Drawing inspiration from a lifetime of exploring Tasmania’s lush and rugged landscape on foot, Cumulus Studio’s latest completed project has been shaped by the trail less travelled. As passionate bushwalkers and enthusiasts of Tasmania’s Wilderness, the vision for West Hobart House emerged from the client’s deep connection to the land. With a palette reflecting the colours, tones, and textures reminiscent of Tasmania’s iconic bushwalking huts, Tasmanian Oak was chosen to help establish warmth and a connection to the beloved memories created along some of Tasmania’s treasured bushwalking trails.

Set in Hobart’s outer suburb of Midway Point sits the newly designed and renovated Lady Gowrie Early Learning Centre. Originally built in the 1970s, the red-orange brick building required an update to deinstitutionalize the space. The brief was to create an atmosphere that would ease the anxieties of children and parents, fostering an environment that’s equal parts inviting and inspiring. Calling on the expertise of Tasmanian architecture practice Cumulus Studio, the centre has been reimagined establishing a strong connection to the natural environment through design and material selection. Grounded in principles of sustainable design, the centre challenges the existing model of Australia’s child care centres and places Tasmanian Oak at the fore.

Emerging architects Liz Walsh and Alex Nielsen have been busy launching their newly formed lutruwita/Hobart practice, SO:Architecture. Taking a nontraditional approach, SO:Architecture offers a highly collaborative design process, placing value on slow architecture and welcoming clients to challenge the brief to help understand and reveal opportunities within the design process. Using this method in their first project completed under the newly formed studio, Harriet’s House embodied the thought, collaboration, care, and high level of craft the project demanded to achieve its award-winning results. Located in Launceston on the lands of the Stoney Creek Nation, Tasmania, the extension to the heritage-listed Georgian cottage seamlessly combines two materials; locally sourced brick and Tasmanian Timber, strategically linking the project to place and the state’s proud manufacturing history.

Melbourne architect Wilko Doehring has always held a long appreciation for modernist architecture. Born in Germany, his admiration for the Bauhaus movement translated to a love for Australia’s adaptation of mid-century architecture. So, when a light-filled property in Melbourne’s Beaumaris neighbourhood came onto the market, he and his wife acted quickly to secure one of its prized mid-century dwellings. As with many homes in this suburb, the three-bedroom house was compact, yet meticulously designed for maximum efficiency. Stripping the home to its core without compromising the integrity of its original charms, the couple were pleased to uncover Tasmanian Oak as the feature timber chosen nearly seventy years prior.

Studio ZAWA is a Sydney-based architecture studio formed by architects Brian Zulaikha and Colebee Wright. With a focus on creating residential projects that boast texture, quality and craftsmanship, their latest project, Darling Point Apartment, fulfills this ethos- and then some. With a lifetime of travels and treasures to inform the brief for the reconfiguration of the 60s era apartment, a unique yet carefully restrained palette of materials makes up the sleek interior that reflect some of the client’s most cherished moments.

Originally built in Hobart’s Battery Point neighbourhood in 1914, Laroona House required an update that would accommodate modern living, while retaining the charm and history of the Federation Arts and Crafts style architecture of the home. The extension and alteration needed to create a more functional space, which was achieved by opening the interior up to create better flow and harmony between rooms with an infusion of natural light and a cohesive integration to the backyard garden. Honouring the existing material palette and period features, Hobart architecture studio Biotope Architecture and Interiors, selected Tasmanian Oak to help form a minimal yet warm and cozy connection between the old and new.

Following the opening of the University of Tasmania’s Inveresk Library by Wardle in early 2022, the second major building in the Northern Transformation Program is now complete. Designed as a pairing to the Willis Street Building, “The Shed”, to be completed in 2024, the latest building opened to students, staff, and the Tasmanian public in July 2023. With its sleek geometric lines and industrial exterior referencing the existing architecture of the area, the interior reveals a delightfully unexpected material palette. The brief and goals of the project required a material low in embodied carbon, a material that would challenge the traditional aesthetic of institutional settings and one that would support local Tasmanian jobs and businesses. The material chosen for meeting and surpassing these requirements? Tasmanian Oak.

Creating a handful of beautifully considered and finely constructed projects across the state of Tasmania, emerging architect Saxon Hall has been busy honing his craft in architecture & design for the last decade. Prior to establishing his own part-time practice Saxon Hall Architecture, Hall previously worked at one of Hobart’s leading architecture studios Morrison & Breytenbach Architects, where his inspiration to explore the limits and applications of Tasmanian Oak was ignited. Collaborating with a breadth of designers and tradespeople on his latest project, We Ponder House, Hall’s passion for using products low in embodied energy called for the use of Tasmanian Oak. Sustainability was also top of mind. As a nod to the state’s extensive use of the prized local timber in agriculture sheds that spot the scenic landscape – Tasmanian Oak was used for the home’s exterior but done with a modern and abstract twist.

Winner of the 2023 Tasmanian Emerging Architect Prize, architect Scott Flett from Flett Architecture is making waves amongst Australia’s architecture and design community. His latest project, Wattle Bird House, has also been on the receiving end of numerous awards for its innovative design and casually luxurious feel. With layer upon layer of intricate detail demonstrating Flett’s extensive knowledge of building and design, his tenacious pursuit in pushing the boundaries of materials and conventional architecture is showcased throughout this proudly Tasmanian home.

Purchased in 2020 in Geelong Victoria by architect George Meek and his partner, the restoration and extension of Murphy’s Place was a practice of cohesion between the old and new. Incorporating a range of textures and materials to establish a defined delineation between the existing cottage and the new form, the playful update of the cottage is a beautiful showcase of fine detail, timeless material selection and expert design.

