Art + Architecture

The nexus between art and architecture has many layers. For many of us at Edmiston Jones it was a love of art that led us to pursue a career in architecture. A motivation that is easily lost as we deal with the very complex processes involved in taking a project from that germ of an idea through to completed construction. As a firm we don't lose sight of the basic skills that we need to exercise as artists. In the design process, we have the full gamut of technology available at our offices with state-of-the-art CAD software, 3-D printing and virtual reality however, with all these ‘tools and toys’, we shouldn’t forget the faithful pencil and all the creative freedom this offers. Art is obviously intrinsic to the inspiring environments we seek to create whether that is the landscape context, the interior design or the built form. The magic happens when all these components come together in a unified whole that sits comfortably in its context. The firm has evolved to a point where these essential skills are ‘in-house‘ allowing us to design holistically from the outset of the project. Other areas of expertise including heritage, sustainability and accessibility are added to this mix as we work closely with consultants who provide their own specialities. Personally, I’m interested in visual art and have been able to make use of the additional wall space in our various offices to accommodate my small and eclectic collection. The sculpture at the top of the stairs in Wollongong often catches visitors’ attention and sparks a conversation. A montage of old tools inspired artist and teacher Merrick Fry to see the profile of a ship in the handle of an old handsaw. This was enhanced with pieces of metal saws to form sails for the ‘ships’ set in an ocean of detritus from Merrick’s shed. He titled the piece Sea Saw!