Page 26 - belle__October_2017

THE OFFICE

Photograph CAITLIN MILLS

BRODERICK ELY, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STUDIO? Brod:
JONATHON BOUCHER The first thing that comes to mind is action-
packed. Having three different directors creates a
AND ANDREW PIVA, colourful dynamic. The studio is a large open-plan,
DIRECTORS OF B.E light-filled space that promotes cross pollination.

ARCHITECTURE WHAT INITIALLY APPE ALED TO YOU ABOUT THE

Power of three SPACE? Jon: It was originally an accountant’s office
with a suspended ceiling grid, partitions and fluro
Synergy and a colourful dynamic define lights. I could see that with the ceiling removed
the Melbourne studio of B.E Architecture. and taken back to concrete and the walls removed
it would be a great space, with a wall big enough
218 for the art we like to work around. WHAT ARE YOUR
DESK ESSENTIAL S? Andrew: Countless rolls of
butter paper and whatever pens are within reach.
I’m forever misplacing my scale ruler, so there’s
a steady stream of those as well. As handy as
smartphones are, every year I buy a Moleskine
work diary to plan meetings and use for notes on
site. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR WO RKSPACE?

HOW DOES IT REFLECT THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

Brod: While the main studio is an open space, it’s
still intimate and nurturing. It’s always nice to
come into every morning. I do have my own space
where I like to listen to classical music while
I work, which is not all the staff’s cup of tea.
D E SCRIB E THE VIE W FRO M YO UR O FFI CE? Andrew:
Being on the ground floor in a colourful area off
Chapel Street we tend to see (and hear) it all. On
one side of the street you’ll have the best dressed
from the modelling agency around the corner, and
on the other you’ll see the dishevelled finishing up
from their night out. DESCRIBE A T YPICAL DAY?
Jon: I usually visit one of the job sites before work.
The inner-city location of our office is central to
many of our jobs. When I get in, I like to do the
rounds of the staff to work through any project
queries before I settle down to meetings. We have
weekly lunch workshops with the staff, mentoring
design and construction knowledge. DO YOU
ENTERTAIN CLIENTS HERE? Andrew: Many of our
clients are working professionals, so meetings are
held towards the end of the day, and we’ve all
earned a drink by then. In the future, we’d
definitely like to have space for a large kitchen to
entertain and cook for clients as well as staff. WHAT

IS A DREAM DESK PIECE YOU WOULD BUY RIGHT

NOW? Brod: I’m not sure I need anything for my
desk except for it to be bigger. IF YOUR STUDIO

WERE LOCATED ANYWHERE ELSE, WHERE WOULD

THAT BE? Jon: It would be great to have an office
in Spain, imagine the lunches... Realistically, we’d
love to open a space in Sydney where we always
have a few jobs on the go. bearchitecture.com