Bream Creek is a hidden pocket of Tasmania’s East Coast that leaves a long-lasting impression on its visitors and to those who call it home. Whether you’re visiting the bustling and treasured farmers market on the first Sunday of the month or taking a leisurely walk along the pristine shores of Marion Bay Beach, the area’s idyllic rolling hills and majestic coast line are world class. And its treasures don’t stop at the scenery and markets.

Not one to shy away from locally sourced and natural building materials, FMD Architects’ most recent residential project is a jewel set amongst the 19th century terrace houses in Melbourne’s inner north. Aptly named Tiara House, the renovated two-story Victorian terrace has received an update fit for a queen. Its sculpture-like crown form at the rear of the building offers a playful yet regal shape. Inside, splashes of bold colour are met with the haptic textures of the home’s original charms, an exquisite selection of marble and varying forms of the material FMD Architects’ return to again and again- Tasmanian Oak.

Resting at the northern end of Tasmania’s Tamar Valley sits the newly formed winery, Westella Vineyard. Taking advantage of the area’s cool climate to specialise in 100% Pinot Noir, sparkling and red wines, the vineyard chose the Northern Tasmanian design and construct team, My Build Collective, to create a cellar door for guests to sample their fine wines and carefully curated Tasmanian tasting menu. To match their hyperlocal offerings, Tasmanian Oak, milled just minutes away from the site, was used to construct an intimate space for guests to peacefully sip and soak up the picturesque views.

Hobart based architecture firm Studio Ilk takes pride in creating and executing functional, enduring and sustainable designs. With a specialty in crafting bespoke spaces for her residential and commercial clients, Principal Kate Symons has nurtured her relationships with Hobart’s trade and craftspeople to help create spaces that exceed her client’s expectations. Delivering timeless designs that are both forward in function and aesthetically beautiful, two of Studio Ilk’s latest projects are superior examples of their signature client focused design approach.

David Rowlinson is on a mission to help create lasting and significant behavior change in the fight to protect our environment. With a background in architecture and building engineering, David has spent much of his career in the building product sector, increasingly focusing on the environmental impacts of building and building products. Now with Australia’s most trusted environmental organisation, Planet Ark, David is the program manager for their ‘Make it Wood’ campaign. Designed to encourage the increased use of responsibly sourced wood as a building material and other household items, the campaign argues responsibly sourced, certified wood is the only building material that helps tackle climate change.

Thinking Paddock by Open Creative Studio is a private family residence located 40 minutes outside of Hobart in the rural community of Sandford. This stunning outer-lying suburb is breathtaking, offering its residents spectacular views of the pristine Tasmanian landscape. The house is situated to face northwest over Ralph’s Bay, Droughty Point and in the distance, Kunanyi/Mount Wellington proudly rests. A project especially important to Open Creative Studio Principal, Daniel Moore, the home was designed as his parents “last house” and is a celebration of family heritage and the raw and natural state of this cherished pocket of land.

Celebrating ten years as Bence Mulcahy, the Tasmanian based architecture firm has had a busy decade creating new forms in some of Tasmania’s oldest and most iconic locations. Founders Sophie Bence and Shamus Mulcahy built their partnership out of a shared love for great design while pursing what some say to be the most important job of all: the role of parents. The pair sought balance in their working environments, each growing their own young families, whist being drawn to push boundaries in Tasmanian architecture.

Constantly striving to push the boundaries to deliver projects that are different and unique is the driving motivation for Nathan Wundersitz, Owner and Design Director of South Australian firm SpaceCraft Joinery.

The Timber Veneer Association of Australia’s (TVAA) members have recently returned home from a Veneer Manufacturing tour of Northern Tasmania. Association members, who include some of the country’s leading furniture, component manufacturers and timber veneer manufacturers left with a thorough understanding of production and environmental credentials of Tasmania’s veneer industry, and an appreciation for the complexity and value of the sector.

“Simplicity, carried to an extreme, becomes elegance,” said Pulitzer Prize winner John Franklin. This quote resounds in the simple and rich spaces designed by Tasmania’s Plain Architecture, eloquently expressed in Cataract Gorge House, the place founding partner and Director Clare Steen calls home.

It started with a bold idea. It progressed because of an unwavering belief that it could be done. And in June 2021 the newly branded Cusp Building Solutions launched the first certified plantation hardwood CLT in the world. From a resource traditionally used for woodchips, Cusp now creates a range of mass timber elements for the built environment. Cusp is now set to relocate to a larger manufacturing facility to enable an immediate increase in production of 100% with further increases planned for the medium and long term. 

Set in Melbourne’s lively and eclectic neighborhood of Brunswick sits the newly renovated Victorian Era cottage, Peek House. Amongst the area’s upbeat pubs and abundant eateries, the home is a light and bright oasis that offers its residents a minimal and calming palette to take refuge from the bustling streets within arm’s reach. Before Peek House’s transformation, the home’s original footprint had been haphazardly added on to over the years and was in desperate need of a renovation to bring the charming cottage up to date. Seddon based Kuzman Architecture was called upon to take on the task, masterfully marrying the cottage’s old charm with modern forms.

Originally built in the 1980s for use as a family home in Hobart’s suburb of Mt. Nelson, Nelson House was in much need of an update. With the children now grown and out of the house, the retired owners wanted to create an oasis that they would be able to call home for the next chapter of their lives. With sustainability at the front of all design decisions, the couple chose to keep the existing house but wanted a complete overhaul and restructure of the interior. Calling upon the help of Rosa Douramanis from Hobart architecture studio Biotope, the home has received a bright and sunny update that capitalises on both natural light and natural materials.

On the edge of the river Derwent, in one of Tasmania’s most sought-after suburbs, sits 720 Sandy Bay Road. It is a newly developed residence with carefully curated materials that reflect both the history of the original home and the colours from the sweeping views of the silvery grey water it observes.  

For Ha Architecture, with every new build, interior, or urban design comes the opportunity to embed the ideas of longevity and small-footprint living. From custom residential builds to large-scale commercial, there’s always an opportunity for Ha Architecture to infuse their sense of lasting design into a project. We recently caught up with Ha Architecture Principal, Nick Harding, to discuss some of their latest projects, where the common thread is crafting a design that its patrons or inhabitants will cherish now and for years to come. 

The lure of Tasmania’s rugged beauty has retained a strong hold on designers, artists, craftspeople and holidaymakers alike. The island’s innate connection to the earth and its elements has captured hearts, frequently informing design decisions and occasionally calling its admirers to settle into its majestic landscape and make a home amongst its rolling hills, crashing waves and lush canopies. With a desire to be amongst Tasmania’s beautiful chaos, residential designer and founder of the newly formed home design studio Habiter Studio, Daniel Colthorpe, made the tree change to Hobart six years ago. His latest project reflects his deep connection to his Tassie home and pays homage to his favourite building material- timber.

The Hunter Valley in New South Wales is one of Australia’s renowned winegrowing regions. Home to some of the country’s finest cellar doors, it’s viticultural history dates to the early 20th century. Included in this rich history of fine wine making is the award-winning Mount Pleasant Wines by founder and wine-maker Maurice O’Shea. Committed to his craft, O’Shea’s legacy has set a high standard for modern Australian winemaking bolstered by each bottle’s elegance, balance and longevity. Having last been updated in the early nineties, the winery needed a makeover to match the wine’s valued reputation. Having received countless awards for their designs revamping hospitality venues home and abroad, the team at Luchetti Krelle was put to the task of bringing the winery to match the calibre of its wine production, and the result is nothing short of breathtaking.

Nestled in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Forest Lodge rests one of Carter Williamson Architects latest projects, Pompei. Playing with a soft and luxurious palette filled with flowing textures and rounded shapes, the Pompei update brought life back into a Victorian-era terrace, returning the home to its former glory.

Longevity in architectural design is a concept that’s never been more important. Our cities continue to expand, while the great minds of today look for long-term solutions to climate change. In this context, consideration for sustainable materials used in the built environment is essential. The right materials create communities, buildings and infrastructure that are both aesthetically pleasing and built to last. Melbourne architecture studio Ha Architecture are helping lead this call to what true longevity in our residences, offices, and community means.

Three Capes Cabin is a tribute to place and one man’s tenacity. It was love at first sight when the brawns and brains behind the Tasman Peninsula build, Daniel Bush, first visited the area five years ago. Near his cabin lies a treasure trove of secret coves and Port Arthur’s historical ruins. Along the coastline, Antarctic swells smash against the ancient dolerite cliffs of the Three Capes Track, one of the most renowned multi-day walks in Australia. It took Daniel’s breath away, and that’s exactly why he sought to build, quite literally, Three Capes Cabin – so guests could detox from their working lives and drink in the peninsula’s beauty.

His and Her House is the unity of two clients’ dream homes, each engaging FMD Architects for their separate builds before amalgamating on a third. The 158 m² home in Melbourne’s Clifton Hill is modest in size but uses clever geometry to create scale.

Like a baroque painting, 3 Peaks Haus is bursting with character. The Willunga home leans into abstract expressionism through various materials, contours and colours.

The new headquarters for health insurance company St Luke’s Health is a building ahead of its time. The 5,500sqm Launceston project will be the most sustainable and carbon-positive office development in Tasmania, and the targeted 40% reduction in carbon will make it one of the first Net Zero Carbon projects in Australia.

When tasked with designing the University of Tasmania’s new Cradle Coast Campus in Burnie, John Wardle Architects, Philp Lighton Architects and Room 11 knew the building had to evoke a sense of calm while still looking visually striking. Tasmanian timber was the answer.

Specifying, building or renovating? When it comes to stability, reliability and striking appearance for timber flooring, you can’t look past Tasmanian Oak. Tasmanian Oak is a popular interior timber choice, be it for panelling, furniture or flooring. Warm, dense and recognised for its excellent staining qualities, this highly resilient timber gives off a smooth, lustrous finish.

Five Yards House was the catalyst for Archier Director Josh FitzGerald to build his own home, Casa Acton. Josh and his partner Millie’s moveable masterpiece, nestled in Acton bushland, “questions the purpose of architecture and its relationship with the natural world” and shares similar, cost-efficient materials and design.

If you want to make an interior space burst with character, look no further than the alluring design of the Sand Castle for inspiration. Studio Yugen’s Creative Director Georgina Twyford opted for Tasmanian Oak as the centrepiece of this luxe, light-drenched Queensland home. Porta’s Strata Tasmanian Oak Lining Boards run vertically up the hallway to meet the kitchen and adjacent living area. Georgina breaks down her interior design methodology for this stunning home renovation.

Residential and commercial, heritage and contemporary, Fusilier Cottage is one of the most complex yet stunning ‘beasts’ architect Shamus Mulcahy has ever tamed.

Phil Vanier’s leap from television commercials producer to furniture and cabinetry maker is about as big as it gets. But dig a little deeper and you start to uncover a common thread – a passion for craft, be it tangible or digital.

Forming what was once part of Tasmania’s largest industrial site, Launceston’s Inveresk area is fast becoming the beating, cultural heart of the city. The redevelopment of the precinct area is the single largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history, and as part of the University of Tasmania’s transition to the area, the latest project to be unveiled is the new Inveresk Library.

Melbourne design week is an annual showcase of the best collectible contemporary design in Australia. It is the event for Australia’s leading designers to exhibit their work. Within the many exhibits Friends and Associates curated a collection of works around the narrative self-portrait – inviting 22 leading creatives to ‘tell us who they are in this moment’ representing themselves in a single project. Jon Goulder and Henry Williams chose Cusp CLT to design a minimalist table to showcase a collection of ceramics and tableware – “a grown-up response to a world where there is too much design”.

Several countries were so impressed by Cusp at Expo 2020 Dubai that the innovative Tasmanian timber company has been invited to speak at international forums tasked with looking at the decarbonisation of building materials.

Tasmanian Timber will be at Melbourne’s Equinox Evolution on Thursday, 30 June 2022. Come and meet industry expert Greg Nolan and see our award-winning stall.

There’s been an increased demand for products sourced from Tasmanian-managed forests both through and post the pandemic, says Britton Timber’s Shawn Britton.

Tasmanian architecture practice Core Collective Architects have a love of materials in their raw state and Director Ryan Strating says solid timber is the gold standard. Working alongside Drew Edwards, Director at BYA Architects, their recently launched project the Lexus of Tasmania sales suite is a stunning example of how the use of timber can elevate a traditionally cold commercial space into one that is welcoming and comfortable with residential qualities. Inspired by the INTERSECT BY LEXUS luxury brand-experience concept, the new facility goes well beyond the concept of a traditional sales centre by projecting the Lexus brand promise at every touchpoint.

Honing their craft over the last fourteen years and overseeing more than 230 projects, architect Sally Timmins and building designer David Whyte have led the way on some of Australia’s most charming home builds and meticulous commercial projects. Backed by a small team of equally passionate architects and designers, Timmins+Whyte have proved through their timeless, nature centric designs that they’re here to stay and make their mark on Australian Architecture. Catching up with Tasmanian born Co-founder and Director, Sally Timmins, she takes us through their most recent build, 10 Fold House.

Four years after the debut of the Innate Collection, a furniture range by Adelaide-based designer-maker Jon Goulder and Sydney design retailer Fiona Lyda, the design powerhouses are back at it again, releasing the second iteration of the Innate collection- Innate 2.0.

There’s no denying that natural products in our homes and workplaces bring a sense of ease and calmness into a space. A locally and  sustainably sourced natural material offers additional peace of mind when specifying for a new project fit-out or dream home renovation. The latest product from Neville Smith Forest Products, Abelwood Evolution Lining, offers both- beautiful timber lining profiles that are also sustainably sourced from PEFC certified Tasmanian Oak.

Last speaking to Tasmanian born furniture designer maker Brodie Neill following his exhibit of the highly talked about ReCoil table at London Craft Week in late 2021, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Neill again at Melbourne Design Week.

What do you get when you combine two of Australia’s great design minds with over twenty-five of Victoria and Tasmania’s top makers? Relatively Useful. A collection of twenty-five objects designed by John Wardle and Simon Lloyd and expertly crafted by some of Australia’s leading craftspeople. Making its debut at Melbourne Design Week at the Heide Museum of Modern Art at the end of March, and now open until the third of April.

The breathtaking ‘Meisner on the Park’ is an award-winning kitchen from Kate Anderson Design (KAD), a family-owned kitchen design business operating on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. With over 16 years’ experience in renovations and kitchen design Anderson has worked closely with cabinetmakers for the last seven years. Providing clients with a ‘difference in service’ that Anderson saw lacking within the industry, every project that arrives on her desk is special to work on, but her latest project, Meisner on the Park was especially close to her heart.

For Tasmanian Sarah Haberle, one could say design has always been in her blood. Having been a part owner of an architecture studio, teaching classes at a local design school and having mastered the art of renovating and flipping houses (12!) Sarah has always looked at interior spaces with intrigue. Turning her passion for transforming spaces into her own business three years ago, she established interior design studio, Design Frank. With the word ‘frank’ meaning honesty, Design Frank signifies the integrity of craft behind each of Sarah’s creations. Her thriving business has now taken Sarah around the state to help others fulfill their design desires and create their own personal dream homes.

Tasmania’s Derwent Entertainment Centre, constructed in 1989, is Tasmania’s largest capacity indoor multi-purpose venue accommodating up to 8,800 people. An agreement between the NBL and the Tasmanian Government has recently seen ‘the DEC’ refurbished into a world class arena that is now home to Tasmania’s first NBL team in 25 years. The $66 million refurbishment has transformed ‘the DEC’ into a world class sports and entertainment facility, with the venue rebranded as MyState Bank Arena. We spoke to Thomas Floyd from Philp Lighton Architects and Mark Millhouse from Voss about how they used Tasmanian timber to create the transformation.

Studio Ferri is an award-winning boutique interior design studio based in nipaluna/Hobart, Tasmania. Meticulously crafting interiors for over 9 years, Director and Principal Claire Ferri’s work is highly regarded and known to make a statement. We recently caught up with Claire to find more about the celebrated Tasmanian project, the Triabunna Spring Bay Mill. Bringing her signature human-centric focus into the project, Claire explains what the collaboration involved and the importance of specifying the local favourite- Tasmanian Oak.

