The Dion Seminara Architecture Blog

May
23
2011

Achieving a Fusion of Past and Present – Bringing the best of Queensland Architecture into the 21st Century

There can be few parts of the world that is so closely identified with a particular style of home architecture as Queensland. Saying ‘Queenslander’ immediately conjures up a certain image in the minds of Australians and probably also in a fair few people beyond these shores. These homes, which have defined style and practicality in our state for much more than a century, can still be seen all across Brisbane and the rest of the state and the type is still going strong. When you stop to think about it, there is so much to like a about a Queenslander:

  • Raised living spaces allowing for comfortable living in the climactic conditions of our state
  • Stylish and cool verandas providing unique spaces for socializing and entertaining
  • High ceilings
  • A strong focus on channelling and assisting cooling airflows
  • Extra space underneath the house for storage or parking
  • Queenslanders are somewhat more flood resistant than ‘normal’ homes due to the main living areas being raised

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice, Outdoor Room | Comments Off
May
13
2011

Stepping Straight Into the Water: Integrating Home and Pool Design

 

Stepping straight from your house into a swimming pool seems more like a dream than an achievable reality for most people. This is, however, one dream that just might be turned into reality with the help of Dion Seminara Architecture of Brisbane. Home designs where pools are integrated into the fabric of the building are still fairly uncommon in Queensland with most pools situated well away from the house in a corner of the block. The fact that this is true of most pools in our state does not mean, however, that you should simply conform to the norm!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice | Comments Off
May
03
2011

Homely Living the Hamptons Way

Who would want to live in an empty lifeless box? If you believe the hype of many designers the answer is: Most people! Much of what passes for modern interior design is focused on keeping interior spaces as clinical as possible. You can probably easily conjure up a mental image of the kind of design that I am talking about: empty spaces, straight lines, minimalist furniture and decoration. Such designs do, admittedly, have a certain visual appeal on the covers of magazines but would you want to live in such a space? For many people the answer to this question is a firm ‘No’. What they look for a in a home is a place where they can kick back and relax, where they can entertain, raise children and just be themselves. A ‘homely home’ in other words!

One of the many ways in which this ideal can be achieved is through the so-called Hamptons Style. The Hamptons are a series of small towns on Long Island where New Yorkers go to get away from it all. Because many of the homes in these towns started life as holiday homes the emphasis in interior design was firmly placed on enjoying the space. Over time, however, many people began to realise that many of the very same design principles can be applied equally successfully on ‘everyday homes’. The result was the current worldwide popularity of the Hamptons Style.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Renovating | Comments Off
Apr
25
2011

Dealing with Extremes: Designing for Life in Queensland

‘Bloom where you are planted!’ is a saying that can be applied equally effectively to both people and houses. Before a professional architect can begin a design he/she will want to know as much as possible about the place where a proposed home will be situated. This is true on a micro-level (size of the block, orientation etc.), intermediate-level (make-up of the neighbourhood and community) and a macro-level (environmental and climactic factors peculiar to a particular region, state or country). At Dion Seminara Architecture we can help you to clearly think through the issues related to all of these levels as we work with you to design a home that will be a ‘perfect fit’ for you and your family. One of the things that we can help you with is to design a home that will truly ‘bloom’ in the climactic conditions that prevail in Brisbane and the State of Queensland.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice, Eco_Housing, New Home, Subtropical Design | Comments Off
Apr
14
2011

A Home that ‘fits’ – Successfully Combining Form and Function in Home Design

Form or function? This is the basic question that designers and architects have had to answer over the centuries. You may think that the answer would be irrelevant to you personally but it is not! The way in which this question is answered will have a massive impact on any design undertaken on your behalf. Allow me to explain. Some designers maintain that form is everything. That a building should fulfill its intended purposes and that all design features should do no more than simply serve that purpose. The result? The ‘brutalist’ and soulless apartment blocks so beloved of 1960’s architects. At the other end of the spectrum you have the opinion that form should be the most important consideration. The result? Expensive vanity projects with ‘stairs going nowhere just for show’ (as Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof puts it).
I think that you will agree that the answer lies (as with so many things in life) somewhere between these two extremes. Very few of us would want to live in either a soulless box or a stylish but uncomfortable confection! So how can we navigate between these extremes? This article will show how we attempt to do this at Dion Seminara Architecture. I think that you will find much that is appealing and sensible about our approach.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice, Home Design Ideas, New Home | Comments Off
Apr
01
2011

