Nick James and Michael Roper are the directors of Architecture Architecture, a 9-person Melbourne-based practice working on a mix of residential, education and social housing projects. 

In this episode, Nick, Michael and Dave discussed:

• How the studio transitioned from the early days of word-of-mouth enquiries, where building trust and confidence was key, to attracting clients through their built work and how that has allowed them to concentrate their messaging on themes of physical and psychological comfort.
• Michael and Nick reflect on how a broader sense of uncertainty in society since the GFC may be leading people to seek out architecture like theirs that evokes feelings of warmth, safety, and comfort; while also bringing a bit of joy and experimentation through colour and form.
• The steps Michael and Nick took to move from private residential to education and social housing, from establishing systems and processes, building relationships, studying the market leaders and developing new ideas through teaching design studios.
• The importance of timesheets and carefully planned systems and processes; and how it's helped Michael and Nick to better understand the finances and resourcing around their projects, avoid micromanaging the team, and give their staff greater autonomy and enjoyment by streamlining their project admin.

If you'd like to learn more about Architecture Architecture, you can visit architecturearchitecture.com.au or follow them on Instagram at @architecture_architecture.

This episode was sponsored by Office D.SHARP, a practice providing specialised marketing consultancy and strategy tailored to meet the particular needs of architects. Visit officedavesharp.com to learn more, or email [email protected] if you would like to get in touch to discuss your practice.