20 minute read
The Creative Genius Behind the 2020 House of the Year
The Master Builders and Asset Construction Hire 2020 House of the Year in Deakin was built by Daniel Fitzpatrick of Architekt Grüne Häuser (now known as MegaFlora Group). The Excellence Awards judges quipped about the project, “the building nerd strikes again, and it’s awesome”. This comes from Daniel’s affinity for eclectic design and his extraordinary use of materials, “That buildup of eclectic and individual touches is something that I enjoy creating for clients, it creates a home that feels personal when completed,” Daniel said.
Daniel isn’t motivated by striving to win awards, it’s the delightful result of building high-quality homes, “I didn’t go into this trying to build the House of the Year, the key consideration for me with any build is longevity. What we’re thinking is What will this look like in 10 years? Will this easily last 20 years? and I think that’s what produces award winning homes,” he said.
When Daniel was pondering the question about what makes a home worthy of House of the Year he said, “My team approach builds making sure, is this the best way to do things? I think that constant questioning is important, and with custom built homes you have the opportunity to really consider what you’re about to do.” Every room in the 2020 House of the Year sings with intricate details and thoughtful personal touches. From the custom-made steel blue staircase through to the origami inspired angles throughout the home, it’s a work of art to behold. But Daniel’s mission to create bold, magnificent homes can make his work increasingly difficult, “I create a rod for my own back, I suggest ideas to a client and say this is going to be hard and I don’t know how we can do it and I don’t have any examples of it because I haven’t seen before, but if we can do it, it could be extraordinary,” he remarked. One example of this with the home in Deakin, was Daniel’s suggestion to use the terracotta paint for the main ensuite, “A bathroom with vibrant orange paint and deep blue tiles with specially matched terracotta grout isn’t something I can just Google and come up with an exact example of what it’s going to look like, so it takes a lot of trust from the client to see the vision for what the idea could be.” The result of this trust between the builder and the client, is a magnificent bathroom in an award-winning home.
Daniel and his team do a lot of their work inhouse, including creating custom joinery, metalwork, light fittings, furniture and even designing tiles. Daniel commented on this process, “Designing the light fixtures is a kind of 60-70s approach to design, doing everything you can inhouse and really being a part of all aspects of creating a home.” Daniel adopts this holistic approach to building across all of his projects, which creates unique and remarkable homes.
The first step in the building process of any home begins before any concrete is poured, Daniel says, “Orientation is
huge, and changing the orientation might make it a trickier build, but any plan that doesn’t have the right orientation suffers… everything you do from there is just a Band-Aid. orientation effects your energy bills significantly as it is critical in our climate to use the sun to your advantage in winter but block it out in summer. The tricker it is to make that work, the more exciting the design becomes.
Daniel’s approach to construction is focused on using high quality materials and making them something spectacular. The home in Deakin also received a Judges Commendation for Best Use of Material, with the Excellence Awards judges noting the “Amazing mix of textures and materials.” Daniel is particularly focused on reinventing dated materials, “What’s something we can do with materials that have been forgotten? I think that if you use the material in well thought outway, it will always be an amazing piece of craftsmenship,” he said.
The unconventional home had an equally unique design process, “The design brief was a bunch of handwritten notes from a catch up in a coffee shop and about 1000 photos. And in those photos I noticed a number of Japanese building elements and through further conversations with the client I figured out that was something they were interested in and that’s kind of the inspiration behind the origami elements throughout the home.” Daniel wants his homes to be recognized as unique creations, whilst still having a signature touch. An example of this is his move towards using stained glass in his builds, “Stained glass is such a beautiful material, often forgotten, we already do our own glazing and it would be great if people could look at a home with our custom made stained glass and know that’s one of our builds.” Reviving and reinventing old trends is just one way that Daniel wants to make his mark on the Canberra Building industry.
To see where Daniel’s creations are heading next, you’ll have to keep an eye on the 2021 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards.
TOYOTA FOR BUSINESS
MATES RATES FOR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS? THAT’S GOLD.
