The first word
What gives architects a sense of purpose? What is the ideal brief, client and commission that makes them feel like their work is a contribution to society? Those that come back with the most meaningful answers tend to be the ones whose work you see in the pages of the magazine and on the homepage of habitusliving.com.
But this issue, we go down a different route. This issue, for the annual Kitchen & Bathroom edition, we are asking architects and designers how they can nourish themselves and their clients through architecture. And it has been interesting to see how their interpretation of nourishment varies.
For Michael Hogg and Greg Lamb of Brisbane-based studio Hogg & Lamb, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms within a residence, so it’s important to them that the architectural concept for an entire house is clearly evident here, too. Yip Yuen Hong of ipli Architects in Singapore takes a decidedly restrained approach. He works with his clients to refine complex requirements to basic needs. In this way, the architecture is not a thinly spread canvas trying to do as much as possible, but nourishing clients with greater poignancy.
Across the ditch, architect Christopher Beer has worked with a family relocating back to rural New Zealand from the fast pace and high culture of Auckland. The parents, an artist and a teacher, needed a home that spoke to their creative personalities and fostered community inclusion. The resulting residence combines private living quarters with a public gallery and café that warmly welcomes in the town.
What does nourishment mean to you? And how do you look to find it through architecture and design? As always, we have put together the pages that follow to inspire, spark debate, challenge conventions, and celebrate architectural successes across the Region.
As trends in kitchens and bathrooms come and go, one thing remains constant. We will forever continue to be genuinely interested in the newest designs, regardless of personal style. These domestic spaces are often the two that can make or break a home buyer or renter’s interest in a property. And as far as architects and designers are concerned, they’re pivotal to achieving the best design outcome possible.
It’s my pleasure to be invited to contribute a series of articles to this year’s Kitchens & Bathrooms issue. In covering bathrooms that connect to the outdoors, I couldn’t overlook the breathtaking Planchonella House by Jesse Bennett Studio in north Queensland, which sets a high standard for environmentally responsive architecture. At the other end of the spectrum is Kawakawa House in New Zealand by Herbst Architects that lets the outside in via a subtler design approach. This focus on the outdoors underlines the emphasis in Kitchen Comforts on biophilic design, an increasingly popular strategy strongly related to the end user’s wellbeing. While Clever Days looks at the ways in which contemporary bathrooms have become smarter.
Finally, I’m honoured to have interviewed Luigi Rosselli, one of this country’s finest architects. I’ve written on a number of his residential projects in the past and to talk to him about his own home was a privilege. He’s a wonderful story-teller and his warmth, generosity and passion not only informs every aspect of his practice, it’s also evident in each corner of his house. The concept of eclecticism runs through the article, exemplifying this issue’s content, which is deliciously diverse and richly varied.