Tag: First House
First House: Avalon Beach House by Sam Crawford and Emili Fox
Abundant enthusiasm outweighed limited experience for Sam Crawford when his sister called with an invitation to renovate a tired 1950s beach shack. Sam reflects on how this house, designed in collaboration with Emili Fox, kickstarted his career in architecture.
First House: Honeydew by Sparks Architects
In the design of their own home on the Sunshine Coast, Dan and Margo Sparks relished the chance to investigate sustainable design and construction. Dan looks back on the lessons they learnt about efficient, small-scale living.
First house: House for Jade by Wellard Architects
Huw Wellard and his wife Jade learnt new skills and called in favours to transform an “uninhabitable” house in the back streets of South Melbourne. Ten years on, Huw reflects on the small but satisfying project.
First House: Southern Highlands House
For Andrew Benn, the invitation to design a one-room addition – not much larger than a garden shed – was the launching pad for his fledgling practice. Here, he reflects on the legacy of that first commission.
First House: Mary Residence
Drawing inspiration from the dexterously planned terraced house renovations of London, Matt Gibson’s first house spurred a passion for melding heritage elements and contemporary design that continues in his practice today.
First House: Avoca Beach House
Eva-Marie Prineas recalls the first house of her then-fledgling practice, a ‘contemporary treehouse’ designed for extended family that pays tribute to the simple pleasures of living by the coast.
First House: Hervey Bay House
In their first collaborative house design, Lindy Atkin and Stephen Guthrie were influenced by their experience with boundary-pushing local and international architects as well as the horizontality of the surrounding landscape.
First House: Brent Knoll
Architect Rodney Eggleston reflects on his first residential commission, a formative project that reimagined the Australian homestead and launched his practice, March Studio.
First House: Mt Eliza House
When a family walked into the office of Bird de la Coeur Architects twenty years ago and asked for a home that three generations could cohabit, directors Vanessa Bird and Neil de la Coeur relished the opportunity to tap into their fond memories of share house living.
First House: Zigzag Cabin
Acting as a “billboard in the bush” for architecture, this colourful cabin that was completed almost twenty years ago, was a first foray into the design-build process for architect Drew Heath.
First House: Essex House
Working with an experienced engineer, a young Andrew Maynard used his first project as a testing ground for ideas, many of which form the basis of the design fundamentals he applies today.
First house: House Shmukler
Taking inspiration from the whimsy and rigour of artist Sol LeWitt, Tribe Studio’s inventive, sustainable first house paints a “portrait” of its clients and hints at what would become the studio’s prevailing concerns.
First House: Challis Penthouse
As one of his first projects, Andy Macdonald of MI Architects was given the opportunity to explore his interest in “colonizing underutilized roof space.” Eighteen years later, Andy reflects on this apartment design and its influence on his practice’s subsequent work.
First House: Main Ridge Farmhouse
Designed while he was living in London, Justin Noxon’s first house was for his brother and sister-in-law as stage one of a masterplan for Main Ridge Dairy. Now, fourteen years later, Justin reflects on this project and the lessons it taught him.
First house: Bent Robe by Bent Architecture
A modest extension for his in-laws provided Paul Porjazoski of Bent Architecture with a springboard from which to launch his practice.
First House: Hamilton House by M3architecture
Responding to a brief that included the request, “I don’t want to be an architectural victim,” Michael Banney and Michael Christensen used a healthy mix of self-doubt, excitement and earnestness to create Hamilton House, one of their first projects.
To the letter: Merimbula House
Architect Clinton Murray’s first residential commission all started with a handwritten letter from Europe.
First House: Kelso House
Architects EAT co-director Albert Mo reflects on the practice’s first residential project, which transformed a rundown house that “no-one wanted.”
First House: Durbach Block Jaggers
A mix of innocence, ignorance and enthusiasm comes with starting a new practice. This Sydney house is an early exploration of Neil Durbach’s obsessions and interests as an architect. Twenty-four years after designing it, Neil reflects on his first experience of working independently.
First House: Seymour House
Sally Draper reflects on how one of her first project was an exploration of a home’s relationship to discipline and dreams.