VISION 52 – BLOOMFIELD HOUSE ASCOT VALE
One quality of a good architecture is to resist dogma
and style. Isn’t it true that all good architecture springs
from fluidity, flexibility and adaptability?
We draw inspiration from others, but we also want to
create what we believe in. One thing that sets these
houses up well is that often clients come to us wanting a
certain type of design with fairly exposed concrete and
glass. You want clients who see beauty in that simplicity.
We have technologies and mechanisms with virtual
reality to build that in the third, fourth and fifth
dimensions. Does that change your experience or
influence your thinking when designing a building?
We intend on using the volume in the form of the
architecture as you transcend through the building,
and your experiences change through the different
phases of the building. So glazing plays a big part.
Again, it’s almost 80% of the architecture compilation.
So, glazing on the Orrong Road townhouses for instance
project is maybe as powerful, if not more powerful, than
here, and it’s influence due to that. With townhouses,
you’re reliant on a source of light that comes from maybe
two points – in this case east and west. How we detailed
and presented with glass of large sizes was very
important for that outcome. You notice that through
the front elevation with the glass panel breakup in
combination with the polished stainless steel and
black metal as highlight treatments.
One thing glass does remarkably
well is how it behaves to reflect
at night and be transparent
during the day. Its reflective
qualities with ambient lighting
are quite stunning.
FERAS RAFFOUL, ARCHITECT
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