Interview | Techne Architects

I've been admiring the architectural and interior design work of Melbourne based practice Techne for some time, having featured one of their residential projects on the blog earlier this year. I'm sure like me, the stunning home restoration in South Yarra left you wanting to see more, so I'm happy to report that they have since launched a new website, showcasing an impressive portfolio across commercial, hospitality, and residential. Two of their projects, Fonda Mexican and Tonka were recently recognised in the 2013 Eat-Drink-Design Awards, and many of the bars and restaurants they have worked on are fast becoming Melbourne institutions. 

Today I'm excited to share more of their work, alongside an interview with the firm's directors, Nicholas Travers and Justin Northrop, who lead a team of 16 people, including architects, drafts people and interior designers.

Regent St Warehouse

Can you tell us a bit about your backgrounds and the path that led you to architecture and setting up your own firm in 2002?

Nick: My pathway to architecture started from a fairly young age at school where I always had a strong interest in drawing, art and graphics and the decision to consider a career in the field of design was a natural one. Initially, I was more drawn to industrial design, but upon completing year 12 I was accepted into Architecture at Adelaide University in 1992. My focus on the field of Architecture was established in that first year at university and my dedication to the profession has continued to this day.

Justin: Growing up I developed an interest in architecture and construction from growing up amidst home renovations and following my father, a structural engineer, around building sites. It is possible that after telling enough people that I wanted to be an architect when I grew up that I started to believe it. In any case my interest did not wane and I was fortunate to be accepted into Architecture at The University of Melbourne and go on exchange to UC Berkeley before starting my career in Melbourne.

Essentially we met while working together at Peddle Thorp Architects in the design department as new graduates in the late 90’s-early 2000’s. This evolved into a partnership working together on some small hospitality projects on the weekend. Eventually we had the opportunity to design and operate our own bar and restaurant in the CBD called The Deanery. This project was the catalyst for starting Techne Architects. In the early days of the business we occupied office space with Six Degrees Architects in West Melbourne, before creating our own studio in Hardware Lane. We have been here since 2004.


Nick Travers and Justin Northrop

Fonda Windsor 

You've recently launched a new website that showcases an impressive portfolio of work. What have been some standout projects for you, and why?

The standout projects have been key hospitality projects like the pubs we have produced for Sand Hill Road (The Bridge Hotel, The Prahran Hotel and The Richmond Club Hotel). These have been design driven projects with engaging design outcomes. There have also been some nice single residence projects like the Fitzroy House where the collaboration with the client and project team enabled a fully integrated design encompassing the interiors, the building envelope and the landscaped spaces. Projects in the automotive sector have also been rewarding in creating specialist retail and servicing environments in the form of large dealerships for prestigious brands like Porsche.

How would you describe the Techne design aesthetic? Would you say it's a mix of your own personal styles, as reflected in your own homes?

Techne highly values the power of collaboration and by working with different craftspeople and artists on projects we achieve surprising and varied results. Beyond this, our work has a modernist basis with an inherent warmth and tactility through the use of natural and recycled materials (we appreciate the patina, agedness and sense of history that these materials give to a project). We like using steel and clearly expressing the construction of a building (tectonics). Grounded-ness of the design (physically and philosophically) is a sensibility of our design but we also like to bring a playful approach which isn't too serious. We are always happy to make use of bold colour and use relevant decorations and furnishings to bring personality to a design/space.

Ultimately the design must be relevant to the place, culture, craft, climate and use.


Tonka

You work across many areas, both residential and commercial. Do you each specialise in a particular one? Which are you most passionate about and why?

We enjoy working collaboratively on all the projects in the office, with a fairly equal level of experience and expertise across the various project types. We do however have particular fields of interests, and in general terms Justin has a special affinity for our hospitality based work while I have a focus on our automotive and other commercial based projects. Beyond this, we are inherently passionate about working on projects where the client is invested in the idea of producing something special, whether it be a house, an apartment building, a shop or a café. There is delight to be had in all project types and scales.

Fonda Windsor

Where do you draw inspiration from... other designers, international magazines and websites, travel etc?

