our principles
I created these principles based on a set of personal values shaped by more than two decades of experience. Regardless of the project or the client, they represent the consistent elements that I bring to every vision. As a combined set of principles, I believe they are utterly unique.
Don’t worship at the altar of scale
Respect human scale, which means no walls higher than a person. Hide the massing and minimise height - nothing more than 3 stories high adjacent to public spaces.
Collaborate with nature as much as possible
Use natural patterns. Incorporate and respect natural landforms whether it's coastline or ancient trees. Minimise cut and fill. Celebrate views, following nature when siting a building. Always seek to use natural solutions to solve regional problems such as flooding or the urban heat island effect.
Strengthen history and build community
No big boxes that clash with the existing architecture and landscape. Respect ancestral landmarks. Favour narrow intimate “healthy” streets that foster successful, attractive and safe development. Bring nature and biodiversity into cities as an attractor.
Inspire positive sustainability
Green roofs are the fifth facade. Water management that can be sources of inspiration. Build natural cooling from wind and shade to reduce energy requirements. Native plants drink less water, require less to no pesticide because they are “at home”, and are authentic to the landscape and the history of the area.
Create a feeling of individual, natural space
Make every resident or visitor feel like they are immersed in nature, with their own view corridors, whilst feeling assured of their own privacy.
Collaborate
closely
Form a relationship which allows for genuine mutual understanding, not a transactional arrangement where you're passed around 100 different people working on a project.