Dimond Architects Blog

Draw freely on your imagination

2012-01-16T13:49:00.000+10:00

The ability to imagine is something both exhilarating and powerful. Human powers of Imagination may be misused, ignored or harnessed. The quote for today:

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination." Albert Einstein

Architecture is a social act

2011-12-19T16:36:00.000+10:00

It seems that social networking is becoming the primary way for persons everywhere to interact and communicate with one another. Yet, social networks theoretically exist in an electronic, online, even virtual form, somewhere in the cloud ...

This reality generates new implications for today's quote:

“Architecture is a social act and the material theater of human activity."

Spiro Kostof

One of the most 'social' of buildings is a Theatre. We are the designers and architects for a new, signature Theatre project here on the Sunshine Coast. Here is a link to the relevant page in our Project Gallery.

You can view a series of Spiro Kostof's lectures at this link.

The house is a machine for living in

2011-12-16T12:51:00.000+10:00

One of the interesting effects of advancing technology is that it can cause us to re-interpret the world we live in. Houses have existed for thousands of years - but machines have not existed so long. Yet the machine is in many ways a suitable metaphor for our place of residence. Thus, we have our quote for the day:

"The house is a machine for living in."

Le Corbusier (Vers une architecture, 1923)

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

2011-12-15T16:57:00.000+10:00

We at Dimond Architects would like to share some inspiring and challenging quotes with you, principles that we find architecturally significant.

The first in the series is:

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

Leonardo da Vinci

If the success of the iPhone has taught us nothing else, it has certainly taught us that people in general yearn to surround themselves with things that are simple, easy to comprehend and understand.

Architecturally speaking, this principle speaks in favour of design that is uncluttered - design that accomplishes its goal, and is engaging without being confusing.

Stay tuned for more quotes...

A little bit About Us

2011-12-08T12:15:00.000+10:00

Dimond Architects Pty Ltd were established on the Sunshine Coast in 1998. We have commenced our 14th year in architectural practice headed up by visionary directors Ian & Sharyn Dimond.

We have gained a respected reputation from both clients and peers, expressed by the high percentage of repeat business we enjoy (see our Testimonials page).

Managing Director Ian Dimond has over 41 years industry experience in architectural practice in Australia, South East Asia and USA. Ian is a former director of one of Australia’s largest architectural companies. You can connect with Ian on LinkedIn.

The project types of Dimond Architects are broadly based and include:
health care; commercial; professional offices; fit out and multi unit residential.

In recent years, Dimond Architects has been involved in several large federally funded education projects including a ‘benchmark’ $13 million Performance Centre at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim (see Project page here).

In addition, directors and key staff have been involved in excess of 150 large Aged Care projects in Australia and South East Asia.

You can follow Dimond Architects on LinkedIn.

Performance Centre receives approval in local media

2011-11-29T15:19:00.007+10:00

Dimond Architects were the Designers and Architects for the almost-completed Performance Centre Project. The Principal was recently quoted in a newspaper to have said:

"We are so proud to have this state of the art facility on the campus, this is the best building we have built here to date."

Earlier in the same newspaper article, the following positive observations were made:

Flinders principal Anthony Vincent said the performance centre would become a premier arts venue on the Coast.

The state-of-the-art centre will offer students and the wider community a quality space to celebrate the performing arts.

Quotes from the BUDERIM CHRONICLE, November 3, 2011, page 3

This project is located on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia.

Good Collaboration and Co-ordination are Vital

2011-11-25T11:28:00.000+10:00

At Dimond Architects, we take pride in good co-ordination and efficient collaboration with all project stakeholders. One Client said:

The Dimond Architects team exemplify many admirable consulting and client liaising skills, consistently juxtaposed with design innovation, economy and industry relevant insight. (link)

We have worked on a number of projects over the years with this Client, including a multi-unit residential development on the Sunshine Coast.

Positive Relationships lead to Good Design and Happy Clients

2011-11-18T14:24:00.000+10:00

In relating their feelings about Dimond Architects, one of our Clients said "we have had a very positive relationship with Ian and his crew and couldn't recommend them more highly." (link)

Click here to read more of our Client Testimonials.

We are focused on our clients, not on creating monuments to Ourselves

2011-11-16T16:01:00.000+10:00

One client said:
Dimond Architects are less focused on awards or monuments to themselves, and more focused on customer requirements. (link)

We have worked with this particular client for many years, and continue to have a strong relationship with them.

Read further at our Testimonials page.

On one recent project for this client, we performed an impact analysis of proposed buildings on an existing forested street frontage. This is just one example of environmentally sensitive services that we can offer to our clients.

Reliable, receptive and creative

2011-11-14T12:35:00.001+10:00

"We have built a strong working relationship between our organization and Dimond Architects based upon their reliability and receptiveness... their creativity has helped us the find solutions to our needs..."

This is what just one of our Client's has said about us. Read more at:

http://www.dimondarchitects.com.au/Testimonials.html

"Dimond Architects ... have combined smart ideas with attractive, innovative designs to create striking buildings"

2011-11-10T09:43:00.001+10:00

... and that's according to one of our Clients.

Check out more Testimonials here.

Another happy client - testimonial

2011-03-23T13:36:00.002+10:00

Please see below for a testimonial that we recently received from one of our valued clients:

To Whom it may concern,

My wife and I have known Ian Dimond for 15 years.

Over that time Ian and his colleagues at Ian Dimond Architects Pty Ltd have been involved in designing a number of building projects for us both personally as well as for a property development company ( Mycrest Pty Ltd ) in which we had a share holding.