Inspiration comes from a broad base of interest, but the greatest and most vivid inspiration comes directly from our clients themselves, the project briefs that they provide and the sites/spaces that the specific project is occupying. These project specific influences always set us on a certain pathway and a field of research and discovery well beyond the work of other architects/designers and their published works. The great work of other architects is less about inspiring our projects specifically and more about driving ourselves to achieve equally noteworthy architecture and design. Young and passionate designers are also a great source of inspiration and a collaborative approach within our team allows for stronger design responses. 

Can you explain the importance of sustainability for your firm, and how it plays a part in each of your projects? 

Sustainability is embedded within our practice. We have an integrated design approach which layers traditional passive design techniques with environmental, social and economic aspects to create beautiful, healthy and low energy spaces. This results in designs that work, without relying on the addition of expensive building technologies. 

Tonka

What are you working on right now?

We are working on numerous projects with a couple of notable ones being The Terminus Hotel in Abbottsford (nearing completion of documentation) and we have recently been commissioned to design a series of exciting new residences at the Amcor Papermill site in Alphington.

Regent Street Warehouse

Wow, that was hugely inspiring! Thanks so much to Nick and Justin for taking time out of their busy schedules to answer these questions. To find out more about the amazing projects above, and to see other examples of their work, take a look here. For further inspiration and a look behind the scenes, follow Techne on Facebook and Instagram. 

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Instagram | Ideas + Inspiration

In case you missed it, I posted the first of this Instagram series about a week ago, as a way of sharing my own feed, as well as those of some of my favourite instagrammers. I loved receiving feedback from those of you who are on Instagram, and I hope that it may encourage those of who aren't to hop on board! 

Images via my Instagram

While I got the house ready for a shoot last Friday, I took advantage of the fresh flowers and gorgeous Hexagon Blush Bed Linen from Thread Design to take snaps for my IG feed! We received more beautiful flowers from friends on the weekend, and you can also see a glimpse of our washi-tape Christmas tree which has been a big hit with the boys! Our home will appear in the next issue of Adore Home, the gorgeous Australian online magazine, due out on December 1st. See a sneak peek over on the Adore Home blog. 

In yesterday's Monday Mix Up post, I introduced you to Maaike Koster of My Deer. Based in the Netherlands, Maaike is a multi-talented graphic designer and interior stylist, and proud mum to two boys. A recent discovery, her IG feed is one of the most beautiful I have seen. Filled with monochrome loveliness (the family dog included), my heart literally melts at the photos of her home and family.

If you're on Instagram, and you haven't yet discovered Stephanie Somebody, then it's time to climb out from under your rock! Somewhat of a legend in the world of Instagram, Stephanie has close to 129 thousand followers, which in the words of Megan Morton is "more followers than Kylie Minogue". A teacher at Megan's The School, Stephanie recently visited Auckland and from what I've heard, wowed all those who attended her class, Instagram Debunked. Her feed is pure magic, making it very hard to pick just a few photos, so I went with a 'kitchen' theme as a way of narrowing it down. It also showcases Stephanie's beautifully natural, organic style. For those not yet on Instagram, you can check out her website here. 

Knowing how big a fan I am of Weekday Carnival, the blog by Finnish photographer and designer Riikka Kantinkosk, it will come as no surprise that I find her Instagram feed to be up there with the best. What I love about Instagram is that it provides another layer and further inspiration from those whose blogs you follow. It's easy to 'like' and comment, making interaction easy and fun. Riikka's lovely styling and eye for detail is shown in these pictures which include her home and also a cute cafe. I love the combination of white with black and pink, as well as the addition of natural wood and metallic touches. 

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Monday Mix Up

I hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was pretty packed, but lots of fun. Our home was being photographed for an online magazine on Friday, following on from a really busy week, so today I'm playing catch up with a Monday Mix Up post. 

If you follow a lot of Scandinavian blogs like I do, you may have come across 101 Karakters, a very cool competition running in the Netherlands. Legendary designer Piet Hein Eek designed a cabinet for Histor, and they called for people to submit ideas of how they would personally customise it, using Histor paint. From 2000 submissions, 101 were chosen and invited to Piet Hein Eek's workshop to create their designs.

The cabinet above shows how it looked prior to being painted, by Desiree of Vosges Paris. Her finished cabinet and impeccably cool styling below, makes it one of my favourites. Black paint, leather handles and studded corners gives it Desiree's signature edgy vibe and the rock 'n' roll feel she wanted. 