HiLux 4x4 SR5 Double-Cab Pick-Up Shown*
Save $3,8001 on the 2020 HiLux 4x4 SR5 Double-Cab Pick-Up with your Gold Fleet Discount
We invite you to awaken your unbreakable and experience the legendary performance, durability and bold design of the HiLux 4x4 SR5. With more power2 and more torque2, the enhanced best-selling HiLux 2.8L diesel engine is stronger and more capable than ever. An upgraded suspension system builds upon HiLux’s legendary off-road capabilities, offering drivers superior comfort and handling even in the harshest conditions. It’s the ute built for real Aussies. Whatever’s around the corner, HiLux SR5 is ready for the challenge. Your MPA membership unlocks Gold Fleet discounts across the Toyota vehicle range3 to help you find the right car for your lifestyle and budget.
To find out more, visit your Toyota Fleet Dealer or call 1800 679 247
toyota.com.au/fleet
1 Discount offer available to all Industry Association members on the HiLux 4x4 SR5 Double-Cab Pick-Up. 2 2.8L Diesel AT variants. 3 Excluding Special Edition Models. *Left Vehicle: 4x4 SR5 Double-Cab Pick-Up in Crystal Pearl accessorised with tow ball and tow tongue, tub step, tub liner, rear recovery points and Black sports bar. Right Vehicle: 4x4 SR5 Double-Cab Pick-Up in Crystal Pearl accessorised with 18” alloy wheels, premium steel bull bar with full size light bar (light bar fitting kit and driving light harness sold separately), side steps, side rails, snorkel, bonnet protector (Matte Black), weathershields, headlamp covers and body side mouldings (Black). All accessories sold separately. Toyota Genuine Accessories are not applicable to all models/grades. See your Toyota dealer to confirm Accessories suitable for your vehicle. Refer to Owners’ Manual for gross vehicle mass limits. Colours depicted may vary from actual colour due to display process. Visit toyota.com.au/vehiclepayload.
ALL THE BIG GAMES
OPEN SEVEN DAYS 12PM – 4AM ONE OF THE BIGGEST SCREENS IN CANBERRA TAB FACILITIES
CASINOCANBERRA.COM.AU | BINARA STREET, CANBERRA CITY
PREFERRED BUILDERS
We saw a number of our talented members deliver outstanding projects, last awards season, including long-standing MBA member, Preferred Builders. This year marks 20 years of MBA membership for Preferred Builders, and we chatted with Partner, Paul Kerr, to find out more about this two-decade long journey.
KITCHEN PAVILION WITH NORTH FACING EXTERNAL OPERABLE LOUVRES
MEMBER MILESTONE 20 YEARS
Q. How did Preferred Builders start?
P. In 1994 Originally Partnered up with a talented builder and neighbour Graeme Woods whilst living in jarrabomberra. We went our separate ways in 1998. Partnered up again with Dean Hessengerger in 2016, he’s a machine!
Q. What type of construction do you specialise in?
P. Contemporary architect designed buildings of complex structural, spatial or material configuration on the one hand, and sensitive interventions to existing heritage listed buildings on the other.
Q. How do you approach a new project?
P. Our approach is reliant upon the project’s budget. The commercial warehouses and residential units greatly differ in skill set from custom architectural and heritage builds. Some of the trades are quite versatile and can adapt, others are quite unique and are selected from a very small resource pool.
In a nutshell, we select contractors and suppliers for each project based on their reliability and proven track record taking into consideration the project’s budget, design and history.
We are fortunate enough to have worked with many talented architects and share their passion for excellence. Some of these extremely detailed projects require Dean and myself to be very hands on, requiring us to occasionally get the nailbag on, although mine doesn’t quite fit these days, it seems to have shrunk …
Q. Who is part of the Preferred Builders Team?
P. > Paul and Dean, partners and project managers > Daniel Hodges estimating and contract administration > Jodie Kerr office and contract administration > 11 permanent staff including 9 carpenters, a labourer and 1 full time plasterer
Q. Why did you decide to join Master Builders ACT?
P. Originally joined as a young subcontract carpenter seeking help with sub contract agreements etc, then progressed into building and building contracts and advice, which we found very helpful.
