The limestone blocks have recently arrived to the construction site and are stacked waiting to be cleaned so they can be laid on the exterior wall of the structure. An initial sample of the pattern has been completed by the builder for the clients to see before it goes up around the entire building. The façade is cut through by a glazed opening around the corner of the upper level. The cut out is lined with an off form in-situ white concrete band that will wrap around the bottom, sides and top of the window. The first piece portion of the concrete can now be seen on the site.

We’ve been working up designs for a new project – the Alma Road Residence in Armadale. Working with the clients, we have developed a building that is a quiet, simple form that separates two gardens. At the cross point of the main volumes, a gentle curve in the façade creates a continuous juncture. The skin of the building is made up of vertically laid white clay bricks, supplied from Spain, with matching flush struck mortar.

Site works have begun for our project on Mermaid Beach in Queensland. A sea wall is currently being constructed to shelter the beachfront site from weather and storm surge. Due to the sensitive nature of building on the coastline, the house design and construction have been carefully done to protect the foreshore. When complete, the new residence will be a two level family home constructed from textured concrete.

It was a great pleasure to have Belle Magazine come into the B.E studio for “The Office” article, included in their new October issue. They have interviewed directors Brod, Jon and Andrew about our action-packed office in Prahran. Pick up the latest issue, on stands now, to get their insights into our firm culture and ways of working!

There are a few projects along the trajectory of an architectural practice which seem to culminate all of the best design philosophies into a “benchmark” project. For B.E Architecture, the 57 Tivoli Road Residence is one of those key milestones and is now for sale. The property is currently listed with RT Edgar and will be auctioned on the 9^th of September. For more information contact the agent.

The design for the Enkei table, embraces the more challenging nuances of inserting rounded element into a design in order to create a very special piece for a two of our clients. When making a round table from timber, it’s not as easy as gluing together sheets or blocks of timber together and cutting in a circle. We worked with the guys at Charles Sanford Woodturning who were able to bring together hundreds of wedges with a mirrored grain direction into a large circle, which was then turned by Charles himself. We then, entrusted the remarkable timber creations to Ray at Hawthorne Furniture Polishers to achieve a look that is not only technically difficult but well into the spectrum of artistic. Click through to see the process and a video of the woodturning!

Construction in the James Street Residence is nearing completion and is being currently being prepared for handover to the client. The project is positioned at the top of a hill in Richmond that looks back onto the Melbourne skyline. The response for the James Street Residence is one that allows the old and new components to be celebrated with distinct separation creating a literal cross section of old and new.

Often a work by artist Mark Hilton will draw a viewer into its aesthetic appearance and intricate craftsmanship. Once captivated by its initial appeal, it reveals a palpable message about very tough subjects. While drawing from personal experiences, the impact of the broader message is universal and relatable. This is especially true of his work, Dontworry where the artist has created an installation of the words from finely detailed relief sculptures. B.E Architecture has introduced two of our clients to the work who have purchased individual letters to be included in their homes.

Through our projects, B.E Architecture has developed a very specific approach to period restorations which often looks at ways to reinvent the older, decorative elements of the house in a modern way. One of the artisanal details we have designed to address traditional leadlight doors and windows is a custom reinterpretation using agate instead of glass. Our design director, Broderick Ely recently spoke with Domain about our approach to period detailing and the development of the agate leadlight technique. Read the full article on the Domain website.

The Musk Creek Road Residence is set on a sloping rural site in Flinders. The architecture uses a large curved wall that follows contour of the land to carve out a platform for the building. The gesture of the large wall can now be clearly seen in the concrete blocks on the construction site. The framing for the rest of the dwelling is almost complete with the roofline topping out soon. The framing reveals the rural views reaching all the way to the bay.