander. ‘Fish Finder’ lithographs a series by NZ artist Bill Hammond. ‘Hollyford Canyon, Fiordland (waterfall)’ by NZ artist Haru Sameshima. Bronze sculpture by NZ artist Paul Dibble. ‘5: Lies Come Hard in Disguise’, Tomislav Nikolic. Ceramic vessel by NZ sculptor Christine Boswijk

Garden House

Davis

ARCHITECT Enter Projects Asia

INTERIOR DESIGNER Enter Projects Asia

DESIGN LEAD Patrick Keane

DESIGN TEAM Rene Paul van Leeuven, Jok Nawapan, Tristan Isaac, Anais Ortiz, Ian Sykes

PROJECT MANAGER Enter Projects Asia

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Manjunath and Co - Bangalore India

BUILDER Boontham, Phuket

LIGHTING Infusion Lighting

ENTER PROJECTS ASIA enterprojects.net

FINISHES

Tiles, Beez colour, Cotto industries; Stone, Happy stop industries, Phuket.

FITTINGS

Tapware, Haefele, Thailand; Door hardware, Haefele, Thailand.

ARCHITECT Blok Modular & Vokes and Peters

BLOK MODULAR LEAD Daniel Burnett

ARCHITECTURAL GRADUATE Mackenzie

Walker

VOKES AND PETERS LEAD Stuart Vokes

ARCHITECTURAL GRADUATE Rebecca

Yang

BUILDER Blok Modular ENGINEER Futur Engineering CUSTOM JOINERY Jack Hamilton Joinery

BLOK MODULAR blokmodular.com.au VOKES AND PETERS vokesandpeters.com

FINISHES

Engineered timber flooring, Corsica oak in rustic oak 360; French oak veneer (3mm), matte finish with light brush, Godfrey Hirst. Mapei Chiswick grey, matt tiles, Classic Ceramics. Solid Hardwood decking, Merbau. Plasterboard, Plastamasta Dulux. Gyprock Aquacheck, Bunnings. Mapei Dream Sticks, matt pale green; matt pale blue; ASA Tiles. Fibre cement sheet, Weathershield matt, Sea Breeze, Dulux. Trimdeck roof sheeting, Colourbond Shale Grey, Lysaght. Custom aluminium awning, half Sea Breeze, Dulux. Aterra Blanca benchtop, Caesarstone. Hushed Pine, Steel Blue, Moroccan Clay, Fresh Spring, Aquamarine laminate, Laminex. Dispensa Pantry, Arena Classic, Hafele Home.

FITTINGS

Induction cooktop, oven with air-fryer, Haier. Dishwasher, Beko. Quad door refrigerator & freezer, Fisher & Paykel. Rangehood, Elica. Door hardware: Parisi Lever, SPL. Magnetic door stop, nickel, Zanda Architectural Hardware. Robe handles, metallic brown and matte white, Linear Standards.

LIGHTING

Lamp figure 1, Studio Elk. Trimless mini, Chios up/down wall lights, Astro. Allure switches and sockets, Hager. Recessed flush gang, Zetr. Dioscuri wall light, Artemide.

FURNITURE

Dye Table, Torii Chair, Beam Sofa, Beam Armchair, Base Stool, Stem Chair, 02 Bed, Mast. Bed J Series platform, Waste Terrazzo table, Telegraph Stools, Flooring Stools, Five Miles Radius.

