Hutch Architecture

What makes a house a home?

 

Our latest Dawson Street home is the 2nd home we have created in a row of 6 identical host properties. On paper, our clients’ requirements are similar; improved living areas, increased functionality, additional bedrooms, etc., yet the resulting home couldn’t be any more different. Why? Because the requirement of each home owner is different, and every home we design is a product of context and people, so no two can ever be the same. Let’s be honest, we are all a little ‘special’ and so are the ways we want to live.

The owner of this home has wonderful memories, and stories, many of them are communicated through a wonderful collection of furniture art and ‘knick-knackery’. It’s no coincidence that the furnishings and ‘knick knacks’ all sit harmoniously in the house; we designed the house to allow the owners to tell their story.

A home is more than a place to rest and shelter. A house becomes a home when only with people, their memories and their stories (and their knick-knacks).

Hidden Gems. Don't fear Heritage, embrace the opportunities.

Heritage conservation area? Tick
Contemporary architectural? Tick
Sensitive to neighbours and context? Tick
Maximising under utilised land in urban areas? Tick
Exceptional amenity? Tick
Sustainable design? Tick.

Spoiler alert. There are two of our projects in this photograph. More to come.

Perfectly proportioned. Our 'Norfolk Avenue' project transforms an outdated cottage into an immensely liveable, light filled, modern home.

Double height dining area, overlooking master bedroom, sky views, sunken living area, and an integrated courtyard; all combine to maximise the feeling of space whilst defining each living area. Open plan, with a plan.

Expertly built by
Wonderful photography by

Remember when bathrooms were cold, dark utility spaces?

To me, bathroom design undergoes the same design rigour as any space. Consideration of function, light, outlook, texture and materiality.

Don't know about you, but it's the one space I get peace (ish) from the kids...so maybe thats why I value their design so much.

Great example of a simple and considered bathroom here by .

Another client with direction for their home renovation ✔

OK, so it's not 'sexy', but our 'Envision Checklist' ensures we cover all issues that influence your build.

Lots of new projects starting at the moment. Our 'Envision' pre-design service is really helping people find out what their homes could be. 'Quick and dirty' sketches help get the ideas onto paper before we test them against council requirements and discuss construction costs with local builders. Hopefully the client for this one doesn't recognise their home before we present it to them 😬...or we may have a social media. 'client review' on our hands. 🖊

Did you know that you could gain approval to build your new home or renovation in 10 days?

With fast tracked approval process possible through the existing ‘Complying Development’ certification process you don’t even need to submit an application to council approval!

Our free consultation will help you move your renovation or new home forward to take advantage of the $25k HomeBuilder grant. Book at https://calendly.com/hutcharchitecture/30min

$25k Home Builder Grants available for your new home or renovation!

Your new homes of up to $750k and Renovations of between $150k and $750k may be eligible for a $25k grant under the governments recently announced ‘HomeBuilder’ package.

With fast tracked approval process possible through the existing ‘Complying Development’ certification process, you may not even need to go to council for approval!

Our free consultation will help you move your renovation or new home forward, to take advantage of the $25k grant. Book at https://calendly.com/hutcharchitecture/30min

Our pre-design service provides clarity for your renovation of new home. Including site consultation, feasibility report, concept plans, and builder estimate at a surprising small cost!

Renovating or building a new home can be confusing and stressful. There a lot of factors to consider:

• What do I actually want?
• What is the process to building or renovating?
• What will it look like?
• What approvals do I need?
• How much will it cost?
• How long will it take?
• Can I still live in the house whilst renovating?

Your home is likely your biggest single investment and the place your family and friends will share to create memories, so there’s a lot of pressure to ‘get it right’. We get it.

We’ve helped lots of people through the design, approval and construction process and we here to guide you. Book a free 30 minute consultation at https://calendly.com/hutcharchitecture/30min

Our pre-design service provides clarity for your renovation of new home. Including site consultation, feasibility report, concept plans, and builder estimate at a surprising small cost!

Renovating or building a new home can be confusing and stressful. There a lot of factors to consider:

• What do I actually want?
• What is the process to building or renovating?
• What will it look like?
• What approvals do I need?
• How much will it cost?
• How long will it take?
• Can I still live in the house whilst renovating?

Your home is likely your biggest single investment and the place your family and friends will share to create memories, so there’s a lot of pressure to ‘get it right’. We get it.

We’ve helped lots of people through the design, approval and construction process and we here to guide you. Book a free 30 minute consultation at https://calendly.com/s/KFJqYllU

Another sneak peak of our 'revitalisation' of this Victorian terrace.

Located in a Heritage Conservation area, the existing house has been heavily modified, including infilling of verandas in a very unsympathetic manner.

We have been working closely with council, heritage planners and the home owner, to create a facade that reinstates the street massing of the original terrace without sacrificing floor area.

Its always a balancing act trying to satisfy all parties, whilst maintaining design clarity, but this one is moving forward thanks to great communication with council and a supportive client.

If only you could pan to the right to see the extension. 😉

What influences you?

It's said that architects don't reach their peak until they are in their 60's and I can understand why. Great architecture comes from experience. Today I realised its 30 years since I began work in an architects office, so I've contemplated my influencers (and noted I still have 15 years until my peak starts 😬).

I've been fortunate enough to work with some of the world's most notable architects and I realise that my most influential architect is Arne Jacobsen. I was lucky to spend time in his St Catherines College campus whilst working with the amazing in 2001. I sat in rooms dumbstruck by the attention to detail, clarity and control in every single area of every building. The use of scale, light, materials, custom furniture, even dinner wear and cutlery. Even now I'm excited by a 20 year old memory and grateful to Stephen Hodder for introducing me to the work of Arne Jacobsen (and his own amazing work).