Designing a ‘Child Friendly’ Home

Over the years we’ve had many clients here at Dion Seminara Architecture who suddenly had to come to the realization that the ‘pitter patter’ of little feet necessitates a completely new way of looking at home design. This realization is based on a simple but profound fact, to truly welcome a child into your life you will also need to create a welcoming environment for him/her. Doing this means more than simply including a dedicated ‘play space’ in your design (although doing so certainly wouldn’t hurt), it means that all design decisions will have to be made with the best interests of the children in mind (while not forgetting that adults will also occupy the same space!). Here are some of the things that we have learned about child friendly home design over the years.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice, New Home | Comments Off
Mar
23
2011

Beyond Cookie Cutter Houses

You see them everywhere where land is being made available for development across Brisbane and Queensland: Row upon row of houses that are essentially carbon copies of each other. It is not hard to see why. Selling and building homes that were designed using a few basic templates is an established part of the business model of most large house builders.
We have all heard the sales pitches that come with these ‘cookie cutter’ homes. Builders assure us that the fact that they can standardize procedures leads to lower building costs. They further claim that the ability to use the same materials for many homes mean that they can get massive volume discounts from suppliers. All of these savings are then, supposedly, passed on to you as the customer.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Building Advice, New Home, Property Investment | Comments Off
Feb
14
2011

Flood Recovery: Emerging Stronger

We could be forgiven for thinking that Mother Nature had it in for Queensland over the summer. We had barely caught our breath after one of the worst floods in history when Cyclone Yasi came bearing down on us! One of the most obvious results is that there are many buildings, including private homes, which are decidedly worse for wear at the time of writing. Questions are being asked all over the state about how we can emerge stronger from the disasters that buffeted us.
By now most people would have moved beyond the immediate recovery phase. Debris has been cleaned away and most homes that were inundated are more or less dry again. This is the time when some of the really hard questions have to be asked. For example, do we rebuild and repair or would it be better to demolish and start over again? We can obviously not provide a final answer to these questions if you have been affected. As professional Brisbane based architects we can, however, help you to make the informed design decisions so that you (or at the very least your home) can emerge stronger from the whole experience.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Brisbane flood levels, Flood damage, Subtropical Design | Comments Off
Jan
03
2011

Reimagining and Renewing – Giving older homes a new lease of life

(I have used one of your own images here, I think it brilliantly illustrate the concept)

Realising that your home is old and tired is not something that comes easily to most people. For most of us a home is like a favourite sweater. You are so used to wearing it that you hardly notice the fact that it is way past its prime. One day, however, reality cannot be ignored any longer when it comes to an aging home. Maybe it is the clanging pipes, the sky-high energy bills or the general state of scruffiness. Whatever it is that brings it on, the realisation that your beloved abode needs an upgrade can cause a great deal of anxiety. Where to begin? What to do? Questions like these can be so daunting that we prefer not to think about them. Instead we prefer to put the need for renovation and renewal in the ‘something to do someday’ basket.

It need not be like this, however. Getting a creative and competent architect on your team can turn a possible renovation project from a nightmare into an exercise in dream fulfilment. “An architect!?”; I hear you say “Isn’t it way too expensive to make use of them?” The answer is a resounding ‘No’! The fact that you have an architect on your team means that you can draw upon the expertise of someone who is able to creatively re-imagine tired spaces. Architects can come up with ideas that you probably haven’t even dreamed of. Since they are, furthermore, able to take a birds-eye-view of projects they will also be able to identify possible issues and solutions before they complicate your life. It is, therefore, certainly possible to see the services of an architect as a saving rather than an unwarranted expense. A saving from results that you hate and want to rip up immediately and possibly even a rescue from expensive and damaging DIY renovation mishaps!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Architecture Advice, Eco_Housing, Renovating, Renovation Advice | Comments Off
Nov
16
2010

Enough Is Enough

Not all crooks are this obvious

Not all crooks are this obvious

I have been avoiding writing about this topic, but I have to draw a line in the sand, it’s finally got too much for me, I can’t simply stand by and watch people get ripped off by unscrupulous drafts people, builders and building designers.

There seems to be a growing number of drafts people, who are ripping people off by under estimating construction costs and then selling them poorly thought out designs that do not meet their lifestyle needs.

This was highlighted to me by two recent incidents.

The first was when I attended a meeting where two different draftsmen told the assembled guests that ‘they were looking for clients who know what they want’. I couldn’t believe my ears. I have been in the building design game for over twenty years and not once have I met a client who knows EXACTLY what they want. But here these two drafts people were telling the room how inexpensively they could draft up YOUR design for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Architectural Advice, Building Advice | Comments Off
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »