SSB DESIGN STUDIO As a young boy in England, I was fascinated by buildings. As a teenager, my love of architecture, art and interior design turned into a passion that led me to university to study architecture. Becoming an architect is a long process and only really starts after university. This is where I have been lucky. I have had the opportunity to work for 12 years with some of the best architect practices, and the experience has been invaluable. My last position in London was as a project architect at tp bennett - a top 10 architectural practice in the UK - where I worked on major projects to the value of $50 million to $100 million, including responsibility on a 22-storey apartment/ mixed use building, for a high-profile London property developer.
AND SO TO AUSTRALIA In 2006, my parents brought my Sydney-born grandmother back to Australia for her remaining years. While I truly loved my position in London, I felt that a new opportunity was waiting for me here. Coming to Australia to start a new practice - with absolutely no contacts and in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis - was a challenge in itself, but I had one more: I am profoundly deaf. In spite of the odds, we worked hard as a family to get the business off the ground. In 2009, I formed my original practice, Simon Scott Building Designer, which later became today’s SSB Design Studio. SSB Design Studio is a boutique building design studio based on the Sunshine Coast. Other than building design, we also offer interior design and project management services in Queensland, throughout Australia and overseas. As the business got going, it soon became apparent that the Sunshine Coast and the surrounding areas were becoming excited by my work. Since its inception, SSB Design Studio has received Queensland building awards in various categories for the last four years, ranging from best sustainable, best commercial and residential design.
BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN … … there’s a great woman! My great one is my mum, Sue. We are a family business, and she is my biggest supporter but also my biggest critic (so is my step-dad, Andrew)! Mum never holds back when she thinks she knows better than I do, challenging me to prove that I am the designer, not her! Having said that, we do work extremely well together and, being the first point of contact, she is so important to the business. Fortunately, she is well versed in what I do and has an extremely keen eye on interior design.
TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY It’s what we do. Using the latest architecture software, we help our clients to get an increased understanding of their building. 86 ISSUE 86
We work with private clients who value a collaborative and transparent design process; each SSB Design Studio commission employs versatility and passion that transcends scale and budget. SSB Design Studio has delivered over 80 projects in South East Queensland.
WHY CHOOSE ME? Ask me, and I will say, “That’s easy, I listen!” This is where being hearing impaired has its advantages; when my clients speak, I listen to their every word, their every want, their every need. It’s what makes me stand out. Very often, this turns into a professional friendship where clients feel comfortable texting or emailing me, knowing that I will pay attention to every step in the frequently changing design process, making it an easy and stress-free experience. Ask my clients - as I often have - and the usual reply is, “Your obvious passion”, “Your ability to put our vision on paper” and, one of my favourites, “Your friendly and professional personality”. I suppose this pretty much sums me up. The fact that I have received so many referrals from clients speaks volumes. On a grander scale, I cherish the idea that I have the ability to design something that will be on this amazing continent way after I have departed. My approach is to produce contemporary but timeless designs. I don’t like the idea of my buildings being pulled down in my lifetime. I want them to be a symbol of who I am and what I stand for, my passion for architecture, my creativity and innovative designs that are functional and unique but also practical.
SO, WHO ARE OUR CLIENTS? Our clients range from private commissions for new homes, renovations and interior design. We also work with builders for the design of luxury high specification homes, corporate clients designing offices, shops, cafes and property developers for a wide range of projects.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Although most of my work in Australia has been residential, I am now looking towards town houses, apartments and larger commercial projects to add to my portfolio. I am excited that I am about to produce my first photo book of designs. I am expanding the home/town house/ apartment/boutique/multi-residential design into Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast; I am also working towards larger commercial developments throughout Australia.