What is and what could be with Michael Clarke Architect

Episode Notes Today Penny and I got to speak to Margie Rahmann interior designer and director at Edmiston Jones (EJ). EJ are a practice heavily involved in the built environment of the Illawarra with offices in Wollongong, Nowra and Batemans Bay. The practice has a multidisciplinary team that includes architects, landscape architects, project managers and interior designers that work across five d...

Episode Notes For many, it can be difficult to understand how architecture can help us reflect who we are as a community. How can buildings and public spaces tell the stories of our culture, our history, and our lifestyle? How can we use architecture to bring people together and not push them apart? For Isabelle Toland, Director of ambitious architecture firm Aileen Sage, these are uplifting chall...

Episode Notes In this episode we look at the design approach to large projects with Marko Damic, principal at Architectus. We dive in to what Marko calls the natural forces that inform the specific design to a project. These are linked to the 5 Ps that is the design philosophy of Architectus being - People, Place, Purpose, Planet and Production. We talk about Marko's beginnings as co-writer and st...

Episode Notes How does architecture define a region? What is the difference between designing within the city, a suburb, a town and a region? What can architects do to pay homage to the place and its community, beyond the confines of the immediate needs of the client and those they serve?   For William Smart, international acclaim has been cast on his doorstep as much for his bold ideas that push...

Episode Notes Today my co-host Penny and I get to talk to a former colleague and dear friend Architect Nicole Larkin. For many (myself and co-host Penny included) the iconic coastline of NSW is a place of nature, but for Nicole Larkin of Nicole Larkin Architecture it is also a highly managed landscape. As an architect focusing on coastal planning and design, Nicole has been a guiding force in the...

Episode Notes How can we make better interior design choices that see our families through generations? What must interior designers consider now more than ever when designing homes for the future? How can we ensure the best collaboration between an interior designer, the architect, and the building trades?   Alongside series Co-host Penny Keogh, we join the iconic Australian interior designer, Ga...

Episode Notes Joining Co-Curator of the 2024 Illawarra Festival of Architecture & Design, Davin Turner, alongside series Co-host Penny Keogh, we talk about all things we can expect from a weekend of events on the 26th and 27th of October. We also talk about Davin's journey to becoming an architect and director of his own practice starting with the construction of the home he grew up in and the...

Episode Notes In this episode we try to work through a few questions.: How can we use architecture as a symbol of broad reaching values we have? How can we value important historical stories? Can we use architecture to reach beyond those traditional silos of power to level the playing field and give a voice to those who traditionally don’t have one?   Joining the iconic Australian furniture design...

Episode Notes This is the start of a mini-series where we will have a co-host Penny Keogh. Penny is co-founder of IFAD - the Illawarra Festival of Architecture and Design. Penny and I will interview special guests that will be speaking at IFAD 2024, starting with Penny. We all know what it feels like to live in a home that needs a little work. To watch the Block or Grand Designs and love the idea...

Episode Notes In this episode we push some technical boundaries as I speak to some ideas for experiencing site specific space whilst playing guitar. The undertaking is an effort to showcase the connection between music and architecture and how design ideas can come from outside the profession. We look at two songs to illustrate this point, one by me and one by Radiohead. We then briefly link these...

Episode Notes In this episode we conclude the mini series - "why an architect would say yes to a commission" by focusing on the third reason - that the commission is a good project. We talk through some stories to help appreciate what might make a project good and how this might be contrary to popular belief. For many architects the size of the project, project type and location are not...

Episode Notes Following on from episode 20 we talk about the second reason why an architect would say yes to a commission or increase visibility to a potential client or client organisation - because the project has a good client. Contrary to what some may believe this isn't a client that is always saying yes. Nor is it the opposite. Instead it is someone who is able to engage in the process and h...

Episode Notes Recently I was talking to my business coach and colleague in my business coaching group about some current trends in architectural practice. They both indicated that they had always thought architecture, realising a project with an architect was an undertaking only available for the select few. They are not unique in their thinking. This compelled me to revisit the question "why...

Episode Notes Like many others for years post university I had awkward conversations in social circles that went something like this: Someone: "What do you do for a living Michael?" Response: "I work for an architectural firm" Them: "So you are an architect?" Me: "No" Them: "Did you study architecture at university?" Me: "Yes" Them: &quot...

Episode Notes In this episode we tell a story of design development that occurred during construction for a project in 2012. It was a collaboration with a steel fabricator that resulted in a mirror finished stainless steel desk plaque that I lovingly refer to as the Michael Clarke plaque.

Episode Notes In this episode we talk through a story relating to a design issue that was developed and refined before and during construction. A collaboration between builder, structural engineer and architect. The story is a good example of how the design team can play an important role during construction. True to our way of thinking we linked the story (and the resolution of the design issue)...

Episode Notes In this episode I spoke to Adam Russell. Adam is one of the directors at Saltbush Projects. We talk about Adam's experience studying architecture, the great firms he worked for and projects he worked on before starting his own practices. Adam led three different firms before a brief stint in the corporate world. After that he started the community focused practice - Saltbush Projects...

Episode Notes In this episode we talk about the role the architect can have during the final stage of design realisation - construction. We often meet people that are unaware of the fact that there is a place for the architect and the design team during construction. A stage where one would think the design is finished/defined to a level of detail in documents submitted to a builder for pricing an...

Episode Notes In this episode we talk through the origin story of the title of this podcast series - what is and what could be. It came from an experience during final year university where I did not perform as well as I wanted to - in fact I failed. I failed because I didn't do a deep enough dive into the subject matter that was presented to us. Ironically this was workshopping an investigation i...

Episode Notes In this episode we look at competing design parameters with a focus on an aspect of the design of openings to external walls. The example we look at is windows - which in itself is a big design consideration (as evidenced by an origin story I tell in regards to one of my earlier experiences reviewing the design of windows to the house I grew up in). However, the exercise comes with t...

Episode Notes In this episode we look at the design focus during the detailed documentation of a kitchen for tender. We look at three aspects of a kitchen design that needed to be seamless, integrated and recessive. A kitchen that read as a continuation of the rest of the room. A kitchen that had surfaces that read like a wall that happened to have doors, drawers and the like. We look at the desig...

Episode Notes In this episode we discuss the importance of clear communication during design development and construction. Communication between the served (client/collaborator and associated representatives), the serving (architect, extended design team and builder) and within the serving team (architect to builder, architect to engineer and builder etc). We discuss a few techniques used beyond 2...

Episode Notes In this episode we continue to discuss design during tender documentation as we felt we didn't go deep enough in the last episode. This time we tell the story of the detailed design to one element of a room in the soon to be completed Bondi Beach house. We talk about what it is, what the client vision was and how the design responds to the client vision. This is a bridging episode co...

Episode Notes In this episode we celebrate a milestone achievement - the approval of the Development Application! We talk about the next stage - obtaining a tender price from a builder before construction starts. This is the stage where we define the design in more detail sufficient for the builder's team to understand what we want them to build. We discuss some frequently asked questions (FAQs) a...

Episode Notes In this episode we talk to town planner Nicole Lennon director and founder of Planik. Nicole has worked for several local government authorities as part of the development assessment team as well as updating and/or preparing new development control instruments. Nicole has also worked for state government and moved overseas to London before heading back to Australia to form Planik in...