the future Guest Editor Brahman Perera
design
ISSUE FIVE OF SIX COLLECTABLES
Winnings x Habitus House of the Year
Palinda Kannangara
Studio ZAWA
SJB Spirit Level
STUDIOLIVE
Park + Associates
Wutopia Lab
Yvonne Todd
Amy Lawrance
Kallie Blauhorn
Amy Vidler
Antonia Ellis
Fred Ganim
Streifen
ARKO
BMDO
Snelling Studio Lof. Floria Tosca
KATO
Grand scale design
Floating platforms invite deep-seated comfort. Discover true modularity for complete lifestyle flexibility.
FOR THOSE who know
Creators of luxury kitchen appliances. Established 1683.
The difference is Gaggenau
The fi rst word
Please, call me Brem. As Guest Editor for this issue of Habitus, I’ve taken the opportunity to create a deeply personal exploration of design — how it’s shifting, who’s shaping it, and what’s coming next. For me, design is always about relationships. It’s intuitive, a bit alchemical — understanding needs and desires and quietly nudging them toward enduring beauty.
I approached this issue, number five in this incredible series of six, in much the same way I approach a new project: leaning into what inspires, what stirs curiosity, and what simply feels right. I’ve looked toward people and practices that make me glad to be a designer. Some have become friends, others collaborators, all of them wildly di erent — and each possesses a kind of irresistible clarity that stays with you.
Among the most personal inclusions are the portraits (p. 91). These are people whose work I respect and whose presence in the world feels like a gift. Kallie Blauhorn — an art collector and philanthropist — is a quiet force, unbound by convention. Amy Lawrance, another dear friend, is a divine fashion designer who brings intuition to every seam. Yvonne Todd continues to upend photography and our understanding of representation. And in a nod to my Sri Lankan heritage, I speak with the extraordinary Palinda Kannangara — an architect whose work feels as much like poetry as it does construction.
Designing for the future doesn’t just mean aesthetics — it means feeling, as with the work of artist Floria Tosca. Sustainability is shaping how we build and how we live. And the future of travel, as covered in the features section (p. 122), is becoming something many now entrust to experts. The choices are vast; the value lies in how we navigate them.
The projects in this issue (p. 142) are as diverse as they are divine. My own project, Ek Onkar, explores the decorative as a language in itself. In Singapore, we celebrate the city’s 60th with its first multi-storey 3D-printed home, courtesy of Park + Associates. In China, Wutopia Lab has created a lakeside sanctuary — beautiful and sustainable — built in just forty days. Back home, Studio ZAWA has transformed a country house into a retreat for principal Brian Zulaikha and artist Janet Laurence. At STUDIOLIVE, Olivia Shih designs her own space — a rare and revealing undertaking for any designer. In Melbourne, SJB brings colour and form to a home in progress, while in rural NSW, Hugh Main of Spirit Level has crafted a garden for his parents that is full of heart.
No space exists in isolation — it takes artists, furniture makers, craftspeople, and thinkers to shape it. I’ve shared some of my favourites (p. 23). This is also the Winnings x Habitus House of the Year issue (p. 63), showcasing a shortlist of remarkable homes from across the Indo-Pacific.
Thanks for joining me on this little journey. I hope something in these pages stirs a new thought, or invites you to re-see something you already knew.
BRAHMAN PERERA GUEST EDITOR
ABOVE Guest Editor Brahman Perera
lightbox #
DESIGN NEWS
A gathering of the most beautiful, interesting and sometimes challenging designs shaping our world.
shortlist #
WIN NINGS X HABITUS HOUSE OF THE YEAR
The incredible shortlist for Winnings x Habitus House of the Year.
portrait #9
PALINDA KANNANGARA
Sri Lanka’s most extraordinary architect.
KA LLIE BLAUHORN
An art collector and philanthropist making her mark in Australia.
YVONNE TODD
New Zealand-based photographer rethinking perception.
AM Y LAWRANCE
Designing clothes that are part science-fition, part memory, and part sculpture.
the future
Taking the lead for this exceptionally personal issue is the divine Brahman Perera. Calm, poetic, and always reaching for beauty.
features #
MY LITTORAL ZONE
C an the unconscious be glimpsed through th e fi ery prism of hot glass?
TH E FUTURE FEELS
FABULOUS
How a space feels and behaves are driving forces in the new age of design.
