1c o n t e n t

page 7 INSPIRATION CAN

STRIKE ANYTIME - BE READY

page 16 HARRY SEIDLER

What inspires you? Art? Good Design? Noelle O’Riordan goes looking for inspiration and finds the illusive french

artist JR.

14-15 INSPIRATION

Your colleagues at Dale Alcock Homes give an insight into their jobs and backgrounds.

2 MEET THE TEAM

Simone Carrivick presents profiles of the Hector Street R & D project.

3 INNOVATION PROJECT

John Passarelli gets formal about an historic look.

5 LANDSCAPES

Max Pirone writes on how to get those creative juices flowing when they’ve abandoned you.

7 CREATIVITY

Rachel Maree shares her daily journal

on the design team’s recent trip to

Melbourne’s Furnitex fair.

13 DESIGN FAIRS

Two exciting new displays from apg Homes and DAH just opened. See what our designers, Jade Webb and Sarah Mossop love about them.

9-11 INTERIORS

Meet the man behind the company.Dale Alcock gives us an insight into his

daily life.

18 PROFILE

Dean Brunton talks about his favourite Architect Harry Seidler.

18 PROFILE - GLOBAL

page 9/11

page 5 ABN HECTOR STREET

PROJECT

INTERIORS FROM APG HOMES AND

DALE ALCOCK HOMES NEWEST DISPLAYS

2After growing up in sunny Bunbury, I cut my teeth with three years of drafting at Summit, Homes before moving overseas. On returning, I spent a year at JWH and have now been with DAH for four years.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI used to be a sponsored skateboarder. I also spent three years snowboarding in Canada, USA and New Zealand.

dean cahill

I’ve been three years in the industry and four weeks at DAH (fingers crossed I pass probation).I worked at IGA while at TAFE then started at Celebration Homes as a draftee for three years.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI won gold at WA Athletics for high jump and was champion boy for ACC Athletics.

heather cooperI have been in the industry for eight years, all of it at DAH, beginning with drafting, drafting, admin and approvals for my first six months (I said yes to anything just to get a job), then drafting only and for the past five years as a display and new-product draftsperson/designer.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEIf money was no object I would travel the world watching every sport I could.

jordan cook

rebecca durnfordI am four years in the industry and joined the drafting team at DAH straight out of TAFE. Spent two years in drafting before joining the design team and have recently progressed to a designer role, which I absolutely love.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI’m a mirror twin – she’s right-handed and I’m left-handed. I’ve also played trumpet since I was eigth years old. I try to keep that one quiet.

I have been with DAH for the past two years coming fresh out of university where I studied interior architecture. I started in preconstruction and have been with the design department for just over a year.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI went skydiving with the twins from Harry Potter.

sharni smith

alicia ramirez

I am twelve years in the industry and seven years at DAH. Came to Australia when I was six and the only English words I knew were “yes” and “no”. Grew up in a mining town, came to Perth for high school and university. Studied psychologyand achitecture at Curtin. I left the project-building industry and worked for a heritage architect, before returning to project building and found myself at DAH.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI love creating piñatas and dancing.

JOHN

DEAN

SHARNI

ALICIA

REBECCA

HEATHER

JORDAN

meet the team

DESIGN MANAGERI have been 15 years in the industry and three and a half years at DAH. I started in a small drafting practice and design studio before moving to BGC Residential for about eight years, then Summit Homes for three years.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEI have been playing guitar in bands around the Perth music scene since I was 18. My favourite band is KISS.

john care

“From skateboarding with Harry Potter twins to blowing trumpet and shredding guitar ~ your colleagues have been there...”

