SANCTUARY MAGAZINE FEATURE
What kind of house did you grow up in?
As a teenager I lived in a house architect-designed for my mother in the 1990s. The great things about it were its passive solar design and the good separation of kids’ area upstairs from parents downstairs. The ground floor main bedroom has proven to be ideal for ageing in place. Mum is still living there in her 70s after many knee and hip operations
What was the first design project you were really proud of?
When I was a recent graduate, a design competition I led for a small firm won the commission for Toyota’s WA headquarters. It was to be a new benchmark in sustainability for commercial buildings, and we packed as many green ideas into the project as possible. It was delivered under budget and won several major awards. Visiting the building in active use and full of happy people who were proud of their workplace was really satisfying.
Toyota WA - Roxby Architects 2012.
What is your favourite sustainable building, and why?
Adaptive reuse projects aren’t given enough credit for their sustainability, but reusing existing structures can save the bulk of the carbon that goes into new buildings. Herzog & de Meuron’s conversion of London’s Bankside power station for the Tate Modern opened my eyes to the importance of designing loose-fit structures that can be adapted to a multitude of uses over time.
What’s on your drawing board right now?
A modest beach house for a fantastic site south of Fremantle. It features lime render on wood fibre cladding, and thermally modified timber to provide screening from the wind and sun in this exposed environment.
What is it about the way architecture is done that you’d love to see change?
The current trend for architecture is highly specific, bespoke, complex and wasteful. I would like to see more architects reevaluate their approach in favour of simplicity, adaptability and affordability, so more people can benefit from sustainable design.
What does it mean to you to be a sustainable architect?
I am fundamentally interested in lean design, construction and living: making do with less and living with less impact. Every design decision should be evaluated against the aim to use fewer materials and require less energy in operation. I love that my job puts me in contact with likeminded people who are also humbly trying to make the shift to a low impact life