The last photgraph is actually stage 1 student accommodation development on the campus, which skillfully references the original Jacobsen buildings, whilst adding their own take on modernism in a very mannered fashion.

Why is influence important? Because it helps shape us, our values, our work, our homes and our lifestyles.

Anyway. Enjoy the photos....clearly not my work!. Credit to Arne Jacobsen and . 👏👏👏

I’ve heard all these comments before (and made them myself if I’m honest). With experience, I realise that ‘design’ is as much about balancing inputs and requirements, as it is about ‘drawing’ solutions.

In the process of any home design, there are a multitude of different inputs that lead to the end result. The ‘design’ process starts when the ‘idea’ is conceived and ends when the owners move in.

The skill in any build is to keep testing all decision against project ‘objectives’. These can be financial, environmental, aesthetic, contextual, etc. and each build will have its own. At the centre of these objectives is the ‘client’, the owner of the home.

To me, a successful project, manages all the inputs and measures them against the objectives of the home design and its owners.

When all inputs are aligned with the client and design objective, the home is guaranteed to be one that everyone can be proud of.

Think big. Think why?

It’s hard to be to step outside our thoughts, and we sometimes constrain ourselves with our ideas of possibilities and process.

When planning our homes, it’s important to focus on 'why?’ rather than ‘how?’, and after 25 years of designing, I’m still amazed by the influence that each client has on every home.

To me, a great home results from blending the individual ‘why’ of each client, with the unique character of location. As an architect, the ‘how’ comes with experience; but your ‘why’ turns a house design into a home.

Work with what you've got.⁠
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Having recently received Development Approval, this addition and renovation in Adamstown Heights makes the most of the original 80's quirks to form a three level home that gently cascades down the hillside.⁠
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A simple material pallet of brickwork, infill panelling and protected timber, gently blends the addition with the existing home, whilst ensuring minimal maintenance.⁠
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Designing for construction in separable stages, allows the build to match the financial and family needs of the owners.

People often ask me whether I prefer old or new homes? I love both….at the same time.

To me, the combination of an old home with a contemporary addition is an opportunity to showcase the skills and building techniques of both eras. When done well, old and new sit together in a mutually respectful relationship, where both parts are enhanced by the presence of the other.

In this home we created a distinct break between old and new through the introduction of a ‘glass link’. The link forms a threshold, allowing the new elements to be legible, whilst introducing natural light, ventilation and landscaping, to the centre of the home. Below the glass roof, a new concrete floor provides valuable ‘thermal mass’ to moderate the internal temperature of the home, whilst visually linking the old and new.

All homes have a history, and a contemporary addition is an opportunity to add a new layer of history that reflects the values of us and our clients.

I’ve designed hundreds of homes over the years and I realise more and more, just how important outdoor space is. As our living density increases, our ‘private outdoor space’ decreases and that’s OK, as long as the space satisfies our needs. Just like indoor space, lots of ‘poor space’ is never as satisfying as a small amount of ‘great space’

When I design, I always start with defining the ‘requirements’ of spaces and it occurred to me a few years ago that this process is not usually applied to the ‘design’ of apartment outdoors space. In this apartment development, we are designing outdoor space specifically to satisfy our basic and innate need for:

Active space; for dining & socialising.
Passive space; for relaxation and solitude.
Outlook ; to draw our attention and focus.
Nurture & Nature; connection to sun, wind, rain, plants and wildlife.
Personalisation: adaptable space to meet our specific needs.

This design approach is not often applied to outdoor space in dense living, and I for one thinks that a great shame; when you have smaller space, you need quality space.

How does your outdoor space satisfy your requirements? Have your requirements changed in the last few weeks? I’d love to hear from you.

Winston Churchill understood the impact of the built environment.

As we retreat to the safety of our home, it becomes apparent how important our living spaces is to us. Its not just a place for safety and shelter, but a place that can help mould your life and your living.

Your perfect home is unique to you, at the route of your home, its likely that the shiny new materials and gadgets aren’t what make your home special; it’s you, your family and how the space is personalised to satisfy your needs. Every home is unique, as every you is unique.

I’m always thinking about how space satisfies need; some of the those needs are conscious (physical needs), some are unconscious (psychological needs). Conscious needs are items such as places to relax, work, cook, bathe, work, teach, work, teach, teach, drink and relax 😉. Unconscious needs are those that impact your wellbeing, such as privacy, socialisation, light, connection to nature, outlook, acoustics.

How is your home addressing the conscious and unconscious needs of you and your family? Try writing it down, ask your family. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You get the best result with collective knowledge.⁠
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A builder can add to a design process and an architect can add to a building process.⁠ We love to include a builder in team as soon as we can; sometimes before we put pen to paper.⁠
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Find a team that works towards your goal.⁠
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Choose an Architect⁠
Choose a Builder⁠
Choose a Team⁠
Choose a Lifestyle.⁠
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I love overlapping space.

Thinking 'in section' sometimes unlocks design challenges. I often scribble out rough sketches of ideas and this one is a real space saver for a compact inner city residence being designed at the moment.

By overlapping space vertically, two beds fit in space usually occupied by one. Think private bunk beds!

It's not for everyone, but when it saves 28% floor area compared to two traditional double bedrooms, it's worth considering for your small block and large family. 🤔

Mid week sketching. We love working in Heritage Conservation areas. Heritage add an additional layer of complexity; complexity always adds interest.

We love distilling complexity down to simplicity; it takes time and consideration. Like all distilling processes, the end results can be intoxicating ;).