Q. What projects of yours stand out as particular favourites for you?
P. My favourite is the Empire House. One of the smaller projects in recent years but the most enjoyable. A distinctly contemporary addition with two new pavilions set away from the existing modest cottage, in a garden with glass corridors linking back to the old house designed by Melbourne firm Austin Maynard Architects.
KITCHEN, DINING ROOM PAVILION WITH GLASS LINK AND BREEZEWAY PIVOT CORRIDOR WINDOWS
Q. What do you like about being an MBA member?
P.
Q. What are your favourite memories/events over your 20 years of MBA membership?
> Meeting other builders, I think we are all cut from the same brush. > The MBA apprenticeship training is excellent, very happy with how the course is structured.
P. The 2017 awards night. House of the Year, enjoyed a table with DNA Architects and owners. Always a fun night and MBA never disappoint, big thankyou to all involved.
Q. Are there any new materials or any new technology that you will be implementing into your builds?
P. Every house seems to have new façade materials, improved windows whilst fitted out with the latest gadgets. We focus on the micro detail to compliment the Architects design, we are lucky, the Architects shoulder the design and material selections, they are the genius.
Q. What projects are you currently working on?
P. A set of units and a few very nice houses!
With the team’s pool room undoubtedly full of Excellence Awards trophies already, it’s exciting to think what the team will achieve over the next 20 years…
Civil Contractors Federation (CCF)
ACT UPDATE
NICK ZARDO, PRESIDENT, CIVIL CONTRACTORS FEDERATION ACT
The National Office continues its advocacy on skills and met with the National Skills Commission (NSC) to discuss the Commission’s recent report The shape of Australia’s post COVID-19 workforce.
The Report underscores the need for greater government investment to address a looming skills crisis in the civil construction industry which threatens the sustainable delivery of the National $110 billion Infrastructure Program.
Chief among CCF National’s concerns is the Federal Government’s failure to include civil construction occupations on the National Skills Needs List. Inclusion of key civil occupations on the National Skills Needs List would help to ensure financial incentives, such as those available under the $100 million Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program, are available to employers, employees and registered training organisations.
The meeting, with Adam Boyton, National Skills Commissioner, also enabled CCF National to brief the Commission on the CCF National Skills Survey which highlighted some of the recruitment challenges faced by the civil construction industry in attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce.
Last year the ACT Government announced an ambitious four-year $4 billion infrastructure spending blitz as a plan to rebuild the ACT. Since that announcement the ACT CCF Board together with the MBA executive staff have been working together with ACT Government representatives to facilitate this aim as well as ensuring that opportunities that arise from this spend are accessible to local contractors of all sizes.
In my view the relationship between the Civil Industry and Government has strengthened over the past year, it is clear some progress has been made to take into consideration the local industry and facilitate their participation. This relates to medium sized projects being broken up for our smaller members, very large projects being broken up for our larger members, a collaborative approach to introducing a Civil Project Managers Panel and enabling Joint Ventures. I interpret
this as an understanding that the territory has of the true value that local Civil Contractors bring to the community.
A 2020 highlight was being invited to the SPARK Women in Civil Construction Program Graduation. A milestone event, where ten women from diverse backgrounds were recognised for completing the program which included eight host Civil Contractors and most importantly resulted in all graduates being offered employment. Attracting and guiding Women with little or no knowledge of the industry, preparing them, supporting them with training and work placements that end up with real jobs is an incredibly positive outcome for all. The program will run in 2021, contact the MBA if you want to get involved.
The ACT CCF Awards will be held on Friday 21st May, adding to the usual value-based project categories there are also a few special categories that Contractors should consider nominating or entering they include the ACT woman in construction, Subcontractor of the year and WHS in Civil. Get your entries sorted early and book your table for the regions Premier Civil Construction event of the year.
The 2020 Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) Awards was run as a digital campaign this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The digital campaign was wildly successful on the Master Builder ACT Facebook and LinkedIn channels.
A small, COVID safe certificate presentation was held on 19 November 2020, with speeches by Master Builders ACT CEO and Civil Contractors Federation ACT CEO Michael Hopkins, CCF ACT President and Director of Guideline ACT Nick Zardo and Duncan Edgehill from Major Projects Canberra.
