Architetti a Long Forest

“My wife and I asked Ammon Beyerle of here studio to come to our house and give us some advice and a quote of extending our house. We had a number of other Architects do the same. We immediately connected with him because he showed connection and empathy and provided some very intuitive advice that no other Architect did. Once we engaged with here studio the work and service was seamless and high quality.”

“Love working with Ketsa. She is honest and very talented. She has helped design and draw up a kitchen for me. We are also working on a full renovation project. Her attention to detail is very impressive”

“We wanted a garden studio that could also provide extra accommodation when necessary; we have a seaside location which draws family and friends at holiday time. Our house is a traditional 50's stone place so we wanted something to blend in but to also add some contemporary pizzazz. Jane listened carefully to our needs and not so definite brief but came up with a very interesting, practical design which we really liked. She also linked this space design wise to an enclosed courtyard and pergola; unifying the north facing and sheltered back yard. This was probably the only real specification that we provided, that all would function as a whole with scope to add through planting of coastal and indigenous plant species. Jane's creative flair certainly has achieved this, she was always responsive and efficiently came up with practical solutions when we had questions. It has been easy to work with her because of her willingness to focus on the task at each step of the way; keeping us on track in our meanderings! The builders have been impressed with her attention to design detail.”

“We have had the privilege of working with Anthony and his team on several occasions as both the head contractor and as a client. We have always found Chan architecture to have the right balance of pragmatism and creativity, which is often rare in architects. I would highly recommend Chan architecture.”

“We have used Quadrant Design for two projects - a renovation in Prahran (2004/5), and a new house in Barwon Heads(2007/8). Working with Tony and his team was a truly collaborative effort, with complete give and take between architect and client. The attention to detail on both projects was outstanding - nothing was too small to be ignored. Little things made all the difference, such as the 'scalloping' of the window frames at the Barwon Heads house, which greatly enhance the visual appeal of the place. All deadlines were met, both in the design and the build phases & the way Tony interacted with the builders (different ones on the 2 projects) meant we had none of the builder/architect tensions that can so often arise. Both projects came in on time and, importantly, on budget. We were so satisfied that we are about to embark on another house design/building exercise with Tony and the team at Quadrant.”

“Creative, attentive, efficient, hard working, totally professional and focused on great creative outcomes, these young architects have been a delight to work with. From creative schemes to detailed plans to working with councils, statutory authorities, builders and tradesmen, they couple a youthful innovative approach with a practical hands on attention to building, construction, planning , timelines and budgets which gets the job done. They are conscious of budget and value and have over- delivered at every step of the client architect relationship and Project. Young minds and old heads. We would work with them again in a heartbeat. And I would unhesitatingly recommend them to anyone.”

“I've known Fooi professionally for a number of years now, and have collaborated with her on a bunch of community events. She is fantastically creative and designs beautiful houses. She's also very friendly and approachable - her huge bag of awards has never gone to her head. She would I am sure be an absolute joy to work with, I can happily recommend her to anyone interested in great design.”

“Rebecca was the architect and site manager for a substantial renovation to our house in Moor Street Fitzroy. The house, which had been converted in a very haphazard fashion into 3 apartments 30-40 years previously had great bones but needed considerable and skilled renovation to return it to its former glory as a family home. The building had a long and chequered history, including as a boarding house where Weary Dunlop lived as a student. We were keen that we retained the unique character and feel of the house and made maximal use of its position, natural light and views over Fitzroy Town Hall. Rebecca was a joy and inspiration to work with from the outset. She was innovative, rigorous, and listened carefully to our suggestions, especially around environmental impact and overall feel of the property. She was incredibly resourceful in sourcing products and ideas, which made a huge difference to the final design. For example, the suspended cupboards in the kitchen – a real winner given the relatively small size for storage – came from a 1950s design magazine. She managed the project meticulously all the way through, and worked extremely well with the builders and other contractors, who clearly respected her professionalism and skill. This was not an easy project – the house had been renovated repeatedly over the years and the legacy meant no wall was straight and no two doors the same size. The final renovation is superb – understated but spectacular. We haven’t had a visitor who hasn’t been amazed by the house and renovation. I’ve lived in over 40 houses and flats in the last 30 years and this is undoubtedly the best house yet. This is partly due to the original structure but also because of the renovation; I’m sure a less skilled architect could easily have made a dog’s dinner of the project. Rebecca also clearly has an aptitude and commitment to teaching and I know that she is heavily engaged in community and voluntary work in Australia and overseas.”