ARCHITECT Blur Architecture

INTERIOR DESIGN Blur Architecture

ARCHITECT LEAD Khalid Bouden

INTERIOR DESIGN LEAD Narita Di Loreto

BUILDER Oreana

FURNITURE SELECTION AKI Design

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ARX

Consulting Engineers

MECHANICAL ENGINEER Elev8

Consulting Services

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Myles Baldwin Design

GARDEN LIGHTING Gardens at Night

HOME AUTOMATION Inspired Automation

WINDOWS Innovative Aluminium

IN-SCREED HYDRONIC HEATING

Optima Heating & Air Conditioning

JOINERY Precision Cabinets

SOMNE MASON Nexus Stone

POOL Momentum Pools

SAUNA AND STEAM Sauna & Steam

BLUR ARCHITECTURE blurarchitecture.com

FINISHES

Copper cladding in standing seam profile (walls and roof), Concept Cladding. Onsite patination of copper, Bronzeworks. Bolzano Sandstone Crazy Paving, Eco Outdoor. Gym, commercial rubber flooring tile, VersaFit. Endicott Cobble baguettes, Eco Outdoor. Ripples in “Tekapo” by Cavalier Bremworth, Carpet Call. X-Bond microcement, Alternative Surfaces. NavUrban Blackheath, New Age Veneers (NAV). Travertine Romano Classico Honed, Signorino. 50x50 matt green mosaic, Elegance Tiles. Chateau Blanc and Melange Blanco, Tiento Tiles. Matt black mosaic 48x48 and 20x20 Mosaic glass tile, Black Caramel, The Pool Tile Company. Custome timber doors, Sunshine Joinery. Sky Frame, Innovative Aluminium. Tapware, English Brass finish, Astra Walker. Internal door hardware, Kamen Kali and front door pull with lip, satin black chrome, Designer Doorware.

LIGHTING

Maestro wall light and Liber up wall lights, Sphera Lighting. Eyeconic trimless, adjustable downlights and Lumenpulse pole mounted projectors and ingtound Linea perimeter façade lighting, Altitude Lighting.

FITTINGS

Hot & Cold tap, Zip.

ARCHITECT Neogenesis+ Studi0261

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Neogenesis+Studi0261

PROJECT ARCHITECTS

Ar. Chinmay Laiwala, Ar. Jigar Asarawala, Ar. Tarika Asarawala

DESIGN DELIVERY TEAM Heta Patel, Prachi Jariwala, Nilufer Contractor, Dhruvi Bhatt.

SITE ENGINEER Er. Ronak Khambhadiya

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Er. Jalil Sheikh

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Jayesh Bhai Patel, Ajju Bhai & Jitu Bhai

CONTRACTOR Riva Contructions & Consultancy

HVAC CONSULTANT Cooline Agency PVT. LTD- Daikin

COLOUR AND TEXTURE AGENCY

Vinod Yadav

LIGHTING DESIGN Custom designed by Neogenesis+Studi0261

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR

Tulsi garden consultant- Yogesh Avaiya

NEOGENESIS+ STUDI0261 Studioneogenesis.com

FINISHES

Flooring, Harshad Bhai. Neocement flooring, Colortek. Stone, Platina Stone. Tiles, Stone world. Exposed brick, Mukund Bhai. Mangalore roof tile, Surface Element. Tiles, Marfil and Nexion. Exposed Brick, Jai Jalaram Brick works(JJB). Paint, Dulux India, Ica pidilite and MRF. Vardhaman glass. Mangalore Roof tiles, KEBE Manufactures, Marseille ideal roof tiles.

FITTINGS

Windows, Façade- Mr. Pawan Iyenger. Curtains- Rowan Décor. Bathroom fittings and sanitary-ware, Grohe and Kohler. Fan, Fanzart and Havells.

FURNITURE

Custom furniture: Carpenter Arjun Bhai. Fabricator, Vasudev Engineering and Pramod Bhai. Soft furnishings, Isral Bhai. Furniture suppliers: Dtale Modern, Higold Mumbai and Saga Lifestyle, Tectona Grandis. Planters, Source design, Higold Mumbai, Tulsi garden consultant- Yogesh Avaiya.

LIGHTING

Global Light. Hyback. Artlight. Shobhan the light studio.

The Brick House

Your map to where the stories in this issue come from where is available

Tokyo #66

Kyoto #70

Zhejiang, China #130

Surat, India #196

Phuket #168

Brisbane #114

Melbourne #186 Aireys Inlet #140

doing it yourself doesn’t mean doing it alone

KEIJI ASHIZAWA

Darwin #108

Waikato #158

Northumberland #90