Reason or Feeling Driving Decision Making

by Adam Hobbs posted Feb 5, 01:34 PM

I’ve just finished reading a book where the author postulates that our thoughts are either driven by the ‘Feeling’ or ‘Reason’ parts of our brain. This of course is not a new observation, as this theory has been around since the times of Plato in 300-400BC.

What is interesting in the case of this book is, that it suggests that ‘All’ decisions made by human beings are ‘Feeling based decisions’, and our ‘Reason’ brain simply seeks to regulate how far we take our ‘Feeling’ based needs. The author suggests that those with abnormally strong ‘Feeling’ based needs may sometimes fall into addiction or compulsive want behaviours, whereas those with dominant ‘Reason’ brain focus may miss out on a lot of experiences in life as they are too risk averse or patterned into a behaviour that does not allow them to grow.

This resonated with me on several levels, but in particular how we have experienced this process working with our clients over the past 18 years. It is common for us to receive a brief that is well in advance of the projects capacity to afford, or for planning controls to allow for that matter. These ‘Feeling’ dominant brief’s are often filled with statements like ‘well thats what I want’, or ‘I’m not doing the work if we can’t do XYZ’. In other words, requests that are most often driven by what the client wants over what is perhaps needed or allowed.

There is nothing wrong with this. We renovate or rebuild because we ‘Want to’. Also, very often the question of ‘need’ is subjective anyway and may result in a bland utilitarian outcome in the end, or day I say it, be engineered rather than designed :).

As a more reason based person, I find I spend a lot of time with clients refining all of their feeling based needs and helping them understand the implications of these decisions, be it cost based, impact based, or even aesthetically based. After all, I firmly believe it is our role to not only design you a fantastic home, but also facilitate the environment for the project to realise itself in line with your design brief, your budget and your time expectations.

So consider us as the ‘Reason’ dominant part of your brain distilling and refining the ‘Feeling’ dominant requests with the aim of turning these into a successful project on all levels. I am not all suggesting ‘Feeling’ based requests are wrong or should be ignored, but shaping them is more what we are about :).

Image to the left of the chimney stack being retained now supported by new structure so on completion it can continue to contribute to the original aesthetic of the home when viewed from the street.

The Commitment of Remediating Older Buildings

by Adam Hobbs posted Jan 29, 01:54 PM

We say to all our clients, when considering your budget for a renovation, that they need to be aware that a certain amount of this budget will be absorbed by ‘remediating the structure you are retaining’.

On a straightforward renovation this may be as simple as repainting works, gutter replacement, sanding floorboards etc.

In the case of a project like our manly cottage project, the % of spend on ‘remediating the structure you are retaining’ will be higher. The building is over 100 years old, with many of the materials original. With that, comes a greater remediation scope. We are lucky in this case as the clients have made a commitment to the rebirth the building so, many of the original features are being retained, or matched, and almost all of the surface finishes are being removed and reinstated correcting years of degradation making the home consistent with modern building standards, but detailed in a way that will create beautiful details, and ultimately value to the asset.

So in short please remember, a reasonable proportion of your budget will always be absorbed by ‘remediating the structure you are retaining’. How much of this that needs to occur will depend on the age and condition of the asset. So be very careful, if purchasing on older home, when you hear a real estate agent say ‘renovators delight’, or ‘room to add value’ :). The result of a beautifully renovated older home will always be worthwhile from a point of difference perspective, and most likely value perspective, but it may be a labour of love as much as it is an investment.

Image to the left now that the dwelling has been part demolished, looking beaten, but she will recover and shine.

Underway in Manly

by Adam Hobbs posted Jan 22, 03:21 PM

Happy New Year everyone! After an interesting 2020 with some great projects completed we are about to do it all again. We have started construction on our ‘Manly Cottage’ project.

The project involves the refurbishment of a turn of the century heritage cottage incorporating a scale appropriate contemporary upper and rear addition. We will post our weekly blog on this project over the next 11-12 months or so.

If there is anything specific you would like to know about as we move through the build, please let me know. I would be more than happy to attempt a subject appropriate blog.

All the best for 2021. We are looking forward to continuing on with great people on great projects.

Image to the left of the now demolished rear section of the cottage with footings and initial floor framing underway.

Completion :)

by Adam Hobbs posted Dec 22, 11:44 AM

I say it all the time, but for 99% of the time your project is being constructed, it looks and feels like a building site. It is only that last week where it really begins to feel like a home. And true to experience the same has occurred here.

