Justin Humphrey Architects

Good design takes time. It’s about ensuring what we create together will enhance your daily experience for decades to come.

While every project is unique, understanding the typical stages helps set expectations for the journey ahead.

01 — Initial Consultation & Brief Development

We begin by understanding not just what you need, but how you live. This involves detailed conversations about your daily patterns, long-term aspirations, and what home means to you. We'll visit your site together, understanding its context, climate, and potential.

A rigorous and thorough process of developing and sometimes challenging your Brief is critical to creating a rich and considered project.

02 — Concept Design

Working from our detailed brief, we explore spatial arrangements and relationships. This is where the big ideas emerge, where we test different approaches and priorities, and where the Brief is tested against the budget. Initially you will see floorplans, sketches and diagrams often drawn by hand. This process is about establishing quality and developing potential.

Concept Design is a collaborative and iterative process. Through regular meetings, design ideas will be further tested and refined together until we have a clear and exciting project direction.

03 — Design Development & Approvals

The approved concept is refined and further developed. Construction methods and materials are considered, spaces are fine-tuned and technical aspects are explored and resolved. This is where those moments of delight are carefully crafted into the design.

Big picture interior design ideas start developing and the architectural documentation set develops alongside the building in preparation for any required approvals.

04 — Construction Documentation & Builder

This is where we complete the full set of drawings and specifications required to get your building priced and start construction. Every detail is considered and drawn, ensuring builders can accurately realise the design intent and the risk of costly mistakes on site is reduced.

Whether you are going for a traditional tendering method or a more progressive pricing process with a selected builder, we will guide you through until a contract is signed. This process is important as we want to select a builder that shares our values around quality and craftmanship, and is as excited about the project as you are.

05 — Construction 

During construction, we're actively involved, conducting site visits, updating you on progress, and working with the builder to maintain design integrity. Things on site don’t always go exactly as planned, so we're there to answer site questions, resolve details, and manage both the contract and relationship between you and the builder.

06 — Completion & Beyond

The relationship doesn't end when you move in. We remain available for ongoing dialogue about how your house is performing and to help with any questions you may have about caring for and maintaining the building. We invest a huge amount of ourselves into our projects, so we often maintain a close and ongoing relationship with past clients.

Photography

For us, every project is a very personal journey with our clients.

The project has been designed with them, for them, and we like to encourage clients to be a big part of the photoshoot at the end of a project. This is a fantastic way to end the process and a reminder that the architecture is all about the people who will live in it.

Our approach shapes both how we work and what we design.

Our studio is a collection of talented and passionate creatives that simply love what they do.

It is an environment where serious work happens, but the process itself is enjoyable. This approach extends to everyone we work with — clients, consultants, and builders.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and pay our respects to elders past and present. Our studio is located on Yugambeh land.

Justin Humphrey - Director
Registered Architect with the RAIA in QLD, NSW and VIC
M Arch / Queensland University of Technology

Sam Merrett - Architect
M Arch / Griffith University

Brittney Towse - Architect

M Arch / Griffith University

Tim Cornish - Architect
M Arch / Queensland University of Technology

Jana Moore - Studio Coordinator 

Digital Media

Grand Designs Australia Corso House 

The Local Project Hume House 

ArchitectureAU The Cottage 

Vogue Living
The Cove House

realestate.com.au
The Cove House

The Local Project
The Cove House

The Design Files
The Cove House

ArchitectureAU
The Cove House

Opumo
The Cove House

ArchDaily
The Cove House

Eco Outdoor
The Cove House

Indulge
Cabbage Tree House

Print Media

Houses #155 The Cottage

Grand Designs #9.5
December 2020
The Cove House

Urbis #109
April 2019
The Cove House

Houses #127
March 2019
The Cove House

Grand Designs #8.1
February 2019
Cabbage Tree House