Here is another customised design I came across via Bloesem that I really love. It was created by Maaike from My Deer, a company that specialises in branding, interior design and styling, 

True to Maaike's lovely clean design aesthetic, she has left the cabinet bare, apart from the white dipped legs, and then artfully applied simple yet striking black typography. Her gorgeous styling sets it off perfectly. 

In keeping with the monochrome theme, I thought I'd leave you with a couple of moodboards curated from my Pinterest boards. You may have seen this one last Friday on my Facebook page or Instagram... 

And for today, I thought I'd kick-start the week with some positive thinking and a bit of sparkle... 

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Home Build Update | Diamond Lights

In the big scheme of things, today's Home Build update features a small step in the journey. But to me, it's a really exciting one! Long before we even moved into our new home, I decided I wanted some Swedish Eric Therner Diamond Lights. I'd only ever seen them on the web, but they looked so pretty. I've always loved the look of simple hanging pendants, and although I wanted something a little bit different for our living room, I didn't want them to compete with the Muuto Unfold Pendants hanging over the dining table. 

Having tracked them down from a shop in Australia, Fat Shack Vintage, I had to arrange my own shipping and hope that the very delicate glass bulbs would arrive safely. Luckily they did, and when I opened the boxes I knew I'd made the right choice.  

At some point along the way, I had the idea of leaving the cords long, and hooking them up to the ceiling. I'm not sure if I'd seen it somewhere, but since then I have seen some cool examples. Here's a moodboard to demonstrate the sort of ideas that were swimming around in my head!

Images via my Pinterest

Fortunately Dean was right on board with my vision! Because we couldn't find the right screw-in lampholders for the Diamond Lights, we just left the cords tied up, with normal bulbs in. We finally tracked down the lampholders just last week (more on that later) so finally let down the cords. I was a little disappointed with the length, as I thought we had a bit more to play with, but when we sorted out the position of each, and put the hooks up, the results were amazing! 

I absolutely love the clean lines that this creates, especially in our open, high-ceiling space. Minimalist, yet interesting, it suits my design aesthetic perfectly!

I had my heart set on gold metal lamp fittings, but I wanted just a touch of gold, nothing too heavy or overly industrial. Dean (bless him) found the right E27 lampholders at Kiwi Living, and at just $15 each, with free shipping, we couldn't believe how easy it was after waiting for so long to put them up! They also come in a silver finish.

Before I go, I just want to share with you an amazing project by Inadesignerhome (IDH), one of my favourite Australian online stores that I first introduced you to here. IDH are incredibly supportive of the blogging community, and to celebrate their online relationships with bloggers, they have dedicated the month of November to 30 Days of Bloggers. Everyday they have been showcasing a different 'social media guru' with a questionnaire, including their top picks from the IDH store. With a focus on my favourite season Summer, I was thrilled to participate. Pop over here to read my answers and see my Summer edit from the store, for which you'll receive a 15% discount, all day today!

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Dining Chairs | Inspiration + Wishlist

I've talked before about my love of chairs and how much I would love a set of Wishbone Chairs for the dining table. Of course I would have to save up and buy one at a time, and it would probably take me forever, but it would be worth it! Designed by Hans Wegner in 1949, the rounded shape of the chair is really beautiful. In fact most of my favourite dining chairs have a similar elegance and aesthetic. In addition to the design classics that have well and truly stood the test of time, there are some newer designs that I currently love, from Danish brands such as Hay, Muuto and &Tradition. Combining form and function, these chairs not only look incredible, they will go the distance when it comes to comfort at seated dinner parties!

Scrolling through my Pinterest I had many stunning images of the chairs mentioned above, especially Wishbone and Thonet chairs. Here are a few, but if you need further inspiration check out my Dining board. 

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

To finish off, I've compiled my current picks. 

