Staff Profile: Ms Esther Sugihto

Lead Designer & Planning Consultant

She is a key influencer in holistic design – understanding the role architecture plays in the context of the Australian lifestyle.

Esther also brings a wealth of Design + Build experience from internationally reknowned European and Australian architects.

In her own words

“What makes us special is that we’re about service and local training – Melbourne architects are process driven. We don’t aim to arrive at a prescribed outcome, but rather to engage with you to provide the most appropriate design driven solution that is multi-layered. It has to SPECIFICALLY be tailored to fit you, your site, council’s requirements, your brief, your budget, but also be globally aware. Each project has the opportunity to be something special and something amazing if you let it”.

Favourite Residential Project

Staughton Architect’s Park Orchards, Melbourne project: “This is my favourite residential project because the clients gave us full design breadth to arrive at a unique design solution that was inspiring yet sensitive to the original Alistair Knox house. I particularly loved it also because I had the opportunity early in my architectural training to see the construction develop weekly“.

Favourite Commercial Project

Denton Corker Marshall’s Carlisle St Hotel, SOHO London: “This is another design driven project that I helped develop. It was in a fantastic central London site with deliberate vistas to Soho square and a multi-layered approach with strict town planning requirements. Our team were given gentle design direction from the Australian directors, but free reign to work on the details of how to realise this hotel project“.

Experience

Trained at the University of Melbourne and possessing over 7 years experience, Esther has worked for several architectural practices and has been involved in many award winning projects, including:

• Denton Corker Marshall, London.
• Staughton Architects (now Workshop Architecture), Melbourne
• Etak Design, Melbourne
• Tim Williams and Associates, Sydney

Her most recent stint working in London included several international projects in the UK, Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East.

The scope of projects she has worked on covers a breadth of residential, commercial, industrial and retail design – from conceptual designs all the way through to contract administration.

Motivations

Esther’s background extends from a love of the local to the teachings of the global. Whilst born and bred in her hometown of Melbourne, she has extensively traveled the world to learn how the developed and developing nations have evolved with the goal of applying lessons back home.

Her passion for sustainable residential design in her home city combined with a fervent belief that everyone is entitled to a roof over their heads and the recognition for urban consolidation in this ever-sprawling city means that she will strive to see your project meet your needs threefold – environmentally, socially and economically.

Esther is an avid student of other designers, keeping abreast of architectural news both locally and abroad. She believes that being a good architect is more than just good design – its about giving a client something tangible that they didn’t even realise they wanted – to go above and beyond their expectations!

In her spare time, she loves to go running, go camping in the great outdoors, dine out, cook up a storm and be a part of her local church community.

Education

Bachelor of Planning and Design (Architecture) – University of Melbourne
Bachelor of Architecture (hons.) – University of Melbourne

CONTACT US
Contact us to find out how your project can benefit
from Esther’s international Design + Build experience!

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1. Staff Profile: Ms Simone Schenkel
2. Property Development 101: Step 3
3. Be an Architect for a Day: design your dream home!

Staff Profile: Ms Simone Schenkel

Designer & Sustainability Consultant

Simone is one of the core team here at Brutal Art Design + Build, being one of the first to be hired several years ago. She continues to be a key influencer in our design thinking, applying the much stricter German detail and sustainability standards and philosophies to our team here in Australia.

Simone brings a wealth of Design + Build experience from internationally reknowned European architects.

It is our privilege to introduce you to her and we are proud to have her working on your project.

PS. When you meet her in person, ask her about her European Architecture Award!

Background

In her own words

Question: What do you think is unique about your architectural design skills?
I think my European experience has given me a unique understanding of international sustainable design – much of which is yet to reach Australian shores. I have a passion for sustainability-led design and I strive for the best possible design and environmentally friendly outcome.

Education

Abschluss: dipl.-ing. Architektur (fh): University of Applied Science (HTW) of Saarland (Germany)

European Experience

Trained at the University of Applied Science (HTW) of Saarland (Germany), Simone made a remarkable debut in the European Architecture scene, winning second prize in the prestigious LEG Preis 2006 Architecture Competition.

She has since worked with internationally renowned architectural practices in Europe and been involved in many award winning projects, including:

• Ánton García Abril and Ensamble Studio (Madrid, Spain)
• Huppert & Huppert GmbH/domus GbmH (Güdingen, Germany)
• INCOPA (Saarbruecken, Germany)
• Lauer Architecture und Consulting (Saarbruecken, Germany)
• Braun & Eyer (Saarbruecken, Germany)

Australian Experience

In addition to her education and training in Germany she has strengthened her European sustainability competencies with local training: in November 2009 she finished the Building Thermal Performance Energy Rating course at RMIT University and she is now a registered energy rater with Sustainability Victoria.

Simone was also one of the first in Victoria to participate in the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment Volunteer Program that assisted fire-affected property owners in the Kinglake region to understand their site’s BAL so that they can begin the process of rebuilding their homes.

Awards

2. place: LEG Preis 2006, “Werkwohnsiedlung Voelklingen”The task was to redefine a worker’s estate from the 1950’s, with special regards to urban developing, sustainable architectural solutions, infrastructure, demographics, the housing industry as well as the heritage overlay and especially the significance of the ensemble. (refer to page 32 in the pdf document)

Languages

Simone can speak fluent English, German & Spanish and has a basic knowledge of French & Italian

CONTACT US
Contact us to find out how your project can benefit
from Simone’s European Design + Build experience!

Related posts:

1. Staff Profile: Ms Esther Sugihto
2. Sustainable Architecture: Simone Schenkel on SBS Radio
3. Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessments

Design + Build news for iPhone

For your convenience, we have optimised our website for your iPhone.

Now you can access Design + Build news on-the-go.

Visit brutalart.com.au.

CONTACT US!
Contact us to find out how your project can benefit
from the Brutal Art Design + Build advantage!

Related posts:

1. House Build Cost Savings: Design for Roofline
2. How to get a Planning Permit: Don’t design for VCAT
3. State of Design Festival 2010: Free workshop!

1. Design + Build news for iPhone

Our new office in the beautiful Art Deco McPherson’s Building in Collins St, Melbourne is almost ready!

This past week has made the silly season even sillier as we unpack boxes and give the new creative workspace the Brutal Art touch.

* Thank you to Christopher Biggs for his beautiful photo capturing the Art Deco facade of the McPherson’s Building.

Property Developers now on Collins St, Melbourne

For those based in the city, we trust that our new Collins Street location will make collaborating on your Design + Build projects a whole lot easier.

Our new details are:

Brutal Art Design + Build
Suite 101, McPherson’s Building
546 – 566 Collins Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Phone: 9620 2241
Email: enquiry@brutalart.com.au

This move also sees us part ways with our parent company – Brutal Art Construction. We are looking forward to this exciting next chapter in the life of Brutal Art Design + Build.

Stay tuned as you see more changes that we’ll make as we see in the New Year!

Have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Please note, our office will be closed over the Christmas break (our last working day being 23rd December, resuming on the 7th January 2010) to spend time with our families and recharge so that we can continue to offer you great service in 2010.

If you have any enquiries regarding your projects, please contact us this week so that you can receive your answers before the Christmas/New Year’s break.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and look forward to your Design + Build success in the New Year!

Kind Regards,

Brutal Art Design + Build

Related posts:

1. We are moving