Mixed Use Project

This project sits on a major highway and will be a two storey office building with a double storey four apartment building at the rear separated by parking structures including lift parking to double the bays.


To be built using concrete tilt up panels and designed to be economical in construction it will use off form pattern techniques in the concrete panels together with exposed steel structure and infil panels with plain steel allowed to rust and bring character to the building.



Artwork will be applied to an exposed blank wall highly visible to the public highway.





Access to the residential units at the rear will be thru the centre of the commercial building which allows the most efficient use of available space.



Parking lifts will be used to double the available parking in the limited area.



Recently completed with some nice tweaking of materials and colours.

The Perfect Position

This property has to be one of the best properties in Perth with so many positives.  It's on a man built marina with many of the lots with their own water front access via their own jetty.

It's rear faces north, elevated above a public open grass land that someone else mows but accessible via your own private stair case, looking up the beachwater along the beach with the white sand just to the left, with views to the Fremantle marina and Port entry further away to light up pretty at night. Many boats large and small will be visible as they come into the marina and the port including many cruise ships and the like.

To the right of the beach is an old commercial building, once a power station, now a dilapidated and abandoned but attractive ghost just waiting for the market to change for it to be renovated into upmarket apartments. To the Left you look out to sea with Rottnest Island visible.

Even to the front we look back over the marina and across the ocean to Garden Island although those views may be lost as more lots are built upon.

So what does one build on the perfect lot?  Well something iconic of course.

Something that reflects the industrial nature of the client's business serving the mining industry and large industry.  Something that is elegant and articulated. And grand.

And something that takes the maximum advantage of the outlook.  There is even a roof deck to enjoy Perth gorgeous summer days with space to hang out and barbecue.

New house behind an existing

Subdividing older properties to create new smaller lots is becoming quite popular.  It can create a lump sum cash flow, reduce the size of your lot reducing maintenance.  This client wanted to create something with Hampton style and for economic reasons it was decided to build the top floor in framing with clad exterior.

As the house is accessed down a narrow driveway and the garage is entered with a swing to the right, it changes the way a home presents itself to the visitor.

 The rear of the home (the side of the original lot) has a wonderful north facing aspect which enables the design to make maximum gain of winter sun allowing it to penetrate deep into the living area whilst a typical eave will keep the sun out of the house during the hot summer months.

Eaves blocks the sun from entering the home in summer (midday Jan 21)

Deep penetration of low winter sun into the living areas.

And the finished home sits magnificently at the end of it's driveway.

Rear north facing glass allows in winter sunshine bathing the house in light but excludes summer sun.

Extensive glass to the north facing private courtyard.

Splitter Redo

Sometimes budgets change or are re-accessed so for this one we are reduced down to two single storey homes.  Strict requirements to provide a turn around reversing area on site so that vehicles can enter the busy road in forward gear have dictated much of the solution for these executive living four bed 2 bath homes with high ceilings through the living area.

The easy option was to flip the design to bring the garages together in the centre of the divided site (City requirement) but Grandesign seeks the best solution for each site.  With the North orientation to the left, the second home had it's innards at the rear flipped again to ensure both homes have their living areas exposed to lots of north facing glass to the side fence allowing deep penetration of winter sunshine for much of the open plan living area whilst excluding the hot summer sun which is cut off by the eave. This resulted in a high 6.9/6.8 Energy Star rating without any additional treatments above the minimum building requirements. 

A late decision is made to add front fence and electronic gates for additional security.

Splitter Development

This project takes an existing larger lot, splits it down the middle and sees the building of two family homes.  Further budget to market check revised the plans down to a single storey project.

Large Renovation Church Complex

This project sought to upgrade an existing abandoned government facility into a modern church complex.  The main design process to produce the Development Application documents had been done by an Architect although there were some modification and additions.

The existing building had become dilapidated since it was bought, being abandoned and unused.
She certainly needs some love.

It has begun.

Narrow lot project