TH E FUTURE OF TRAVEL
Putting yourself in someone else’s care may be the way to navigate the future of travel.
on location #
E K ONKAR
With layered pieces, colour, and form, a home is transformed.
TR EE CHANGE HOUSE
Staying attuned to nature, a river of stones runs through this beautiful home.
QR D
Singapore’s fi rst multistorey D-printed home aligns technology wit h fi rst principles.
I MA
Deeply personal and sublimely lovely, plants and perception play on ever y floor.
TH E LAKE HOUSE
Expedited construction saw this lake-side project in Shanghai go from concept to completion in days.
CU L DE SAC HOUSE
Colour and sculptural form coalesce as a private home of intimate moments and overall grandeur.
EULABURY
Whimsical and romantic, natural and wild, this is a garden of dreams.
Habitus takes the conversation to our contributors, discovering their inspiration and design hunter® journeys
Known to all as Brem, Brahman Perera is a delight of creative direction with a portfolio of exquisite projects across residential, retail, and hospitality. Layering his projects with textures and tonal shifts, each is an exploration of nuanced and subtle combinations of harmonious complexity. For Brem, design is a relationship built on an intuitive understanding of needs and desires, coupled with problem solving and a shared pursuit of enduring beauty. As he explains: “Design can only be made stronger and more compelling when it is made from collective minds, challenged, and forced to reveal its integrity.”
KALLIE BLAUHORN #
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, artists, 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.
EK ONKAR #
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 erent roles supports and contributes to design in Australia.
Naarm / Melbourne-based Hayley Tillett (formerly Curnow), is a dear friend of Brahman Perera and a writer zeroing in on architecture, interiors, and design. She contributes to a range of design titles and holds a role as writer and producer at NHO. As a practicing designer and former Associate Lecturer in interior architecture at Curtin University, Hayley o ers valuable insight into the inner workings of the profession.
YVONNE TODD #
THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL #
HAYLEY TILLETT
JAN HENDERSON
BRAHMAN PERERA
ALEESHA CALLAHAN
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.
AMY LAWRANCE #
Lillie’s artful approach to light, mood, and composition has become a signature across her photographic oeuvre in still life, design, travel, and portraiture. Traversing the line between art, editorial, and advertising, Lillie’s appreciation of space and design is illuminated in each image. Curious shadows and thoughtful styling produce subtle twists and generate a sense of intrigue that make her images memorable. Recognised as one of the ‘ Women Breaking the Bias in Design’, Lillie’s work for clients across design, portraiture, and travel has been featured across many di erent avenues of media, including Habitus, where her work is regularly featured.
EK ONKAR #
Dr Prudence Gibson is an author and academic at the University of NSW, Sydney. Her field of expertise sits at the intersection between plants, art, magic, and folklore. An active member of the environmental Dirt Witches collective, her work is informed by theoretical concepts of plant humanities, environmental aesthetics, eco-feminism, plant medicine (poisons) history, and post-human theory. Her latest books include Dark Botany ( ), The Plant Thieves ( ), The Plant Contract ( ), and Janet Laurence: The Pharmacy of Plants ( ).
EULABURY #
As an architect with his own practice that ha s flourished since its inception in , Tom brings a level of expertise to his photographic practice, which focuses on architecture and interiors. Based in Sydney, but working both nationally and internationally, Tom has over years’ experience photographing the built environment and is both highly regarded and warmly appreciated for his sharp eye for detail. Indeed, his architectural background gives him the skills to understand and represent the beauty of the built environment through photography, but also to understand the architect’s vision made manifest.
IMA #
TOM FERGUSON
DR PRUDENCE GIBSON
GILLIAN SERISIER
LILLIE THOMPSON
Exceptional performance
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There is great elegance in the premium-grade materials and logical function of all Wolf ovens. Combining intuitive technology and superb ergonomics, every detail is carefully considered, while the appliances themselves are manufactured using premium-quality materials that are proven to stand the test of time.
In addition to exceptional design, Wolf M Series ovens incorporate outstanding performance technology, including the advanced Dual VertiFlow convection system, colour LCD intuitive touch-screen controls, convenient pre-set cooking programs, interior lighting, pyrolytic cleaning, and a generous 144L oven capacity. Highly regarded for consistent balance of performance and design, Wolf appliances are purposefully designed to work together. As such, all of the Wolf cooking appliances, including the Wolf M Series ovens, work in harmony with Sub-Zero refrigeration and wine storage to create an extraordinary kitchen.
OPPOSITE
The Professional M Series is bold and confident.
RIGHT Sleek and minimalist the Contemporary M Series is elegantly resolved.
CHAIRMAN
Raj Nandan raj@indesign.com.au
GUEST EDITOR
Brahman Perera gillian@indesign.com.au
EDITOR
Gillian Serisier gillian@indesign.com.au
DIGITAL EDITOR
Timothy Alouani-Roby timothy@indesign.com.au
SUB EDITOR Rachel Fieldhouse
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Sylvia Weimer sylvia@spacelabdesign.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Aleesha Callahan, Kym Elphinstone, Allan Fraser-Rush, Dr Prudence Gibson, Jan Henderson, Sarah Hetherington, Fel Lukins, Saskia Neacsu, Brahman Perera, Georgina Safe, Gillian Serisier, Hayley Tillett.
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS/ ARTISTS
Adaptasi (Ferrian Renaldi), Justin Alexander, Brock Beazley, Tom Blachford, Leandro Bulzzano, Jason Busch, Jenni Carter, Zella Casey Brown, Haydn Cattach, Lisa Cohen, Matteo Dal Vera, Sonja Danilovic, DOF SkyGround, Tom Ferguson, Kōji Fujii, Rory Gardiner, Adam Gibson, Tom Gri ths, Liu Guowei, Tim Hardy, Samuel Hartnett, Benjamin Hosking, Annika Kafcaloudis, Tania Lee, Jovian Lim, Joanne Ly, Fumihiro Matsuo, Trevor Mein, Fujitsuka Mitsumasa, Michael Pham, Edwina Richards, Josh Robenstone, Mickey Ross, Biddi Rowley, Yuya Sekiguchi, Anson Smart, Georgia Smedley, Nayan Soni, Soopakorn Srisakul, Derek Swalwell, Noguchi Takeshi, Alicia Taylor, Barton Taylor, Lillie Thompson, Colby Vexler, Clinton Weaver. ARKO, Antonia Ellis, Yuki Kihara, Juz Kitson, Yona Lee, Monica Rani Rudhar, Yvonne Todd, Floria Tosca.
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
PRODUCT MANAGER
Radu Enache radu@indesign.com.au
COVER IMAGE Casa Coa, the home of Kallie Blauhorn and Andy Penn AO in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Designed by MAYE (Maye Ruiz). Photo, Leandro Bulzzano. Kallie Blauhorn is profiled by Guest Editor Brahman Perera on page 56.
HEAD OFFICE
Holdsworth Street, Woollahra NSW ( ) | ( ) (fax) www.habitusliving.com
The curated interior
Layering with tonal shifts, sculptural form, and interesting pieces, the home interior celebrates art and craftsmanship across all aesthetics.
Completely lovely in stabilised antique bronze, the Kea bathroom collection from PITTELLA re flects the geometric design style of the Roman Doric order. Fusing materiality and craftsmanship to manifest the carefully observed details, Pittella has crafted a distinctive range of bathroom tapware.
pittella.com.au
When the massive Monterey pine outside Walsh Street by ROBIN BOYD died in , the home’s custodians, the Robin Boyd Foundation, commissioned furniture maker Alexsandra Pontonio to design Knot Pine, a chair with a massive history. The limited edition of pieces celebrates years of the Foundation, with funds going to its ongoing legacy. Photo, Michael Pham.
robinboyd.org.au
With verve and sculptural fi nesse, design studio BMDO, led by Fletcher Barns and James L. Marshall, is merging industrial design and fi ne art to explore playful, sociocultural ideas grounded in their diverse creative backgrounds. Every piece is a joy. Photo, Annika Kafcaloudis.
bmdo.net
Exclusive to Elton Group, Maritime Pine by ALPI brings a natural touch to this Sydney apartment. Designed in collaboration with Kengo Kuma and sourced from agricultural plantation timbers, it’s a standout from the ALPI Designer Collection, and sustainability.
The future of timber veneer.
Eveneer Raw ALPI Maritime Pine by Elton Group
Design Alexandra Kidd
Photo Dave Wheeler