The last two years have looked quite different for everyone, but the inability to travel has been consistent. For Tasmanian born Brodie Neill, who now lives and practices in London, he couldn’t travel to his beloved Island home, but he could bring Tasmania to London. Two years of extensive study has resulted in Neill producing a stunning table formed from Tasmanian timber veneer offcuts, which recently launched at London Craft Week. Now the ReCoil table that took two years to come to fruition is now being preparing for a global tour throughout 2022.

First built by convicts in 1852 to post the signalman of Mulgrave Battery in Hobart’s iconic Battery Point, Signalman’s Quarters has received many additions and alterations over the years. Having last been altered in the 1980’s, the home’s form had begun to morph into an array of periods of styles. Taking the opportunity to breathe new life into the building rich with history, 1+2 Architecture were engaged to celebrate the existing colonial architecture while carefully crafting a new space for contemporary living.

Setting up her Melbourne based practice, FMD Architects, over 15 years ago, Fiona Dunin has championed big design in small projects. As an interior designer and an architect, Dunin has merged her two disciplines to offer an integrated design approach. Working mainly on high-end residential and boutique commercial projects, FMD Architects has found their niche in small scale/bespoke. Dunin’s work has carried her across Australia and around the world, but her latest project was an honouring of both her and her client’s hometown- Melbourne.

In the heart of Melbourne’s CBD sits the charming neighbourhood of Windsor. Lush gardens spill over low fences and neighbours know one another by their first names (and likely have for decades). In the case of Henry Street, a strong sense of community also comes with a strong sense of design, especially for the owner of Henry Street Townhouses. Once occupied by a single dwelling home, the dated home was underutilizing. The coveted and central property gave the owner the idea to make the best use of the space and construct a two-unit ‘townhouse’. One belonging to the owner and the other for a lucky new resident ready to embrace the rich culture of the tight knit community – all in high style.

The recent IPCC report highlighted that we must urgently transition to a low carbon future. If Australia wants to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as per the Paris Agreement, it must reach net-zero emissions by 2035. With buildings accounting for around one fifth of Australia’s emissions when electricity use is taken into account, improving the sustainability of new and existing housing is low hanging fruit.

Bucking the trend of how a traditional pharmacy should look and feel, Astrid Dispensary has flipped the dated design concept on its head. Gone are the flashy price special stickers, blaring colours and stark white coats floating behind a counter you can’t see beyond. Astrid Dispensary is the latest and welcome addition to Melbourne’s Chapel Street that pushes the envelope of the modern-day pharmacy, inviting patients in with its friendly pharmacists, lush green walls and warm timber tones seen throughout the new space.

Converting an old, dark and tired retail space into an office setting that inspires employees and clients isn’t an easy task. Leave it to the experts at famed Hobart Architecture studio, Cumulus, to identify ample potential in the location and the existing building. Cumulus have transformed the once sad interior into an unrecognizable office space that not only inspires but offers comfort and warmth and matches the values of the business that now occupies the elevated new space.

A cruisy 50-minute drive outside of Hobart’s CBD towards the Tasman Peninsula sits Van Bone restaurant in Marion Bay. Upon arrival to the venue’s lush grounds, if your breath’s not taken by the area’s stunning scenery and million-dollar views, the new restaurant’s end to end dining experience surely will.

Gillian van der Schans is a veteran to the Tasmanian design industry. Born and raised in Tasmania, van der Schans had a short stint in Sydney to complete her studies but returned back to her island state where she knew she wanted to establish her career in architecture. Lecturing undergraduate architecture students at The University of Tasmania for eight years, van der Schans then went on to establish her own practice that she has maintained for the last two decades. Having created dozens of mostly residential projects for clients around the state, van der Schans’ love for Tasmania’s rough and rugged landscape has kept her on her toes – and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Deep within Tasmania’s lush forests rests the prince of all Tasmanian timbers- Huon Pine. A conifer, Huon Pine is renowned for its exceptional durability, workability and beauty; the envy of Australia’s craftsmen and timber enthusiasts. In 2021, craftsman Emanuel ‘Manny’ Oppliger of Wood + Water, was commissioned to use this timber to make a custom piece in a private residence. While Huon Pine furniture has always been prized, Oppliger’s specialty lies elsewhere- in making custom handcrafted timber bathtubs.

At the base of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula where the Western Port meets Bass Strait, sits the coastal town of Flinders and the newly built Flinders Residence by Abe McCarthy Architects’. Capturing views of the often-turbulent Southern Australian waters and the lush and rolling seaside landscape, Flinders Residence is modern Australian farmhouse meets comforting luxury.

The word ‘liminal’ means at the threshold; exploring the potential of what can be. This word is also the name of Hobart-based LIMINAL Studio and it’s what drives their approach on every project. Constantly on the threshold of or relating to a sensory threshold; exploring the possibilities of what can be; discovery in transition…LIMINAL Studio is where transformation takes place. And from their long list of award-winning architectural projects, spaces and objects, it’s clear that this transdisciplinary studio is doing just that.

Xsquared Architects designed and documented a total refurbishment of the iconic Lands Building at 134 Macquarie Street in Hobart, Tasmania. This was a substantial project for the Department of Primary Industries Parks, Water and the Environment. All 11 floors of the office building were changed. Xsquared Architects created a standardised floor layout to provide each branch with the same level of amenity. This occurred by involving the different client groups in extensive consultation and dialogue.

Just on the outskirts of Melbourne sits Templestowe Hotel, lovingly known by locals as The Tempy. Originally established in 1868, the venue just received a sparkling renovation by Melbourne based architecture studio, Enth Degree Architects. Revamping the large venue and seamlessly combining the hotel’s different spaces to create a cohesive style throughout, Tasmanian Oak was used as the common thread to stitch the warm but modern design together throughout this welcoming community hub.