3p r o d u c t

We often hear about alternative building products and methods and how they are supposedly better than double-brick construction. But you just won’t know the truth until you take the plunge and actually use them. So that’s what we did. It was exciting and challenging to research these products and methods and to see how they fared despite being foreign to some of those involved with the project. A triplex site in Hector St, Yokine, was chosen and ABN with WB Homes undertook this R&D project to test alternative products that are available on the WA market and better understand how they could be implemented into mainstream volume housing construction if at all. Commercially it was important the project looked like any other brick-and-tile/tin house to prove that, though it’s built differently, the quality of the finish hasn’t been compromised. Not only were the building construction methods being tested but it was decided to incorporate the Liveable Homes Initiative and demonstrate that because a home has easy access and compatability for a person with disabilities it doesn’t have to look like a hospital or care facility. Unit 1 was constructed using brick veneer with a timber frame for the downstairs walls and concrete slab for the floor. The upper storey floor was a Posi-STRUT timber-floor frame with 22mm particle board and timber-framed walls with 100mm EPS panels externally. The entire house was texture coated and painted resulting in visitors asking where the brick finished and the EPS panels began. This unit’s design allowed us to incorporate a partially liveable home with a bedroom and en-suite as well as living areas on the ground floor. The result was a very spacious 4-bed 3-bath home and a very efficient method of construction demonstrating that this method progressed the quickest. Unit 2 used full steel-framed construction. The walls to upper and lower stories were steel framed, with a Hebel Power Panel - an autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) as the cladding. The ground floor had a concrete slab while the upper floor was steel framed with Hebel Power floor panel. Texture coat and paint was the treatment for the external of the cladding. The home was made visitor-friendly as per Liveable Homes principles by flush entrances and powder-room accessibility. Construction looked so heavy and complicated with all the steel members everywhere,

TAKING THE PLUNGE WITH NEW METHODSR&D PROJECT @ 368 HECTOR STREET YOKINE REPORT SIMONE CARRIVICK

p r o d u c t

Unit 1 - can you tell what’s brick and what’s not?

Unit 2’s design was contemporary but funky

3 4

but the result was quite the opposite with the living areas on both levels feeling warm and bright because of the unit’s orientation. Unit 3, at the rear of the development, was the most interesting in both the materials and construction method and the Liveable Homes inclusions. The entire home was made fully accessible by incorporating a lift to ensure the residents get the benefit and use of their home. The floor construction was no different to the two front units, using a combination of the Posi-STRUT system with the Hebel Power floor panel to give a close comparison to the standard 2c concrete suspended slab which is found in most two-storey homes. The walls, however, were very different. A SIPs – structural insulated panels – wall system was used. This system doesn’t require a frame as the panels are the frame and cladding all in one and the entire structural component, as such, lending itself to a very different form of construction for the tradesmen. So the panels were stood up in place. Suddenly, the rooms and house just appeared – there was no gradual build-up of walls - when the panels were ready the house was formed.

Lessons learnt At the completion of the project, the knowledge gained has lead to a decision to incorporate the construction method of Unit 1 (as a trial ) into one or two WB homes to see if we can get some efficiencies in construction time and replicate the quality of building with an alternative product so that our clients have a beautiful, comfortable, impressive home that isn’t a down grade from double-brick construction in a shorter period of time. There’s no doubt that brick construction will remain dominant in WA for a long time but it’s important to step outside the box and try something different. The Hector units are on the market from $875K and Unit 1 has already had an offer. ABN Realty, in conjunction with Menaglio Kohn are selling the homes. Take the opportunity to walk through these homes this weekend.

p r o d u c t

UNIT 3 was the most interesting in both construction and materials

Unit 3 - the naked SIPS panels used in place of standard brick

Unit 2 - so much steel and bulk went into the construction of this unit

5

THE MODERN FORMAL GARDENJOHN PASSARELLI looks forward by looking back

Although some of the earliest Islamic gardens were formal in layout, the traditional looks with which most of us would associate originated in Europe during the classical and renaissance eras. Its inspiration was the expression of man’s dominance over nature. Their features and natural elements were contained in an imposed geometry and structure. These ordered gardens originally provided a setting for the villas of the wealthy and powerful across Europe and one of the more famous gardens of this style is around the Palace of Versailles in France. Although a vast garden, the basic principles of this style can be applied to gardens of any size, even small urban spaces, where ordered balanced designs work very well. The following is a summary of these basic principles.• Symmetry about a central axis is crucial to emphasise the focus of the garden. • Planting and construction of hardscapes are geometric and simple• The use of lawn, hedging and avenues of planting to create order• The use of balustrades, steps, terraces and gravel pathways all conspiring to unify the garden space

• Limited use of materials and species of plants Today’s modern formal garden uses the same basic principles to create its style but is not always constrained to providing perfect symmetry about its axis or focal point as per the traditional gardens of yesteryear. All the other principles, however, still hold strong. For instance, you can set the geometric rules of formality and then decide which ones to break. The overall layout can be completely symmetrical and axial, or you can select just a few formal elements. One axis can be more dominant than another as long as the total space is ultimately balanced. The term “good bones” is used by landscape architects to describe the structure of the garden that is in place all year round. After the flowers have gone and the grass isn’t quite as green, what is left to create interest? In designing any landscape, it is important to choose some evergreen plants and trees. In the formal garden, any hedges or plants that will stay green all year round are commonly used. The use of contrasting pavers, decking and gravel as permanent features also ensure your garden has “good bones”. e x t e r i o r s

5 6e x t e r i o r s

This symmetrical garden uses a central axis that focuses on the steel frame and a water cube at the end. Olive trees create an avenue to enclose the central lawn which is framed by reflective water and decorative border planting. Highly polished granite paving provides an edging detail.