This year there were a record-breaking 27 finalists across 9 categories, with projects including the ACT Healthy Waterways initiative that saw improvements to the water supplies across the Canberra region, the restoration of a number of bridges across the ACT and delivery of a 40m deep sewer vortex.
The CCF is a member-based, employer association that represents and promotes the interests of civil contractors in the ACT. CCF prides itself on being the voice of the civil construction industry and advocates for the interests of its members to all levels of government. CCF members are involved in a variety of projects and activities including the development and maintenance of civil infrastructure such as roads, bridges, dams, community parks & infrastructure, sub-divisions and more. THE 2020 CIVIL CONTRACTORS FEDERATION (CCF) SOCIAL PERFORMANCE
FACEBOOK REACHES 39,150
VIDEO VIEWS ON FACEBOOK 8,074
DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS ON LINKEDIN 13,206
JUDGES COMMENDATIONS:
> Outstanding ACT Government Project: BMD
Constructions Healthy Waterways Packages 3, 4 and 7 sponsored by Major Projects Canberra > Outstanding ACT Government Project: Guideline ACT
Curtin ACT Healthy Waterways sponsored by Major
Projects Canberra > Outstanding ACT Government Project: Huon
Contractors ACT Healthy Waterways FW019 -
Narrabundah sponsored by Major Projects Canberra > WH&S - Civil: Huon Contractors Taxi Bravo Extension sponsored by PSC Insurance Brokers
NAMING SPONSOR MAJOR SPONSORS CORPORATE SPONSORS SUPPORTING SPONSORS
CIVIL SUBCONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR WINNER: Downer EDI Works Sponsored by NAB
Downer EDI Works have delivered a number of outstanding projects around Canberra including the Horse Park Drive Duplication, the Majura Parkway Project and the ACT spray sealing contract. Downer EDI Works pride themselves on the quality of their work and their program delivery. They are focused on innovation and delivering their work with high standards of work health and safety practices. Part of their innovative work involves their ground-breaking surfacing technique which involves the use of Toner Seal, Reconophalt and Low Carbon Asphalt, amongst other innovative solutions. Downer EDI Works are committed to maintaining high ethical standards for all stakeholders involved in their projects from suppliers to clients to their employees. Their commitment to display integrity and focus to deliver client satisfaction has cemented their longevity in the industry. PROJECT VALUE UP TO $2 MILLION WINNER: RAM Constructions Town Centre Improvements Kambah Village Sponsored by Able Landscaping
Through extensive planning and outstanding workmanship, RAM constructions delivered the Town Centre Improvements Kambah Village project. The project involved substantial demolition work and improvements to the lighting, carpark, amenities, playgrounds and landscaping around the Kambah Village precinct. One of the challenges they faced was that the shopping centre needed to remain fully operational throughout the entire project. RAM Constructions skilfully combated this challenge by creating a staged program with detailed pedestrian and traffic management. This allowed the team to safely continue construction while also ensuring they met the client’s requirements. RAM Constructions delivered detailed planning and design by creating the first open space waterplay area in the ACT. PROJECT VALUE $2 MILLION TO $5 MILLION WINNER: Guideline ACT Curtin ACT Healthy Waterways Sponsored by Boral
This project involved two stages of restoring and stabilising the embankment between Cotter Road and McCulloch Street, which involved installing mass block walls, renovating rock mattresses, and stabilising planting. The team cleverly installed custom valves to allow for pumping out of any low points along the job site. The soft centre of the channel presented a challenge because of the initial plan of using heavy concrete agitators. The team overcame this challenge through innovative thinking and scheduling the concrete to be delivered to each site in segments and using a 24-tonne excavator that had tracks that evenly distributed weight. This smart thinking greatly reduced the onsite risks for the team and the project overall.
