|
What
is the key to good design?
For
us, good design is all about understanding people, lifestyles,
culture and the site. We are creating a three dimensional
work of art designed for the owner’s present and
future lifestyle,
and our role is to protect and maximise the owner’s
investment in property while providing the value only
a highly creative solution can achieve.
Each
home we design is as different as each of our clients
and, simply, it should look like it was meant to be
in that location. To see how we have approached different
projects, have a look at our Architectural Showcase
– an array of private and public dwellings, all
with very different ‘personalities’.
How do we achieve this?
Prior to planning the design of a new home or renovations/additions,
we undertake several critical processes:
Project brief: Balancing the space required against
a realistic budget (try
the House Design Budgeting Tool), defining appropriate
quality of finishings and standard of building construction
is the essential first step.
Ascertaining clients’ life stages and lifestyles:
Visiting where clients currently live to get a sense
of cultural traditions, how public/private they are,
whether they prefer a feeling of openness or enclosure,
and how formal/informal the housing style may be.
Visiting the site to get a clear understanding of
its ‘peculiarities’ and the microclimate:
If we are to design houses which allow us to live comfortably
we need to understand the site’s microclimate –
eg. slope of the land, the aspect, where the wind comes
from, location of trees, where the sun is, views. In
Sydney and nearby coastal regions we have the best climate
in the world. Hence, we design from the outside in –
from the garden/landscape, deck and verandah to the
inside of the house.
Conceptual analysis: Taking into account Council
planning codes and site opportunities and constraints
it is essential to analyse the possible design outcomes
which may lead to the most creative solution while balancing
budget and expectations,
"Architecture:
an Art demanding that Beautiful Compromises be found
between Competing Priorities"
 Peter
Dalton |
Where
can I get further information?
For an essential guide to help with the ‘experience’
of building or renovating a home, our online book "Buy
or Build" will help answer any queries you
may have.
BACK
TO TOP
| Any
or all of the pages of the website may be downloaded
for the information of the viewer, however, all
the content of each page remains copyright to Peter
Dalton Architects. |
|