Again, it is almost like you are seeing things for the first time, thoughts shift to where your furniture will go, which artworks/ photographs etc will go where, and when you can start enjoying all the beautiful spaces that have been crafted by your team for you.

There will be a plethora of new things to get you head around, not the least of which being which switches operate which lights, how do my fancy fans work, what functions do my heating and cooling options give me and the list goes on.

It is not expected that you navigate all of this on your own. Your builder/ designer should ensure that any instruction manuals are sensibly collated for you, and keys, lights etc are labelled and any handover sessions that need to happen with specialist installers (AC, communications etc) are all organised for you. They should also ensure that you have a grasp on all the items in the home that will require regular maintenance to keep things looking great and operating well. If these aren’t forthcoming, make sure you ask :).

This will be our last post for the year and for this project. It has been a strange 2020 for alot of reasons for many, and we hope that you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year with your families. We will see you again in 2021!

Part image of the completed street frontage to the left.

Almost There

by Adam Hobbs posted Dec 11, 03:39 PM

Quick one this week as we approach completion, a good few weeks ahead of schedule. Everyone looking forward to getting the clients into their new home.

Its a fun time of the process as all can see the end in sight and all the fun stuff is starting to go in.

I was reminded this week as I walked through what a rewarding role it is we have. Yes we draw pictures, make models, manage builders, negotiate councils, neighbours etc. But….what we really do is create homes for people. Places to share with their families and friends and places to enjoy their daily lives. Hopefully much improved from their previous abodes.

That, is a nice feeling.

Enjoy your weekend all, with your friends and families, hopefully in a lovely home :)

Image to the left of the alfresco area/ pool courtyard now almost complete.

The Details

by Adam Hobbs posted Dec 4, 11:14 AM

Early in my practicing life I was asked often “Hey, you’re an architect, can you draw up my plans?”. This request used to drive me insane! I have often stated to anyone who’ll listen that part of the reason this public perception exists of what an architect does is due in part to the shortcomings in the ways the profession markets itself. It also comes partly from the fact that a lot of people would have never dealt with an architect and therefore, not have any concept of what they do apart from what they may have seen on TV!

This is not their fault of course, I myself have been guilty of referring to friends in the finance industry when asked what they do stating “Not sure…I think they work in a bank!”

So, for the uninitiated I will try to keep it as simple as I can by reference. Charles Eames, the famous designer, architect and film maker once stated:

“The details are not the details. They make the design.”

Everything we do in our practice is driven by this principle, whether it be resolving design details, understanding the detail of council controls, reviewing the detail in a builders cost claim, or interrogating the detail provided in an extension of time request. We are all about the detail. Detail is what we do, how we think, and what we like to implement. I am not saying that we always get it right (we are human), but we always think at a detail level. This is why when you see things like the detail to the left in this weeks image, you can be sure they don’t just happen, they are thought through so that the finished result is integrated and complete. Without this level of thinking a building will lack clarity of intent, be riddled with potential style/ discipline clashes and often run overtime or over budget.

When you engage an experienced architect, you are engaging a detail thinker, a detail implementor and a detail oriented project manager. Not just someone who can “draw up your plans!”

What we strive to implement in our detailed approach can be summed up by the endeavour outlined in the below video link. Enjoy your weekend!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E55OcGB0L8o

The Home Stretch

by Adam Hobbs posted Nov 27, 02:18 PM

As a project edges closer to completion and all of the finishing trades are finalising their work, excitement builds with most clients who simply can’t wait to move in. This excitement is completely understandable (and I’ve experienced it myself on my own renovation) given most have been through around 12 months of building, quite often living in temporary accommodation and living like their life is on hold.

Often a project will also finish after the original planned completion date. This is usually due to weather delay and amendments to the project scope. This does not mean the project is ‘late’ but it is finishing later than originally thought due to unforeseen circumstances. This can all add to the frustration of wanting to move in.

All builders will tell you that completing a project on time, (or even ahead of schedule in this case), is a priority for them as much as it is the clients. For every additional week a project goes on there are holding costs, hire costs, base staff costs etc that a building company will incur.

Having said all of this, universally clients will want a completed high quality product preferenced over work that has been rushed to meet a move in date. We would encourage anyone considering a build project to try and ‘cage’ their enthusiasm and allow the builder to complete their work to the standards expected by the client (and Architect :)) on time. If they are late without reason….. well then that’s a different story for another blog.

After all, when all is said and done it is the quality of the project that is remembered. Image to the left of the main courtyard inclusive of plunge pool. Looking extremely inviting!