Links below images

1 Hans Wegner 'U' Chair

2 In Between SK1 Chair from &Tradition

3 Thonet Bentwood Chairs

4 Hay About A Chair ACC22 Chair 

5 Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair 

6 Valerie Chair by Giapato & Coombes for Miniforms

7 Purist Chair by Elisa Honkanen

8 Thomas Bentzen Cover Chair for Muuto

9 Elephant Chair by Neuland. Paster & Geldmacher for Kristalia

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Local Loves | Bedding Roundup

When browsing online homeware stores I often head straight for the bedding section. In part it's because I'm always on the lookout for a new set, but it's also because I love textiles, especially the layering that comes with making up a cosy bed. Sheets, duvet, pillowcases, cushions and a throw... there are a lot of options, but that just makes it more fun! Not to mention the fact that nothing beats the feeling of climbing into a freshly made bed, and getting a great night's sleep. Which is why lately, it feels like the universe has been calling to me! I've had sponsors offering amazing giveaways (thank you Cultiver) others telling me of their gorgeous new bedding ranges, and I've come across a few myself. All local finds, I've decided to round them up in one post for you!

This new Hexagon range from Thread Design ticks all the boxes for me. A gorgeous Scandi-inspired geometric print, it comes in two lovely colourways including blush and mustard. The natural linen-cotton mix is beautifully soft, and well suited to any interior style. In true Thread Design fashion, the range comes with mix and match cushions, pillowcases and sheets, so that you can co-ordinate your bedding with your decor. You may have seen the picture below, that I posted on Instagram yesterday. Sarah very kindly lent me some of the new pieces for a shoot of my home. The blush perfectly matches our interior don't you think? I paired it with a Thread Design velvet cushion in pewter for a bit of depth, and my Aura Home Crosses Throw.



I also love the Thread Design Natural Linen Throw shown below.



I've just had the pleasure of being interviewed for the Tessuti Journal and when I was asked to pick four favourite products from their beautiful store, one immediately jumped to mind. The new range of Stonewashed Linen bedding is exquisite! Pop over here to read my interview and find out more.

I love it when local stores make Scandinavian brands accessible to us here in NZ. Surrey Park, the gorgeous Wellington-based online store has just brought in the latest bedlinen range from By Nord. The Danish homeware brand founded by Hanne Berzant is known for its simplicity, functionality and authentic Danish design aesthetic. Inspired by the diversity of the raw yet beautiful Nordic nature, the collection includes pure white cotton bedding with striking animal prints. So unique, I love the pillowcases which feature a description of the animal in Danish on one side and English on the other. The Wolf and Deer are two of my favourites. 

Arriving to Surrey Park as we speak, the collection also includes a stunning range of cushions featuring nature-inspired designs such as feathers, deer skin and Icelandic horses. I love the organic feel of bringing a little bit of the outdoors in. The Pine Forest Cushion shown below is one of my top picks. Layered into your bedroom mix, or as an extra throw cushion on the sofa, any of these will add great texture and interest to your bedroom or living space. 

I recently introduced you to Jamie Kay, the Canterbury based Mum, designer and online store owner. Since then, Jamie has been very busy sourcing gorgeous fabrics and designing her very own line of kids bedding and throws. Her new reversible Cross Blanket is both stylish and versatile, featuring one side in black with white crosses, and the other in white with black crosses. Made from 100% cotton, these throws are super soft, perfect for keeping precious babies cosy, but light enough to be used all-year round. As well as the cot size they come in a single size. To pre-order yours for delivery early January, pop over here.

Jamie's new range also includes these cotton linen Cot Duvets. Featuring cute polka dots, they are available in four different colours to suit every nursery.

I hope you enjoyed that roundup! I'll see you back here tomorrow. 

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Interview | Rickie Dee of Superette

A while ago I was asked to write a guest post for Superette. Jumping at the chance to contribute to what is one of Australasia's leading online style destinations, I also took the opportunity to set up an interview with them. Founded by James Rigden and Rickie Dee, two friends who bravely threw in their 'nine-to-fives' to set up Superette, the business has now been going strong for over a decade. Their first store, operating out of an industrial warehouse in Auckland's Freeman's Bay, was built upon the philosophy of creating an inspired retail space of sought-after and unique products that go beyond clothes hanging on rack. Now with three retail stores and a rapidly growing online store, they still handpick each season's selections based on fashion and objects that they desire for themselves. 

Staying true to that philosophy has paid off, earning them a huge cult following and most recently, the launch of Superette Space at the Ponsonby flagship store in April this year. The carefully curated selection of new lifestyle products, includes homewares and furniture, as well as a capsule collection of Superette's own designs including art, studded taxidermy skulls, pillows, and hand painted deer antlers.