Naturally warm and attractive, timber remains among the most popular choices for flooring. One of the world’s oldest building materials, timber’s physical properties and potential for sustainability are highly regarded. Combining premium aesthetics with durability, timber has been a reliable choice for interior applications for centuries. It is also eco-friendly, being less emissions-intensive and more sustainable over its lifecycle than other building materials like steel and concrete. However, when specifying timber for specific applications, the varying properties of different species must be taken into account.

Nestled in Sydney’s quiet inner-west, Bona Vista by Studio Prineas reinterprets the characterful features of its Federation frontage, forging a warm domestic setting for family life. Applying a holistic gaze, Studio Prineas developed a considered vision for all aspects of the project; architecture, planning, custom joinery, furniture and styling.

Set atop the rolling hills in Hobart’s suburb of New Town sits Pirie Street Extension. Situated on a sloping site, this charming Tasmanian weatherboard cottage has just received a renovation and extension from the award-winning architecture firm Preston Lane Architects, that brings the early 20th century home into modern times.

Tasmanian Oak is a high to medium density timber which is sourced from three almost identical species of eucalypts: E. delegatensis, E. regnans and. E. obliqua. It was named by early European timber workers who believed these eucalypts showed the same strength as the mighty English Oak. It also shares the oak’s pale, straw-toned colouring – something that makes it unique among Australian hardwoods, which generally play into the darker end of the spectrum.

Tasmanian architect Rosa Douramanis has called Hobart home almost her entire life. Growing up and commencing her studies in Sydney, Rosa arrived at the island state and set down permanent roots. Now, having practiced architecture for over 25 years, Rosa is a veteran in the industry and prides herself on homing in on sense of place, carefully articulating each project to a site’s favourable attributes or demanding restraints.

Bringing innovation to the world, the Expo 2020 Dubai provides an opportunity to showcase ideas whilst connecting and collaborating with other nations across government, business, culture, research and education. Taking place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, with 190 countries represented in a single location, Expo will generate ideas to address the needs of a fast-changing world and connect Australia to new global opportunities.

John Wardle Architects’ Limestone House is a home unlike any other in Australia. Staying within the confines of two environmental agendas, the Living Building Challenge and Passivhaus, the contemporary home is brimming with robust natural materials and designed to ensure the house will generate more energy than it will consume, making it one of the greenest houses in Australia. Specified for its beauty, locality and certification, Reclaimed Tasmanian Oak was used inside in beautiful contrast to the home’s namesake limestone material in this stunning Toorak home.

Playing a role in the development of a city’s skyline is no easy task. But with decades of experience, knowledge and expertise, that’s just what the bustling office of Sydney based architecture firm Fitzpatrick + Partners have been doing. From high rise office buildings to ingenious health infrastructure to bespoke residential projects, Director James Fitzpatrick has played a crucial part in designing the look and feel of Australia’s biggest cities.

A new camera-based fire detection system called Firehawk, is being trialled in Tasmania by locally based business SFM on Lenah Estate (formally Norske Skog) located in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley. Firehawk provides fire detection imagery for a time efficient aerial-based response to threatening bush fires.

Following the completion of her studies in Architecture at the University of Adelaide, Kyra Wood practiced architecture for several years, before continuing her education as a researcher looking at the cultural aspects of architecture and design in countries like Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Fast forward to today, Kyra is a postdoctoral fellow studying timber as a building material at the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood. With a fascination for discovering how materials impact the built environment, Kyra says there’s no time like the present to learn new things. And so she does. Taking her fascination for timber to the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State governments and the timber industry, Kyra has been working to uncover how characteristics of Tasmania’s timber could be improved, helping to reduce waste and increase value by creating a highly durable and sustainable building material. Endlessly passionate about her work, Kyra hopes that her research not only sparks the interest of the architecture industry’s leaders but also can create lasting change.

Hobart’s leading interior design studio Burk Kirkland Ferri, was established in 2017 after a partnership formed between Claire Ferri and the former Bury and Kirkland (est.2002) after having successfully consulted as an interior designer for the practice. The reigns now sit in Director and Principal Designer Claire Ferri’s lap after having taken sole ownership of the thriving studio in 2019. Claire has led charge on some of Hobart’s most iconic hospitality and residential interiors, including the award-winning Tailor Tasmania Pod house featured on Grand Designs Australia, Ettie’s, Fondru’s, The Whaler and most recently the Spring Bay Mill in Triabunna. Without prescribing to a specific design aesthetic, Claire’s designs are developed through exploring the inner workings of her client’s minds, often creating a masterpiece of work without the client having a clear awareness of, or words to express their personal tastes, but the result is precisely what they wanted – and more. Playing with textures, natural and local materials, Claire’s designs are intended to be deeply loved and made for longevity.

With over two decades of furniture making under her belt, Laura McCusker has called Tasmania home for the majority of her furniture making career. Having set up shop in an old apple packing shed just north of Hobart’s CBD, Laura has been on the receiving end of numerous awards, making custom pieces that have been celebrated in Australia and beyond. Drawing inspiration from unusual forms, Laura’s furniture is often made from the ordinary, then painstakingly reformed into a timeless piece of art, built to withstand the happenings of a lifetime and beyond. We caught up with Laura to uncover her favourite projects, her proudest achievements and how the voices of females in the furniture making industry can be elevated to give everyone a fair go.

