A Pavilion Between Trees by Branch Studio Architects

BRAD WRAY

[DIRECTOR]
[ARCHITECT ARBV]

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE [FIRST CLASS HONOURS]
RMIT UNIVERSITY 2007

CO-FOUNDER OF BRANCH STUDIO ARCHITECTS, BRAD’S ARCHITECTURAL INTERESTS DEMONSTRATE A STRONG SENSIBILITY TOWARDS AN ‘IDEAS DRIVEN ARCHITECTURE’, ‘FOUND OBJECTS’ ARE OFTEN USED AS A CATALYST FOR EXPLORING CONNECTIONS TO SITE, CONTEXT, CLIENT & CULTURE OF PLACE. THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE EVOLVED FROM THESE INTERESTS HAVE LED TO THE WINNING OF A SERIES OF DESIGN AWARDS FOR THE PRACTICE.

PRIOR TO STARTING BRANCH STUDIO ARCHITECTS, BRAD WORKED IN DESIGN AND PROJECT ARCHITECT ROLES ON A BROAD VARIETY OF PROJECT SCALES & PROJECT TYPES SUCH AS SMALL RESIDENTIAL & HIGH-END RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS TO SPECIALIST HEALTHCARE AND LEARNING FACILITIES.

BRAD COMPLETED HIS ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES AT RMIT IN 2007 COMPLETING A BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE WITH FIRST CLASS HONOURS. IN 2004 BRAD STUDIED ABROAD FOR A PERIOD AT THE ACCADEMIA DI ARCHITETTURA IN MENDRISIO, SWITZERLAND/ITALY, UNDER PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTS AIRES MATEUS AND TO GREAT DELIGHT, WAS ALSO ACCEPTED INTO SWISS MASTER – PETER ZUMTHOR`S DESIGN ATELIER.  THIS EXPERIENCE WAS INTEGRAL TO BRAD`S FOUNDATIONAL YEARS BEFORE RETURNING AND GAINING INVALUABLE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE WITH SHANE MURRAY & JOHN WARDLE ARCHITECTS FOR THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF YEARS IN MELBOURNE.

BRAD HAS BEEN A DESIGN STUDIO GUEST CRITIC, AS WELL AS ASSISTING IN WORKSHOPS FOR NEW PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AT RMIT UNIVERSITY, MONASH & MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.

NICHOLAS RUSSO

[DIRECTOR]
[ARCHITECT ARBV]

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
RMIT UNIVERSITY 2007

CO-FOUNDER OF BRANCH STUDIO ARCHITECTS, NICK`S ARCHITECTURAL INTERESTS GRAVITATE TOWARD PROJECTS WHICH DISPLAY A STRONG SCULPTURAL INTENT.

THESE INTERESTS HAVE LEAD TO NICK GAINING MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE REALISATION OF A SERIES OF BUILT RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL SCALE PROJECTS INCLUDING THE AQUEDUCT HOUSE AND THE BRIDGE HOUSE (NICK`S OWN HOUSE IN WHICH HE DESIGNED, PROJECT MANAGED AND PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN CONSTRUCTING HIMSELF).

FORMERLY A MEMBER OF ORCHARD DESIGN SCULPTURE STUDIO, NICK ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE WORKING ON LARGER PROJECTS HAVING COMPLETED LITURGICAL AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS SUCH AS THE NEW FACILITY FOR TOBIN BROTHERS FUNERALS IN ROSEBUD AND THE ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE CHAPEL AT SALESIAN COLLEGE IN CHADSTONE.

NICK DISPLAYS A HANDS ON APPROACH TO HIS ARCHITECTURE AND PAST EXPERIENCES HAVE ENSURED A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. NICK ENJOYS GETTING ON SITE TO OBSERVE A BUILDING BEING BROUGHT TO LIFE AND BELIEVES THAT ESTABLISHING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CONTRACTORS ON SITE IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL REALISATION OF A BUILT PROJECT. THE RESULT OF THIS IMPORTANT METHODOLOGY IS CLEAR IN NICK`S COLLABORATION WITH THE BUILDER/CONTRACTOR ON THE ‘PUMP HOUSE’ WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY RECOGNISED AND PUBLISHED.

HAVING PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN A SCULPTURE STUDIO, NICK HAS ALSO DEVELOPED A PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING OF MATERIALITY AND FORM AS WELL AS GRASPING THE POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS WHEN DESIGNING FOR THE FABRICATION INDUSTRY. NICK HAS BROUGHT THIS EXPERTISE ACROSS INTO HIS ARCHITECTURAL WORK, COMMISSIONING AND COORDINATING THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF MANY ONE-OFF FEATURE PIECES WITHIN HIS BUILDINGS INCLUDING DISTINCT FEATURE DOORS, UNIQUE STAIR CASES AND CUSTOM FIRE PLACES.