Architecture Au Products November 2025

It’s the individual features of a home that celebrate an occupant’s identity, foster a sense of belonging, and meet their unique functional needs – tailored through spatial design and product selection. In our cover story, Chris Rowlands (RADS), Kirsten Stanisich (Richards Stanisich), Jean-Marie Spencer (SSdH), and Sonia van de Haar (Lymesmith) reflect on experimenting with bold colours on residential facades – and the unexpected public responses these colourful homes have prompted (p.10). An op-ed by Plus Studio’s Ian Briggs interrogates prefab construction’s cookie-cutter stigma and argues for a more nuanced understanding of its potential to support bespoke design (p.18). Architect Sam Klopper also shares his approach to specifying products for a sensitive home extension designed for a family whose eldest child lives with a rare genetic brain condition – ensuring…

While a home’s interior is typically designed to bring privacy and respite to its occupants, its exterior contributes to a broader civic identity. It can spark curiosity, create visual rhythm within the neighbourhood fabric, and even bring a sense of joy to its community. Colour, when applied with intent, adds to that experience. It’s these colourful homes – the ones passersby photograph, talk about, or stop to admire – that remind us a facade is more than a surface. It’s a social interface, shared by all. To explore this further, I spoke with four designers about their approach to specifying facade colour – the technical considerations, the challenges, and their key takeaways for future projects. Using colour for connection In the quiet surf town of Middleton, South Australia, one playful,…

With formal training in both painting and architecture, Sonia van de Haar has developed a deep understanding of how colour can be used to enhance built environments, consulting through her practice Lymesmith for the past 15 years. Reflecting on her university days, she shares that threedimensional colour theory is often overlooked in architectural curriculums. “Designers are left to figure it out through trial and error,” she says. “And when the result isn’t quite what they’d hoped for, they can become risk-averse.” To address this, she now teaches CPD courses focused on architectural colour strategy – bridging the gap between theory and application. Van de Haar begins every project by anchoring it in its setting. “I never design colour palettes based on trends or personal preferences,” she says. “I start from…

Coloured solar panels SUPPLIER: Solarix Solar panels have come a long way – with the likes of Solarix’s coloured solar panels for facades. Available in a range of colours and patterns, architects have creative freedom to design unique facades that are as productive as they are beautiful. Every square metre of solar facade is equivalent to an emission reduction of 3,000 kg of CO2 over its lifetime. solarix-solar.com Venetian Glass Bricks SUPPLIER: Brickworks Due to demand for biophilic design products, Brickworks has expanded its hand-cast Venetian Glass Bricks collection to include a new colourway, Emerald Green. Glass bricks offer excellent thermal performance and provide a balance of light and privacy. brickworks.com.au OMNI breeze blocks SUPPLIER: Earp A fresh take on the standard breeze block, OMNI, designed by Tom Fereday, features…

Modular construction is just as customisable as standard home construction. By necessity, the materiality, or building blocks, of all residential projects is largely standardised – think roofs, windows and doors. Good modular design and fabrication offers the same amount of customisation and individuality. To put this into context, look at Volkswagen Group. They’re known for producing Volkswagen cars, but they also manufacture other known brands such as Bentley, Porsche and Skoda. Many of the components are common through all of these different car brands, they’re just skinned differently, offering a unique end product. Similarly, a modular design is able to offer an affordable house or an aspirational home, but use similar components behind the finishes, and I think that’s where the real strength of modular design lies. I met a…

Klopper and Davis Architects recently completed an awardwinning extension for a 1970s family home in Western Australia. The project brief presented a unique challenge: designing a living environment that prioritises the comfort and accessibility needs of the family’s eldest child, Owen, who has a rare genetic condition. Architect Sam Klopper’s approach was grounded in universal design principles. The extension features seamless thresholds, careful spatial flow, and integration of adaptive technologies such as the Guldmann ceiling hoist. The aim was to create a highly functional yet non-institutional environment that supports Owen’s mobility and independence without compromising on residential warmth and the home’s midcentury aesthetic. In this interview, Klopper shares the planning and iterative client consultations that informed the design decisions and product specification. Olivia Round: What were the key considerations in…