Tucked away inside one of Hobart’s oldest buildings on bustling Macquarie Street, sits award-winning home retailer, LUC Design. A Tasmanian institution amongst the design savvy, owner Lucy Given’s 30 years in the design industry has informed the deliberate curation of wares from around the globe that LUC Design has to offer. Having lived in cities across the world herself, Lucy’s style is vibrant and thoughtful, only hand selecting pieces for her store that will resonate with their potential owner. With an essentialist approach, Lucy’s ethos is to buy once and buy well, for one’s own wellbeing and that of the planet.

Working as an architect for 15 years, and in the profession for 18, Kate Symons’ focus has always been on one thing: the client. Customising and creating bespoke residential homes has been her specialty. After 5 years of co-directing architectural practice MGA.I, in the midst of 2020, Symons established her very own Hobart based practice, Studio ilk. With a client focused approach, Symons has also taken on projects beyond the family home working on commercial and public facing projects. After the establishment of her own practice, Symons shares how she’s found her sweet spot in the industry and why the future of Tasmania’s architecture industry looks bright.

With a commitment to design excellence, the team at Jaws Architects have taken on a diverse range of projects around Tasmania and beyond in their 90 plus years of existence. Now, the team of twelve including Director Scott Verdouw, are highly respected for their professionalism, creative innovation and exceptional design. Discussing two of their latest projects, the Rosny Hill House and Cascade Brewery, Scott Verdouw walks us through the brief and shares why the use of Tasmanian Oak in both projects was a natural choice.

Working as an architect for 15 years, and in the profession for 18, Kate Symons’ focus has always been on one thing: the client. Customising and creating bespoke residential homes has been her specialty. After 5 years of co-directing architectural practice MGA.I, in the midst of 2020, Symons established her very own Hobart based practice, Studio ilk.

Neville Smith Forest Products is set to increase production at its Southwood mill near Huonville from 1st July 2021. The expansion will immediately create 30 new full-time jobs in the Huon Valley.

Four years ago Architect Damian Goode founded his own firm, Hive Architecture, following a number of years at several well-known architecture firms in Brisbane. He now splits his time on projects between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. The sunny skies and laid-back attitude of Queensland’s coastline is a striking contrast from the wet and wild climate that favors the growth of some of Tasmania’s finest native timbers. Specified for use in several of Damian’s latest projects, Tasmanian timber added a touch rustic luxury to two Queensland homes.

Health. Balance. Harmony. Melbourne architect and interior designer, Melanie Beynon has grounded her practice in these principles, creating designs that bring a positive effect on her client’s health and wellbeing. Practicing as an interior designer in the UK and Melbourne for 20 years and as an architect for 10 years, Melanie Beynon’s designs encapsulate a holistic approach, fixing on the finest of details to support the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of a building’s inhabitants. To help bring these principles to life on her latest projects, Tasmanian Oak was specified for its natural tones, texture and beauty.

The evolution of forestry practices has greatly evolved over the last decade. From investing in research and technology to building sustainable communities, to harvesting reclaimed timber from the bottom of a remote lake, to studying the density of plantation grown timber for potential new uses, innovation has exploded across Tasmania’s forestry sector. The state’s forestry suppliers and companies are employing the most innovative systems and processes to ensure efficiency from tip to toe, all with the technology to prove it.

Setting up shop in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood 13 years ago, architecture studio Timmins + Whyte have established themselves in the Melbourne architecture scene, creating contextual designs and bespoke buildings that solve problems for their clients. But Melbourne hasn’t always been home for half of the Timmins + Whyte duo. Having been born and raised in Tasmania and having studied architecture at the University of Tasmania, Sally Timmins says Tasmania will always be in her bones, and the use of its timbers will too.

Originally built at the turn of the 20th century, a classic heritage home along the tree lined streets of Sydney’s inner west suburb of Annandale, has just undergone a major makeover by the team from Sydney based architecture studio, Carter Williamson. Brought to life to meet this century’s demands but highlighting some of the home’s original quirks and attributes, ‘Concrete Blonde’ offers an oasis for its occupants to come home to that is tactile, warm and playful.

Having trained as an architect and interior designer with over 20 years of practice and a strong connection to academia, Andrew Simpson is the founding director at his own practice, Andrew Simpson Architects. Spending time studying, teaching and working in cities around the world, Andrew now calls Melbourne home but the learnings from his time abroad influence and inspire his projects today. Working on a range of projects including residential, university and healthcare, the studio’s latest project along the Great Ocean Road is what holiday home dreams are made of.

The Tasmanian Timber industry has come a long way in the last 50 years. From harvesting somewhere in the region of 1 million cubic metres of timber each year in the early 1970s, Tasmania now produces only 127,000 cube across the entire state – becoming a boutique industry with a sharp focus on sustainability and quality over quantity.

If you walk into any one of Tasmania or Victoria’s heritage homes, chances are Tasmanian Oak floorboards will be underfoot. Sturdily withstanding the wear and tear of generations, there’s a reason why this timber has been the flooring of choice in Tasmania and beyond for over a century.

Warm, dense and resilient, Tasmanian Oak is the preferred hardwood for a wide range of applications. It can be used in all forms of construction as scantlings, paneling and flooring, and can be glue-laminated to cover long spans. Veneers, plywood and engineered products are also available, as well as its use in furniture making. While each Tasmanian timber species brings forth different qualities and aesthetic attributes, the most abundant with the widest range of applications is Tasmanian Oak.