Harnessing the Sun as a Design Tool

by Adam Hobbs posted Nov 20, 03:49 PM

As we begin to move into the warmer months of the year with clearer skies and bright sunshine, I have been reminded of the lovely and sometimes chance effects that occur as a result of the ‘path of the sun’.

Effective architects will spend much of their time designing for either letting the sun in, or keeping the sun out or harnessing it to create power as a matter of course in good design. However, it is important to also understand that other opportunities exist in design to harness the more creative effects of the sun and the varying atmospheres it can create, apart from letting the winter sun in and keeping the summer sun out.

As we have developed our design understanding over the years we have better understood the ways in which design elements like screens, curved walls, batten details, colour/ material selections, the use of water all create opportunities to engage the sun as an element that can create patterns, colours, shadows, that all in some part allow the building to act as a kinetic sculpture. Screens have the opportunity to create patterned light, curved walls the capacity to create softer shadow shapes in regular shaped rooms, vivid colours the capacity to change the light as it hits a wall or ceiling or the surface of pool water and the reflection it can create as examples.

So I’d encourage you all to ask your designer to consider these more fluid opportunities when thinking about how the sun can not only effectively warm and power your home, but how with well thought out design elements, also create a myriad of often beautiful shades, shadows, colours and textures if the design allows it to :).

Image to the left showing a projected curved shadow from an archway and thin shadow lines from the balustrade creating a nice play of shapes to what would have otherwise been a purely geometric, functional service area of the home.

What's the best timber finish?

by Adam Hobbs posted Nov 13, 11:42 AM

We are often asked what is ‘the best’ timber finishing product, usually meaning which option will maintain its finish for the longest period.

Any commitment to a natural product like clear finished timber (especially externally), is a commitment to a maintenance regime. As far as we are aware there are no ‘warranties’ with clear finished products like you might get for a regular paint finish. You see a lot of product descriptions like ‘long lasting’, ‘UV inhibitors included’, ‘maintains lustre for longer’, but never do you see ’10 year warranty’.

Why? I can’t be certain, but as an educated guess I would suggest it is because these types of finishes are particularly affected by how well they are protected, what orientation the surface faces, and what timber they are being applied to.

There are also many different types of clear finishing products. Some coat the surface, some soak into the surface, come are oil based, some water based, some even wax based. Many things to consider, and the advice of a suitably qualified designer, and informed supplier are imperative.

Perhaps it is personal preference but we have found externally, products that soak into the surface of the timber are more durable and result in a better finish than a ‘coating’ and are more likely to maintain the personality of the timber itself. Internally there is a little more leeway, but we still tend toward soaking finishes rather than applied coatings which are more prone to cracking and changing the appearance of the timber in our experience.

Plenty of things to consider that really do require professional advice. So if you are a DIY renovator be sure to advise who you are speaking to about all of the following: orientation, timber species, location (internal/ external/ protected/unprotected?) along with what aesthetic you are aiming for. All necessary and important elements to be resolved prior to selection.

Image to the left of our western red cedar folding garage door, yet to be finished with a cutek soaking oil product that will both protect the timber and create a beautiful deep lustre. As it is north facing a regular regime of maintenance will be required if the owners want to maintain the colour, otherwise the natural grey patina will result over time, also a nice look in our opinion :)

When can we move in?

by Adam Hobbs posted Nov 6, 12:31 PM

As we edge closer to project completion and the anticipation builds, it is important that all are aware that just because the building is ‘finished’ it does not necessarily mean you can just move in. Strange statement I know, but there are various processes that need to be addressed, certified and approved by the relevant authority’s prior to occupation.

Legislation dictates that you cannot ‘legally occupy’ a home unless there is an approved ‘Occupation Certificate’. This certificate is issued by the certifier once they are satisfied that the works are indeed completed, are in line with the approval, and all relevant certifications and supporting approvals are all in place. This includes certificates from all manor of involved parties including plumbers, waterproofers, electricians, pool fence installers etc along with the architect and builder themselves. This list can be extensive and does take time to compile.

In the case of our Willoughby project, we also have an on site stormwater system that requires concurrence from council, establishment of legal documents and registration by the lands titles office once complete. With multiple parties involves this will take time. Having had previous experience with this sort of application we starting the collation of the required documentation weeks ago, even though we are well over a month away from completion.

In summary, ensure your architect and/ or builder commence the process of collating the necessary information for your OC well in advance (I’d suggest a few months prior) and also book the final inspection by the certifier a good few weeks out from project completion. This should ensure you can move in with all necessary documentation in order.

Part shot of the pool courtyard looking back to the alfresco area to the left. Gloomy old day but balance of colours taking shape.