There is just so much home goodness on offer that when I was asked to pick some of my current must-haves for the guest post, it was really hard to choose! It also brings me to some exciting news. Superette have just announced that they will be introducing the Superette Space concept to their Nuffield Street boutique in Newmarket. Hooray! Closing today, the boutique will be taking over the space next door and undergoing a serious transformation. Reopening on Saturday 16th of November, you'll find all of the lifestyle range including boutique bedding, throws, cushions, prints, limited edition coffee table books and much more. Also look out for some new and exciting international brands, two of which are Scandi favourites of mine. I'll hand you over to Rickie, and let her tell you more about it.... 

You've come a long way since opening the doors to your first retail store in 2001. What have been some of the biggest highlights to date?

There have been many highlights over the past 13 years. Each and every time we open a store has to be a major one though. We love the process of creating a new and exciting space for our customers. I Love working in a creative and busy environment each and every day so I guess you could say that is a highlight and the fact we are still doing what we love after 13 years. The website side of our business is the newest addition and is at a pretty exciting stage as it's growing so fast each and every day.

Have there been any major hurdles or challenges along the way, and if so, how did you overcome them?

We started the business when we were very young so have learnt a lot along the way. I think sometimes learning from mistakes is where we have gained the most knowledge from. Starting so young meant we had no real concerns if the concept wasn’t to work but at the same time we had to learn as we went along and at times it meant we didn’t get taken seriously.

In addition to your three NZ retail stores, you have an E-boutique and huge online presence. How has social media helped grow your brand?

Social media is a big part of our business and we focus on it daily. It has helped to build a strong Superette culture and lifestyle. We can also interact with our customers more frequently and in real time.

How would you describe your personal styles and how is this reflected in your overall aesthetic for the store and your product range?

Everything we buy in store we have to love and our buying has always stayed true to this.

Who are your favourite designers, both locally and abroad?

I am a big fan of Bassike. They offer a great range of everyday essentials that work in so well into my busy family lifestyle. We have just worked on a Co Lab collection with them as we all love it so much here at Superette. I love a good leather jacket and West 14 gets it right every season with great cuts and detailing. I find each season I justify to myself why I need another one! Then Ksubi is great for their tees and denim.

From Superette Space I am a huge fan of Kip and Co bed linen and the new Bloomingville homeware. Then we have just received the cutest range of Varpunen Saks (from Finland) in cute geo shapes. Perfect for on decks with towels in or for hiding away kids toys.

You recently launched Superette Space, a range of homewares and furniture. What have been the most popular products so far?

Our Superette range has been a hit, with the prints and pillowcases being a complete sellout! This is something we will continue to build on each and every season due to its success. Kip and Co, Pony Rider and the recent arrival of Bloomingville has also been very popular. This section of our Ponsonby store has in fact been such a huge success so we are about to expand our Newmarket store (open 16th November) to house the same concept. Perfect in time for Christmas.

With the expansion of Superette, how have your roles changed? Are you still in charge of the buying etc? How many staff do you now employ?

We now have around 30 staff at Superette. My main focus from the start of Superette has been the buying and stock and it still is today. I have learnt to multi-task very well with work – and still love working on the shop floor too, so you’ll usually find me here once or twice a month. I am a pretty busy person but love it this way.

What's inspiring you right now... travel, designers, websites, magazines etc?

Blogs, magazines and travel are always my places for inspiration.

What's next for Superette? Any exciting projects or collaborations in the works?

We are focusing on the expansion of our Newmarket store currently have exciting Co Labs being released with designers every month. Pretty exciting!! We do also have a few other things in the pipe of which will come to life in 2014.


Rickie Dee and James Rigden in the Ponsonby Superette. Image courtesy of Superette, taken for Urbis Magazine. 

Huge thanks to Rickie for this fantastic interview. I'm sure if you're in Auckland you'll join me in visiting the Newmarket Boutique when it re-opens! For all store locations take a look here, or shop online here. 

Before I go, I'm thrilled to announce the winner of the Cultiver Giveaway. Congratulations to Jaydn Claire Hammond!! Thanks to everyone who entered, it was an amazing response, and big thanks to Cultiver for their generosity. 

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