Mycrest Pty Ltd built several projects on the Sunshine Coast including a 15 unit town house development and an 8 unit townhouse development ( both gated communities) at Buderim and a 5 unit development at Maroochydore.

Ian has also designed an office suite for us at our commercial premises and warehouse at Kunda Park and in 2004 and 2009 major renovations and additions to our private home in Buderim.

We have always found Ian to be prompt, reliable and full of good ideas and suggestions but at the same time he has a sound understanding of what can and what can't be done. It is not unusual from working with other architects in the past to find that their designs while extremely attractive on paper were either "unviable" and in some cases "unbuildable".

His fees for work done are reasonable and fair and the work he does is delivered when promised. He also has a network of other professionals such as engineers and builders that he can recommend and we have found that any one he suggests in this regard is also easy to work with.

Building can be a stressful project but having Ian Dimond Architects Pty Ltd as a partner in the process certainly is a good start.

In summary we have had a very positive relationship with Ian and his crew and couldn't recommend them more highly.

We would be pleased to discuss any of these matters further and personally if required.

Tim and Chris Orchard

Click here if you would like to see more testimonials for Dimond Architects

Sustainable Cities Event 2010 – Singapore

2010-10-21T09:42:00.017+10:00

For hundreds of thousands of years man fought to make a place for himself in nature. For the first time in the history of our species, the situation is reversed and today it is imperative to make a space for nature in man’s world.”

Santiago Kovadloff (philosopher and writer, 1942)

Where to start? Should I begin with the huge population increases we are currently seeing:
In 2027 the world’s population is expected to have reached 10 billion double the population of 5 billion around 20 years ago and it’s not as though the increase will not stop there; it will carry on infinitely and exponentially thereafter.¹

Or perhaps the unprecedented rate at which we are losing our forests:
About 15 million hectares of forest are destroyed every year.²

Or maybe that it is predicted that in 50 years 80% of the Earth's population will live in cities. 80% of the land that can be used to grow crops is already in use, and 15% of that land has b een damaged by poor agricultural practices. ³

All of these issues and a lot more were covered at the Sustainable Cities Event 2010.

The speaking panel consisted of some of the world leaders in sustainable Planning and thinking. There were a lot of great ideas and even more to gain and learn from the event.

My presentation was on Vertical Farming and covered world crisis issues such as deforestation, population, pollution, global warming, urban heat island effect, floods, future weather patterns and the decrease in agricultural land. It is proposed that farming vertically will have a significant positive impact on all of these issues (and a lot more).

The presentation also covered a vertical farm design which was originally conceived many years ago but has more recently brought attention from various developers around the world, from the USA to China, wanting to build the design or utilize its various principles and ideas.

Dimond Architects has been able to recently put forward a proposal for a prototype version of the design for Taiwan (to later be incorporated into Eco-City projects in mainland China).

I would like to thank the organisers of the event IBC Asia for their hospitality and superbly executed event.

If you would like to know more about vertical farming or even general sustainable planning issues please contact us.

Kind Regards,

Oliver Foster

References:

Bartlett, Albert. Arithmetic, Population and Energy (Forgotten Fundamentals of the Energy Crisis). s.l. : Univ Col Boulder Academic Media Services, March
Green Peace, Facts and Figures, www.greenpeace.org
www.verticalfarm.com, [Online] 2008

2010 International Affordable Housing Conference, Singapore

2010-08-23T15:59:00.002+10:00

Singapore hosted an international conference on Affordable Housing in early August.

It was an honour to be invited to speak at such an event as the speakers mainly consisted of heads of housing departments from various countries.

It was great to have a close insight into how various countries deal with their affordable housing policies. There is always much each country can learn from one another.

Our presentation covered the various building typologies involved in affordable housing and the importance of the consumer’s perception on such projects. It also included a case study of Dimond Architects which can be seen here, http://dimondarchitects.com.au/Affordable_Housing_Projects.html.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the organisers of the event Marcus Evans.

If you would like to know more about the conference or have any affordable housing questions generally please contact us.

Kind Regards,

Oliver Foster

Setting the standard for Maroochydore Residential Design

2010-07-19T13:07:00.000+10:00

Dimond Architects designs are setting the standard for the largest and most significant residential development on the Sunshine Coast. As featured in the latest Sunshine Cove Catalogue, created by Chardan Development Group.

Dimond Girls Photo Gallery - Lennox 09

2010-07-08T09:54:00.000+10:00

New Website Page Launch

2010-06-28T12:06:00.000+10:00

Dimond Architects have launched an exciting new landing page for their website.

Check it out:

Please email us if you would like to know more about us.

What Revit Wants: New Website Page Launch

MFAC - Theatre and Multi-Purpose Building

2010-06-08T09:07:00.000+10:00

Construction is now underway for the new Theatre and Multi-purpose building at Matthew Flinders Anglican College.

6th of June 2010

31st of May 2010

12th of May 2010

Sunshine Cove - Newsletter

2009-08-26T08:21:00.000+10:00

Dimond architects featured in Chardan Development Groups Newsletter (Winter 2009) - see below:

Belle Magazine Publication

2009-08-24T09:52:00.000+10:00

Dimond architects featured in Belle Magazine - see below:

Fishing Expedition

2008-10-27T15:07:00.001+10:00

Dimond Architects fishing excursion off the coast of Noosa, Sunshine Coast.

Dimond Architects Blog

2008-10-21T11:47:00.001+10:00

Welcome to Dimond Architects Blog