“We have worked with Dean Dyson on a number of projects and have found him him to be an excellent, professional and diligent architect. I would happily recommend Dean to any person who is looking for a high quality design.”

“I engaged Sebastiano from SG2 to design a renovation of our tired and poorly built California 3-bedroom bungalow in West Footscray. I also employed him to administer the contract with our builder. The house required considerable rebuilding. It'd been poorly built and maintained and it was way beyond just reblocking and replastering, so there was an opportunity for extensive modification of the interior. (It turned out the house was in considerably worse shape than the builder originally thought, and in the end essentially only the facade and some of the original roof trussing remained from the original.) I explicitly wanted the design to be more of an update and modernisation of the interior spaces than a large exterior statement. I briefed Sebastiano to: * plan a single level house within the existing footprint that maintained, as much as possible, the original exterior appearance & proportions (I didn't want the house to have an addition visible from the street) * create more useable space, including much more cupboard space, while more or less following the existing floor plan (ie, retaining 3 BRs or 2 BRs & study) in the front half of the house * open up the rear part of the house to more light and the garden while accommodating an old magnolia tree that was growing over the rear of the house * create a long, open kitchen space combined with a "European style" laundry * incorporate DG windows, insulation of all exterior & interior walls, and hydronic heating * develop a plan that wouldn't require extensive planning permissions &c from the local council. We met several times at my house to discuss the brief. Sebastiano took measurements &c, and I supplied him with some roughly drawn provisional plans. Within a few days of our first meeting, Sebastian had spoken with Council about planning issues around the proposed plans and came back to me with provisional drawings which, with only a few adjustments over the next few weeks, not only fulfilled but exceeded the brief. This part of the renovation process took only a couple of months and any delays were a result of my procrastination than anything Sebastiano did. He took care of all permits, negotiations with engineers &c, to an extent that I hadn't expected, which was a great relief. Sebastiano's plan included a modest addition to the footprint which didn't require a permit from Council, and greatly improved my ideas, making some notable additions. Most obvious amongst these was a large light well which opens the the rear of the house to light and provides a high ceiling in line with the roof pitch. This improves the interior space and helps to define the kitchen and living areas without sharply separating them. Now that the house is finished and I'm living in it, I greatly appreciate the simplicity, practicality, and livability of the design. Sebastiano has managed to create modern, spacious areas/volumes inside what is, by today's standards, a relatively small house. The play of light in the rear room(s) thru the light well is a real highlight, as is the plan and finishing of the kitchen/laundry area. All of this done without "periodising" the interior or making an in-your-face design statement (tho I guess one person's in-your-face is another's "meh"). What Sebastiano achieved was, I think, clean, simple, practical design with well thought through details of finish & treatment that fit the original style of the house and, most importantly, my partner's and my way of living. Throughout this part of the process, as elsewhere, Sebastiano managed to allay my tyro renovator's anxieties, provide helpful advice, meet deadlines, reassure me about the financial implications of the project, and to negotiate effectively with my builder. His reassurances helped me maintain at least the impression of humor and confidence throughout what, thru no fault of Sebastiano, turned out to be a very long build. As I mentioned, I also engaged Sebastiano to administer the contract with the builder. In this, I'm sure he went much beyond what I had a right to expect. He attended the site regularly, provided timely and accurate information and advice about the progress of the build. He fielded my ignorance, anxieties, vacillation, changes of mind, outrageous demands, and stupidity with reassuring calm. I always felt he was treating me respectfully, patiently, and more than fairly. He returned all my calls and emails within 24 hours, usually within an hour or two. His recommendations (he always provided some options) about fittings, finishes, and suppliers were invaluable and invariably better in terms of quality and price than anything I could find myself. I felt confident that it was speedier, more economical, and more beneficial to accept Sebastiano's recommendations than to waste time looking for alternatives. Sebastiano promptly and effectively negotiated some variations from the contracted plans and, throughout, tactfully managed the relationship between me and the builder. He had an eye for details and worked assiduously to maintain the standard of the build. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Sebastiano and SG2. He provided excellent plans that met my brief and exceeded my expectations. He worked well with me and the builder; kept the build well within budget; ensured the quality of the work and finishes; is patient and calm; communicates well; and was responsive, patient, and professional throughout the entire process.”