Practice in Profile – Those Architects

In less than 10 years, Those Architects (the practice founded by Ben Mitchell and Simon Addinall in 2012) has garnered local and international recognition,through an approach that emphasises considered and collaborative residential outcomes.

The pair posit this collaborative approach to be a primary driver in the success they have achieved to date. “It’s a simple formula: a robust, trusting and mutually respectful relationship between client and architect is the single most important factor in determining the success of a project,” Simon explains. In that sense, the relationships the pair are able to foster with clients is a two-way street that allows Those Architects to educate and inspire clients, whilst they, in turn,draw on client’s excitement and enthusiasm for the process.

The pair posit this collaborative approach to be a primary driver in the success they have achieved to date.

In many respects, this speaks to the ability of the practice to engage with a variety of client needs and produce successful outcomes. “It is important to be a generalist, to have a broad knowledge base, a vocabulary or visual library if you like, in order to draw upon when you are designing in different environments for different clients,” Simon says. He explains that although he and Ben share some interests, their inspirations are often varied, and it all contributes to the process of design in some way. “It’s more often than not, being away from the built environment that provides us the genesis of an idea,” he continues, reinforcing the intrinsic link between building, interiors and landscape that is felt throughout their work.

Acknowledging the importance of architecture as the conduit to how we experience a site,when designing a building Those Architects consider the design as a sum of its parts, with no component contemplated in isolation. From the greater site and interstitial spaces around the built form to the interiors and the architecture itself, all are intrinsically linked to one another. “We carefully consider how a room connects to a courtyard or garden or how a view reveals itself as you move through a space and how form, light and materials heighten this experience,” they reflect.This applies whether they are working on a house, multi-residential project, commercial space or public building.

With a secondary office recently being opened in Byron Bay and allowing for Those Architects to better serve the Northern Rivers, Gold Coast and Brisbane regions, the practice has already taken on a number of hinterland and beachside projects, in addition to various urban residential undertakings and a boutique commercial project spread across greater Sydney. As Simon explains, “our focus is to continue to craft spaces for people to occupy and to deliver buildings and spaces that explore the relationship between the landscape, the building, and how people experience the interactions between the two.”

For Those Architects, these projects represent yet more opportunities to inform that knowledge base by continuing to draw inspiration from the passion and energy of clients. If the past decade is anything to go by, the resulting work will be widely acclaimed and see the practice continue to explore the potential of a holistic approach to architecture.

“It’s a simple formula: a robust, trusting and mutually respectful relationship between client and architect is the single most important factor in determining the success of a project,” Simon explains.