This garden uses a focal axis but is not symmetrical. It uses all the other principles outlined to create a balanced neat order. The pathway initiates from the steps which are symmetrically flanked on each side by planters and then continues towards the rear garden space (focal point) and raised planters to the rear and left corner. The pond with the gravel beds either side create another axis crossing the pathway. In the far left corner there are more steps to another level of tall shady trees. The journey from the pathway is to take you to these rear steps. Notice how an urn is stratigically placed on the left side to lead your eye towards the rear steps.

This garden is minimalistic in design and uses the entry door of the house as its focal point. There is limited use of materials and species of plants. The axis or pathway is flanked on one side by a planter and hedging with frangipani trees creating an avenue towards the entry. The entire front garden or lawn area is bordered on four sides by the planters/hedging to create an orderly formal look. Notice that the stone feature wall and urn in front of it also add as a focal point in the journey towards the entry.

7

INSPIRATION: CATCH IT WHILE YOU CANMAX PIRONE

Creativity, comes and goes. One day, you’re on fire - the next day, nothing.As professionals, being in a rut is frustrating. Getting those creative juices flowing again is imperative - so what’s the best path back to freeing up your mind? Here, I’ve outlined some simple guidelines to get you back on track, back to doing what you do best - and what earns you a living!

It’s sometimes inspiring to go back in history and look at how housing, design and architecture has evolved. Wikipedia is a great tool to research a trend, an architectural style, movement or a particular architect/designer.You might discover something new by looking back or it might inspire you to come up with a solu-tion to a problem troubling you. It never ceases to amaze what can be learned by spending a little time researching history.

Looking at what’s been done allows you to critique, put your own spin on something, learn from it to copy or make it better. Remember there are no new ideas, just improvements to existing ones to make them better and to solve a problem!

You can become stale by sitting at your desk for eight hours a day.Get up, get out, go for a walk, get some sunshine, breathe deeply. This is easier than you think — in the morning before work, during your lunch break or after work - spice things up by changing your routine. Take some time to sit by a lake or the ocean for a few minutes a day to make you feel inspired and exhilarated. Challenge yourself to change!

The internet has made it so easy for us to source anything. Follow a favourite designer through their design blogs. Online platforms like Pinterest show you what’s going on and you can add your own ideas. There are hundreds of sites to inspire and motive. Subscribe and you get updates every morning—great way to fire up your creative juices first thing!

1 UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF YOUR CRAFT

2 SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING

3 INSPIRATION IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

4 CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

7 8c r e a t i v i t y

Browsing through books at a book-store or magazines at the newstand can be more inspiring than surfing the web. The feeling and touch of great architecture books inspire —thick covers, glossy pages and the smell of the print — challenges your senses.Be sure to look through all sorts of books—design, art, landscaping, fash-ion, history. All can inspire and get you back in a good frame of mind.

Inspiration is everywhere, the challenge is being open to the idea or spark, that fires you up. Sometimes it comes easily, sometimes it doesn’t. Always have a notebook or use your phone to make notes, sketch an idea/concept or take a photo. You never know when you’ll need it.

There’s an ongoing debate whether a clean work environment makes you more creative. Depend-ing on who you ask and what they do - you’ll get different views. The answer is horses for courses. We’re all different. However a clean, tidy, organised space allows focus and gives you time to get immersed in that project. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t have zones that are full of pictures, clippings, collection of things/ideas that you like and inspire. Take ownership of your creative pursuits and do what you need to, within reason, to kick-start your creative energy.

It’s easy to blame the project or task for your lack of inspiration. But it’s up to you to find that which will get you in the right frame of mind to come up with answers. Change your attitude by looking within for inspiration rather than looking outside for motivation.

When you find yourself in a rut it’s better just to start rather than wallowing in it! There’s nothing worse than star-ing at a blank screen waiting for inspiration to pop out and hit you! Reality is — it ain’t going to happen. So challenge yourself and start. All you need is one small spark to start your creative journey—so do it and do it now!

