15
VISION 52 – MITCHELL ST RESIDENCE NORTHCOTE
Do you have architectural heroes or influences
that speak in your work?
Two architects we look towards would be Tadao
Ando, who creates beautiful Japanese architecture.
His presentation is delightful. We also look towards
Oscar Niemeyer and how he played volume and
space, and the fluidity of his lines. His clarity was
so intentional and he sent that message so well.
Many of your residential designs are large,
but could hardly be considered “loud”.
No. Our work doesn’t present in a loud way.
We want the architecture to present itself but
also take a backwards step for the inhabitants.
What is it about your work that provides the
biggest challenge and greatest reward?
The greatest reward is seeing the completed product.
That is by far the greatest reward. It’s no different to
an artist preparing a sculpture. This is just a life-size,
large sculpture that’s inhabited by the occupants
themselves. Seeing the end product is always the
most beautiful part… and rewarding. Returning years
on, and seeing how a house has aged and behaved
once the greenery grows and also how the family has
lived and grown through the period is always a relief.
That is maybe more enjoyable, seeing how it’s
transcended over how it was at the very start.
Returning years on, and
seeing how a house has
aged and behaved once the
greenery grows and also
how the family has lived
and grown through the
period is always a relief.
FERAS RAFFOUL, ARCHITECT