OUR STORY

COMPANY PROFILE

Centrum Architects is an experienced and energetic practice providing a broad range of architectural, interior design, project management and design services to its clients from its inner-Melbourne Studio.

Since its founding in 1993, Centrum has produced an enviable and varied portfolio of residential, hospitality, educational, childcare, sports and community projects all around Australia. Centrum’s strength lies in producing architecture that is a true reflection of its clients and which is imbued with meaning, memory and delight.

The range of work undertaken by the practice has helped develop an informed methodology which allows Centrum to bring something special to each project. Centrum’s client-centred approach avoids ‘canned’ responses and leverages our ability to produce solutions that reflect design excellence whilst balancing time, pragmatism, fiscal, environmental and social responsibility.

Centrum is an established firm with a rich history of being different. Centrum’s design philosophy centres around ‘tailor making’ projects for each of their clients. In our long established history, Centrum have completed many hundreds of projects for our clients, each with a unique response that reflects the projects individual context, character and needs. Centrum designed projects are located across Victoria and interstate, and the practice has developed a wealth of experience along with the proven ability and professionalism to procure tailored architectural projects.

WHO WE ARE

TEAM

At Centrum, we find the key to achieving project goals is based on structuring the project delivery to suit client requirements, design criteria, site conditions and construction parameters.

Our team comprises of talented registered architects, designers and interior specialists with extensive experience across a broad range of project types and scales. We bring together strong technical expertise, design rigour and a collaborative approach, working closely with clients and stakeholders to deliver considered, high-quality outcomes. The practice is led by the Director (a registered Architect), who maintains direct involvement in all projects, providing hands-on leadership and strategic oversight from concept through to completion. This approach ensures design excellence, consistency and clear communication at every stage of the process.

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MISSION STATEMENT

At Centrum, we are passionate in adopting a design and consultation process with our clients that is truly collaborative. This centres around flexibility in the design, fully understanding the client’s needs, close communication with all parties, and dedication to achieve the optimum result within the specific time frame and budget. This approach ensures that the completed projects are not only coloured by the client’s needs and style but that they also draw out and tell the story of a place and its history in all its forms – structural, environmental, historical and human.

We are interested in the potential of cultural history and meaning to re-connect people to their built environment. We aim to bring a life and voice through architectural form to the underlying cultural history of a place to provide an architecture for people, full of meaning. Anyone can design a building that works. Some can even make it look good. We also want our buildings to be places that mean something to people.

SUSTAINABILITY

The foundation of any effective sustainable design solution is built upon the inherent passive efficiency of the building design. We therefore strive to maximize passive measures, thereby minimising the ongoing environmental impact and maximising the likely effectiveness of active systems.

Our passive design process considers and balances the needs of:

  • day lighting
  • natural ventilation
  • solar orientation and siting
  • thermal efficiency and climate

Building on sound passive measures, a project can broaden to seamlessly integrate active and automated building management systems that reduce energy and resource consumption whilst delivering healthier internal environments.

The keystone of sustainable building is the selection of sustainable materials, not only for their embodied energy costs, but also the whole product life cycle up to its ultimate recycling.

Centrum attaches great importance to sustainability; the conservation of resources and the health of those who build and use our buildings. We aim to provide buildings that are pleasant to be in, limit primary energy use and are architecturally inspiring to ourselves and our clients.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Centrum Architects acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work.
We respect their unique cultural and spiritual relationship to the land, waters, and sky.

AWARDS

Centrum Architects is an award winning practice that has received accolades for educational and residential design.

CEFPI 2013 Award for outstanding School Facilities – Frankston Heights Primary School (Commendation)
CEFPI 2014 Awards for Outstanding School facilities Corpus Christi Primary School (Winner)
Multiple HIA Award Winner
Best of Houzz – Design Winner in 2015, 2016, 2017

Clients say

TESTIMONIAL

We approached Centrum Architects back in December 2013 to design a substantial renovation to a heritage home in Flemington this home was in need of a complete restoration. We gave the Centrum team a brief of what we would like the finished product to become and needless to say the design was exceptional and better than we could of dreamed. The brief was that we would like the home to be restored to its former glory and we also wanted to create a modern extension that would be interesting and cater for a growing family. Centrum presented to us a design that was an exceptional use of space, modern and elegant with some fantastic unique features. The process was collaborative and very efficient with great communication between all parties.

I would not hesitate to recommend Centrum Architects to anybody looking to create something special.

- Dylan Shirley

The super professional team at Centrum Architects made the usually stressful job of designing a house/home into one of the most pleasurable experiences of our life. Our vision for our new home was transferred from sketches and dreams into a living, breathing piece of art, that tantalizes the senses and blends harmoniously into the landscape.

We are forever grateful to Centrum for creating this unique and beautiful home.

- Ros McKay

Centrum have helped us to realize our dream retirement house in the Macedon Ranges. Picture this; a light open house with passive design elements that let in the sun in winter and keep it shaded in summer. The family room/kitchen is the feature, with a rock faced feature wall, high ceilings, wonderful use of wood (bench and floor), and a clever mezzanine study, all with huge glass floor to ceiling double glazed windows to bring the rural landscape into our living area.

Initially Centrum took our brief and produced a 3D SketchUp conceptual image. It was so different from what we imagined yet ticked all the boxes. It took some time to absorb, understand, then love the concept.

Centrum took care of the Planning Permit, various Assessments/Studies required, Civil Engineering, right through to recommendations on fit-out. They engaged a Quantity Assessor to get a good idea of cost for the avoidance of surprises. The first costing was too high, so Centrum worked with us on scope reductions.

Centrum then managed the process (with us) of shortlisting, then visiting potential builders. The build was completed in 12 months, again with Centrum closely involved via phone or bi-weekly site meetings. An open ‘can-do’ relationship was encouraged with the builder (Searle Bros). Surprisingly few construction dramas were experienced.

In summary, the house has “wow” with impressive design, while being a great passive energy performer. We are very satisfied and comfortable

- Richard Purcell