PROJECT VALUE $5 MILLION TO $10 MILLION WINNER: Chincivil Hume West Stage 2B Sponsored by Civil Construction Hire
Using innovative and sustainable practices, Chincivil constructed the Hume West Stage 2B Industrial Subdivision. This involved establishing the site, demolition works, road establishment as well as streetscape landscaping works.One of the challenges that arose during the project was the discovery of two areas of subsurface water. Chincivil incorporated individually designed drainage blanket layers to maintain the integrity of the pavement structure and design. Another challenge that arose during construction was the asphalt pavement depth being deeper than the concrete kerb. Chincivil mitigated this issue by extending the gravel layer under the kerb by one metre and installing additional erosion protection measures. Chincivil successfully screened 93,000m3 of stockpiled material from previous construction stages and were able to reuse a significant portion of this material. OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN CIVIL CONSTRUCTION WINNER: Alysha Obst BMD Constructions Sponsored by Ginninderry
Alysha is a project engineer at BMD construction and she has held an integral role with the company for thirteen years. She is currently working as the project engineer for BMD Constructions work on the Taylor Estate project. Alysha started at the company on a work experience placement and once she completed her studies with honours, she was offered a full-time job with BMD Constructions as a project engineer. Throughout her time working for BMD Constructions, her employers say Alysha consistently challenges stereotypes and she turns challenges into opportunities. She leads her team by example and consistently displays the qualities and values of an outstanding leader. Alysha is a valued part of the BMD Constructions team because of her open communication and championing to create a collaborative team. She focuses on delivering the best project results while also maintaining workplace safety. WH&S - CIVIL WINNER: Complex Co Bridge Maintenance 2019-2020 Sponsored by PSC Insurance Brokers
With a keen focus on Work Health and Safety Practices, Complex Co completed the Bridge Maintenance 2019-2020 project. The project involved repairs to existing bridge fixtures and additional improvements to five bridges across the ACT. Complex Co displayed dedication to creating safe work practices, by introducing illuminated and flashing personal protective equipment onsite. This innovative clothing is battery operated and rechargeable, which eliminates the reliance on bright external lighting. The team also placed red laser exclusion zone lighting for more visibility. The ACT was on a bushfire alert during the project, which caused smoke to affect the air quality around the capital. Complex Co ensured the health and safety of their workers, by regularly contacting the ACT Emergency Services Agency, to stay informed about the air quality and their proximity to the bushfires.
OUTSTANDING ACT GOVERNMENT PROJECT WINNER: Construction Control and GHD Group ACT Healthy Waterways Sponsored by Major Projects Canberra
The project is a joint initiative between the Federal and ACT Governments to protect, improve and increase the longterm water quality and sustainability of ACT waterways. The project involved the construction of 19 unique water quality control systems using three different water quality control methods. One of the key priorities for the project was to reuse material, which included creating the largest bioretention garden in the southern hemisphere from geosynthetic clay liners made out of recycled clay to help retain water. The teams also reused 54,000m3 of onsite topsoil, and the project was awarded the Excellence in Design Rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council Australia (ISCA). PROJECT VALUE $10 MILLION TO $30 MILLION WINNER: Woden Contractors Molonglo 3 Roads and Intersections Sponsored by Capital Asphalt
The project involved the updating of the 900m Coppins Crossing Road to the new roadway known as John Gorton Drive, as well as updating the intersection of William Hovell Drive. The project involved approximately 120,000m3 of earthworks, over 200m of trench installed, seven major road crossings and over 900m of pipe being laid. The project team were able to stockpile 90,000m3 of material from the earthworks for the client to use on future projects. Careful planning was used to minimise traffic disruption to the busy roadways, which included laying asphalt overnight to reduce disruption to commuters and create the best quality finish for the client. PROJECT VALUE $30 MILLION TO $75 MILLION WINNER: Huon Contractors, Calibre Group and Riverview Projects, Ginninderry Stage 1 project Sponsored by Capital Asphalt
This project involved the construction of 356 residential dwellings, road upgrades to Drake Brockman Drive, the construction of a display village and the construction of a 40m deep sewer vortex. This project was significant to the ACT because a number of firsts happened for the capital including the installation of the largest sewer vortex in the southern hemisphere, the successful trial of the High Efficiency Sediment basin and the development of a specific environmental management plan for this project. This project demonstrates excellence in construction through the 12km of detailed, aesthetic saw cuts along the over 6,000m2 of concrete paving.
