PROFILE
AnA architect strives to find a balanceb between beauty and pragmatismp to create homes thatt bring joy to their owners
Sydney architect Polly Harbison shares an insight into her inspiration, creative process, challenges and more
Polly,P was architecture a calling for you? I knew from a young age tthat I loved puzzle solving and making stuff. Architecture is addictive bbecause there isn’t a perfect solution – you can always do better! What’s your design ethos? Elegant solutions to complex problems. What’s the most important part of a client’s brief for you? Joy! What is going to bring them joy – it’s different for everyone. If you can capture that, you create buildings that contribute to people’s daily lives in ways over and above what they imagined was possible. Many of your projects include significant use of concrete, such as the award-winning Balmoral house with Clinton Murray. What do you love about it? The structural capabilities of concrete allow a freedom of planning. Oversized openings, big cantilevers and fat walls are possible. I love the solid presence of concrete and most of my projects embrace this. My mentor Clinton taught me very early of the importance of the weight of things – doors feel good when they are heavy, walls are better when they don’t feel hollow. Where and how do you work best? The studio is great for production and getting stuff done, but crucial thinking time often occurs in stolen moments between the crazy logistics of family and work. Commuting on my bike, the time when I am meant to be watching sport, driving to sites; I always have pens and scribbles on scraps of paper in my bag. What did you learn by renovating your own family’s home? I was an owner builder and it made me appreciate the complexities and stresses associated with building from a different perspective. Being the architect, client and builder does give you a lot of freedom to edit and improve solutions along the way, but there is such a fine balance between benefitting from those opportunistic design solutions and having a lack of clarity. The clearer the design vision, the easier it is to move the necessary mountains to get that vision built. What were the challenges of your most recent project, a beach house? Balancing functionality with the desire to build a beautiful building and maximise the potential of the site. It was a holiday house, so it was vital that the clients, who are such generous hosts to their family, friends and kids’ friends, are able to enjoy the holidays as well. What are you thinking about now? We have a few challenging house alterations and additions on the go. I’m looking to European architects, who have long mastered bold contemporary insertions into existing buildings. Ricardo Bofill is my current archi-crush!