Creatively contemporary

Why follow trends for out-dated styles when your home can be as unique as you are?

Words Kate Innes

Photography Jen Dainer

Gold Coast Architect Ben Parker has been creating exceptional buildings for homes and businesses for over 20 years.

He is a passionate advocate for the value of contemporary design and nothing pleases him more than seeing his clients’ lives transformed by the buildings he creates.

Ben’s philosophy is: “If you’re looking to buy a car, you want the latest model with the best that contemporary design has to offer. Why would it be any different with a house?”

That’s the beauty of contemporary design. Design without rules; design that embraces

lessons learnt in the past but with an eye firmly fixed on the future; design that seeks to continually improve and evolve the quality of our life and experience now.

“It’s exciting, and that’s what I love about my work as an architect,” says Ben.

“There’s a wonderful freedom that comes with losing the need to conform, and I think that’s what people are looking for when they choose a contemporary architect.

“They want something as unique as they are; something that reflects their family, their environment and their lifestyle. Not another templated design that could be built on any site anywhere in Australia.

“It’s refreshing to see and certainly a far cry from the conservative social norms of previous generations, including mine.”

Ben recalls life back in the 80’s, when he envisioned himself living in the same kind of homes that most of us lived in. He’d never even seen a truly modern house, let alone set foot in one.

Then came university and the endless doors of possibility that contemporary architecture opened. For Ben, it was a revelation.

“That was 25 years ago and now I have the pleasure of exploringthat magical world with my wonderful clients every day. It’s anexciting journey and incredibly rewarding for everyone involved.

“I studied architecture in Brisbane in the early 90’s and soughtexperience in a number of small, local practices after graduating.It was a deliberate decision to immerse myself in a completearchitectural experience – something often missing in big offices.

“In 2002, I became a registered architect and travelled overseas,working for a time in a Mancunian firm in Glasgow. It was largeinstitutional work and, while enormously challenging, lacked thekind of intimacy and excitement I felt on smaller projects.”

After returning to Brisbane in a partnership role, Ben establishedhis own practice in 2012. While the focus of the office is definitelyhousing, he still undertakes some boutique commercial and publicwork, such as the recently completed amenities block at The Spit.

In 2017 Ben relocated his home and office to the Gold Coast,a fantastic move and now, every day still feels like a holiday.

“The city is constantly maturing and evolving, and I love being a part of that vibrant energy. It’s the kind of energy that also underpins the philosophy and work of my practice.”

From the earliest conceptual phase of a project, through detaileddocumentation and into construction, Ben’s focus is always ondelivering an exceptional outcome.

“Clients sometimes make the mistake of assuming that betteroutcomes are driven by bigger budgets, but it’s the quality ofthinking applied to the process that really matters.

“You can have two homes on neighbouring blocks, with identicalbudgets and materials. One will leave you with an extraordinaryexperience and the other won’t.

“That’s the impact of great design. It responds to climateand outlook; connectivity between spaces; shape and volume;integration with the landscape and use of materials – and it doesthis in innovative and delightful ways.

“That quality of experience transforms your quality of life, aswell as the value of the property. This is what you’re investing inwhen you engage an architect.”

Ben says he’s fortunate to attract clients who understand andvalue that investment. Without that understanding there’s no trust,and without trust you can never achieve a great result.

“Like all good partnerships, it’s the quality of the relationshipthat counts and this extends to every profession on the project:surveyors, engineers, planners, certifiers and builders.

“When you have a great team, the project’s a dream. That’sthe way every project should be.”

benparkerarchitecture.com