7 INSPIRATION STRIKES AT ANY TIME - BE READY

8 DON’T WAIT - DO IT NOW! 9 HAVE A CREATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

5 BOOKS ARE STILL COOL!

6 GET EXCITED ABOUT A PROJECT

9

The Argyle display home in Satterley’s Catalina Estate, Clarkson, presents elegant and contemporary elevation. The custom timber-paneled garage door and complementary timber inserts to the front pillar, are clearly show-stopping additions to this home’s exterior.A warm colour palate ensures the elevation remains light and bright.

i n t e r i o r s

APG CATALINA DISPLAY LIGHTS UP!JADE WEBB

i n t e r i o r s

LIVING ROOMArt is front and centre throughout this home. Big artworks ensure vivid colour was a constant throughout. The artworks vary in subject butthe black , box style framing brings continuity.

9 10i n t e r i o r s

E-NOOKThis space needed careful attention to make it interesting but practical. The wallpaper , from Scandinavian Wallpaper and Décor provides colour and interest to this small space.To provide as much natural light as possible, the dividing wall between the living area and e–nook has a large opening featuring timber shelves.Simple styling make this a practical work zone. The quirky box shelves, imported from Bob & Friends in New Zealand, add a fun factor.

MASTER BEDROOMThis home presents a slightly masculine interior, employing a combination of timbers with matt blacks, reflective surfaces and copper highlights. It is clearly contemporary in its intention, but incorporates rustic features. The master bedroom has combined these elements. Notice how copper and silver metals are united in this space.

ALFRESCO The block size was slightly smaller with this project. The backyard was designed to utilised the area cleverly.This display incorporates a beautiful pool, fire pit, dining table and lounge area while retaining an uncluttered profile.

KITCHENThe kitchen, dining and living area are generously proportioned with an enormous amount of light coming from the eastern windows. This space incorporates varied complimentary timber finishes, linens, copper and charcoal elements. The furniture selection ensures this open-plan space oozes comfort and relaxation.

11i n t e r i o r s

Let me start with the name Casablanca. The word itself may conjure up images of a vibrant Moroccan city bustling with life, or perhaps for Bogart fans – a dramatic tale of love and loss. But if you are like me and have no idea about any of the above, then I am about to tell you something you may find interesting…The Casablanca, in Southern River, is Dale Alcock Homes latest display, and unlike the famous film from which the display borrows the name, the only thing that’s black and white about the home is the décor to the office library. This spacious 4 x 2 is, as you would expect from any DAH home, the epitome of class and style. The perfect combination of function and undeniable charm. With a theatre so big you could listen to the smooth baritones of Bogart’s voice all day long, the home features beautiful raked ceilings from the dining to alfresco area and boasts spacious bedrooms throughout. Each space creates a sense of luxury without being uninviting. Take for instance the master suite, flecked with accents of gold, making it opulent and enchanting yet the beautiful textures of natural linen and a painted feature wall provides a natural element to add warmth, depth and comfort. So instead of sitting on the couch this weekend with a film as old as your grandmother’s socks get down to the display at 9 Ruskin Way, Bletchley Park, Southern River. See for yourself the urban elegance that is Casablanca.

DISPLAY IT AGAIN, DAH!SARAH MOSSOP walks us through the Casablanca display home

Bold styling in the minor bedrooms fea-tures a punchy colour pallet including a hand-painted feature wall using a Porters Paint.

11 12i n t e r i o r s

i n t e r i o r sSplashes of colour have been incorporated into the interior styling through impressive works by local artist Vania Lawson

The kitchen in The Casablanca features a laminated upstand breakfast bar to complement the simplistic design.

13

JR is the name of a photographer and artist whose identity remains unknown. Born in 1983, he has described himself as a “photograffeur” and he flyposts big black-and-white photographic images in public places in a manner similar to the appropriation of a built environment by a graffiti artist. He says that the street is “the largest art gallery in the world”. JR began his Women Are Heroes series back in 2007 as a tribute to a gender who are the target of crime, rape and political and religious fanaticism. The french artist has travelled the world, pasting huge photos of the faces and eyes of local women on favelas in Brazil, on trains in the Kenyan forest, bricks in New Delhi and on to public transport in Sierra Leone. Recently, he finished the epic-scaled series in Le Havre, France, with a final piece that will see the artwork continue to travel, despite the project’s completion. The artist and a team pasted 2600 strips of paper on the shipping containers aboard a 363 meter long cargo vessel, forming the massive visualisation of a woman’s open eyes. ‘I wanted to finish Women Are Heroes with a ship leaving a port, with a huge image which would look microscopic after a few minutes. This gave the idea of women who stay in their villages and face difficulties in regions torn by war and poverty and facing the infinity of the ocean.

CAN ART CHANGE THE WORLD?

i n s p i r a t i o n

Good design is as little design as

possible

When looking for inspiration, art is your first port of call

NOELLE O’RIORDAN goes searching

13 14i n s p i r a t i o n

Try Google ‘inspiring furniture design’ and be amazed at some of the rather ordinary pieces some people consider inspirational. But every so often you find a little gem. This functional standing desk design, angled slightly to provide stability. The leaning tower of books is similar to one used in the recently closed Celebration Presley display which was so popular people queued from 2am to try buy it. Then there’s this funky ball armchair. The comfort factor is unclear but ...hey it looks amazing. Finally the beautiful artwork entwining land, water and sky has that wow factor.

15

THURSDAY July 10THMade it to the Perth Domestic Airport to meet the interior design team to head to Melbourne for our buying .. or as we like to call it purchasing trip (sounds more professional). We were all really excited to head across as it had been a year since we had been able to meet with many of our existing suppliers. Even more exciting was the thought of the new suppliers, artists and inspiration we might stumble across. As always, I had designated myself as the group photographer and got a group shot before we jumped on the plane.FRIDAY July 11THAfter skipping the morning yoga class (5am was waaaaay too early for me) we met up for a big breakfast before heading off to meet with suppliers who were not exhibiting at the fair. We had a list and Noelle had mapped out the journey. Everything was going to plan until Di spotted a tram she thought was going in the right direction A tram ride (in the wrong direction) and an hour’s walk later (back to where we started) we finally reached our first supplier - Bayliss Rugs. By this stage we were all keen to get buying and were pleased to see lots of new rugs. Because we mainly buy online from Bayliss, it was good to see and feel the rugs. As we work on various projects, we decided to split up and head down the wonderful street of suppliers that is Bridge Road and then in to Parahan….Best shops of the day: West Elm: http://www.westelm.com - an amazing store that we had purchased from on line but not visited in person. This store has furniture, textiles and accessories. The style is a bit of an Americana influence and range from rustic to a little coastal and sometimes bordering on art deco.

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIRRACHEL MAREE shares her diary on the ABN designer’s trip to Furnitex

THE ABN design team from left;Dianne Brown-Neaves, Noelle O’Riordan, Jade Webb, Sarah Mossop and Rachel Maree

The ‘shocker’ of the trip

15 16f u r n i t e x

My other favourite store of the day was Signed and numbered - http://www.signedandnumbered.com.au/ An awesome little store !Signed & Numbered sells limited edition prints from emerging and established artists based in Australia and worldwide. Print mediums include screen prints, gocco prints, etchings, digital (including giclee and hand-embellished/hand-finished prints), wood block, letterpress and lino prints. Sarah and I were like kids in a candy store in this shop and made sure we stocked up. The prices are reasonable, good customer service and the space is fun and inspiring to be in. I think this was my favourite stop on the trip.

SATURDAY July 12TH Today began with me, yet again, skipping yoga to enjoy the comfort of my bed and the block-out blinds made it hard to believe it was time to get up and head to the fair. I am always a little nervous on the first day of the fair, the anticipation on how good it will be, what treasures you might find and what shocking things (and believe me there is at least one stand-out each year)We started on what is typically known as the ‘dud’ end of the fair. Seems a bit mean to say, but this is the end of the massive exhibi-tion hall that seems to have the most random exhibitors. This year, though there weren’t as many oddballs but we did find one piece that took our breath away (see photo the dog lamp).Roxby Lane is one of our regular suppliers and their stand blew us away with some really interesting new pieces and also by their ex-tended range.SUNDAY July 13THThe second day of the fair was just as good as the first. We bought lots of art and continued to find many more pieces.Best stands of the day : Warranbrooke Art where we bought art and cushions and accesso-ries. Amazing prices, fresh and fun.Another gem of the day was a new wall paper supplier Quercusando and co - http://www.quercusandco.com/index.phpBeautiful wallpaper and art. So excited to use these products! The trip this year was inspiring, productive, exciting and fun. The time away as a team allowed us to re-set our creativity, bond with each other and enjoy the creative stimuli, while making good supplier contacts in order to source cost-effective, high quality furniture to ensure ABN display homes remain at the forefront of trends.

17d e s i g n e r

Harry Seidler was an iconic Australian architect who was born in Vienna, Austria in 1925. He fled as a teenage refugee due to world war two and spent time in England studying building and construction, finishing his architectural studies in Canada in the early 1940s. Seidler was associated with the design of buildings heavily influenced by the Bauhaus-style of architecture. That’s no surprise considering he studied under and graduated to work with several of the original Bauhaus-style teachers and founders who had also migrated from Europe. The Bauhaus style was the result of an art school in Germany that operated from 1919-1933. The German term Bau-haus which means “house of construction” or “school of build-ing” was known for teaching the idea of creating a total work of art. Bringing all the arts together, including architecture at Bauhaus, was influenced by the modernism cultural movement of the late 1800s to early 1900s. Bauhaus evolved as a style that was radically simplified in form and function common with the idea that mass production was reconcilable with the individual artistic spirit. Seidler migrated to Australia in 1948 and immediately began putting his skills into practise. Using the philosophy learnt through his teachers, Seidler designed the Rose Seidler House in Sydney that same year. This is considered the first Australian house to fully express the Bauhaus vernacular in form and function. It integrated architecture, art and technol-ogy and pushed the boundaries on how a house could func-tion and change how people lived. Surrounded by bushland, it was designed to create an environment to live in and still live within it’s surroundings. It’s design was intended to contrast with those surroundings. Seidler preferred to see nature offset by a man-made structure. From the inside, every room had a view of the beautiful bush setting and brought the outside in. Seidler was now in high demand and was commissioned

DEAN BRUNTON profiles a legendary architect who introduced the Bauhaus system to Australia

HARRY SEIDLER : a man ahead of his time

The Rose Seidler house in Sydney

17 18d e s i g n e r

to design many other homes in Sydney. As a result, he decided to stay and make Australia his home. His work progressed into bigger-scale apartment buildings, commercial buildings and public spaces in which he consistently maintained a modern design methodology amalgamating the big three: social use, building technology and aesthetics. The upper plaza area at the Seidler-designed, Perth-built QV1 building is a good example of the combination of these principles. Bold free-flowing concrete form with minimal softscaping, creating an inviting tranquil public space. The main tower is shaped to maximise the Swan River views but also minimise the impact of bulk on the nearby parliment house. The building’s V shape provides shelter from winds to the pub-lic plaza area. Seidler’s use of the Bahaus philosophy remains relevant today: simplified form and function with a modern aesthetic, easily built and easily reproduced. We can add to this the need for low maintenance from an owner and builder’s point of view. I think a lot of Seidler’s works have stood the test of time and retain relevancy with current building technology and aesthetics. At a recent product and innovation forum, we discussed the idea that less-is-more. The ABN philosophy is to ensure our product is focused on this approach and guarantee our custom-ers get real value for money, without the add-ons that don’t improve their homes. This reflects Seidler’s views, albeit at a different level.

Harry Seidler – AC OBE, (1925-2006).

HARRY SEIDLER : a man ahead of his time

The QV1 building in Georges Terrace, Perth

19

What words best describe you? ‘Got a bit going on’

When did you first become interested in the construction industry? I was born into it. I grew up with building all around me. While at school, I worked weekends and holidays on the job.

Where do you draw inspiration from? Inspiration is all around us, not just in our town or industry. You see and experience great things when you travel. Keep your eyes open.

What are your interests? My family is number one, then travel and my mighty Dockers.

What was your first job? Apprentice bricklayer working for my father.

What does the next year hold for you? The arrival of my second grandchild. We’ll build lots more things. Lots of homes and big buildings, some blocks, some home loans, some cupboards. We’ll do more in Melbourne and we’ll have more fun doing it too!

If work was optional, what would you do with your time? Travel to exotic destinations and experience more of what the world has to offer. More time at Dwellingup.

Most useful tip? Wake up happy. Enjoy every experience, every day. Work hard. Don’t worry too much. Sleep well always. Do it all again the next day.

Most embarrassing moment? There are many, but emails do cause me a few problems. I recently sent an email to the State Manager of Stockland in which I referred to “getting all the ducks lined up”. The trouble is that the ‘u’ key is very close to the ‘i’ key! Some years ago I mistakenly sent an email I had intended to go to others, back to the person whose email I was having a go at. Ouch!

DALE ALCOCK: MANAGING DIRECTOR

p r o f i l e