Consumers and professionals want to be assured that the timber products they specify or purchase are coming from responsibly and sustainably managed forests. But with multiple certification schemes available in Australia, it’s hard to know what the best environmental choice is. When selecting timber, first and foremost, consumers must select timber that hold sustainability certification. Forest certification shows that a timber product has come from a responsibly and sustainably managed forest. The two largest internationally recognised forest certification schemes are PEFC and FSC.

Tasmanian veneers have long been sought after for a variety of applications with some stunning examples of the capability of the product in beautiful furniture and custom doors and cabinetry. Veneer has traditionally been revered for its uniformity. The matchless repetition created by thinly slicing timber from one larger piece was sought after for cabinetry and linings, particularly in large commercial fitouts.

Tasmania, with its unique geography and environment, has some of the finest cool temperate native forests in the world and an expanding hardwood and softwood plantation estate. Using only the soil, sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from the air, these forests produce a diverse and premium range of beautiful timbers in substantial quantities. Renowned for almost 200 years, each species has its own character and individual richness.

With entries for the Australian Timber Design Awards now closed and voting for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ under way, we are thrilled to announce that 18 of these stunning projects contain locally and sustainably grown Tasmanian Timber.

The Tasmanian Timber campaign will be hosting a monthly webinar series covering all things Tasmanian Timber.

Mama Fuego is a 700sqm restaurant outside of London’s North Greenwich Pier. With a playful nod to the 60’s and 70’s throughout the interior’s luxe fit-out, the theme of the restaurant is brought to life through the use of the warm tones utilizing 50 cubic meters of sustainably sourced Tasmanian Blackwood found throughout the space.

Crafting one of his signature pieces the ‘Custom Sideboard’, made entirely from local and sustainably sourced Tasmanian Oak, Australian designer-maker Martin Johnston will be selling raffle tickets for a lucky winner to be the owner of this pristine example of superior craftsmanship.

Almost two hours west of Launceston sits the state’s jewel and international tourist destination, Cradle Mountain. It’s lush and tranquil landscape is home to enchanted rainforests, rolling grassland and provides habitat to the state’s elusive Tasmanian Devil and other famous fauna. Cumulus Studio has just completed a revamped version of the Cradle Mountain Visitor’s Centre that mirrors the beauty of its natural surroundings, reflected through the choice of material.

With 40 years in the furniture manufacturing business, there’s one thing owner and director of Astra Furniture Arki Tsorakidis won’t sacrifice, and that’s quality. Priding the decades old business in making exceptional furniture all manufactured within Australia, the family run business operates out of a 30,000 square foot factory using state of the art technology to ensure precision and the finest hardwoods they can get ahold of, including Tasmanian Oak and Blackwood. Using Tasmanian species to make their sturdy and lasting hardwood timber furniture, each piece is made to stand the test of time, making a true statement of sustainability.

With offices in Tasmania and interstate, Cumulus is an award-winning architecture studio and the brainchild behind some of Tasmania’s most iconic hospitality destinations including Pumphouse Point, Willie Smith’s and Devils Corner. With dozens of awards under their belts for these eye-catching projects that evoke an emotive response from their inhabitants and passersby, Cumulus studio continues to break the mold with their designs produced in a collaborative effort from their timber loving team.

Tasmanian Timber has teamed up with the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW) at the University of Tasmania to deliver a free expert timber helpline service. The free-call service is available to anyone specifying timber and using Tasmanian timber, and provides support on choosing the right timber for the right application, obtaining quotes from suppliers, and troubleshooting problems throughout a project. Michael Lee, a timber industry technical pro, operates the helpline, supported by 20 PHD candidates from the School of Architecture who are at the cutting edge of timber research.

Derived from the Latin word for ‘heap’ or ‘pile’ Cumulus Studio has embodied the origin of this word, weaving it into the lifestyle and culture of their practice. Believing that through working together, a critical mass of ideas can accumulate quickly- forming idea clouds which then can take on any size or form and be manipulated to suit conditions. Using this collaborative approach on all of their projects and utilizing the strengths across their three studios in Hobart, Launceston and Melbourne, Cumulus has been designing, creating and executing award winning architecture for almost a decade.

With every building job, each material specified is carefully considered to ensure that it matches the brief, is suitable for the application and fits within the allocated budget. But before the material reaches the project site, what type of checks are being done on the material to ensure it performs as predicted? These checks are especially important with timber products. Tasmanian Timber’s Quality Assurance Program is a rigorous auditing system that ensures that our product performs consistently – so that specifiers can too.

We are thrilled to share that the specific use of Tasmanian Timber is now being honored and celebrated at the Australian Timber Design Awards in its very own category, ‘Best use of Tasmanian Timber’.

The Tasmanian Forest Industry has released a four-part video series to support mental health and wellbeing within the industry through COVID-19. The videos were created as a collaboration between eight industry organisations and supported by the Tasmanian Government.

It’s never been more critical to make your choices Innately Australian.

Planet Ark’s Make It Wood Campaign will be joining Tasmanian Timber Expert Michael Lee from the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (UTAS) to deliver webinar presentations to 21 Australian architectural firms encouraging the use of Tasmanian Timber.

Humans have an innate affinity with the natural world. Now that we are spending most of our time at home due to COVID-19, the environment that we surround ourselves with is more important than ever. In recent years research has shown that design features within the built environment that reconnect people with nature (Biophilic design) can have a positive effect on wellbeing. Biophilic design can reduce stress and improve your emotional state. The bottom line is that nature makes us feel good – and we can all use a little of that right now.

Laura McCusker Furniture was established in 1996 under the flight path as she documents, in Sydney’s gritty, industrial inner-west. Since relocating to Hobart in 2003 she and Peter Howard have continued to make quality hand made, bespoke pieces tailored to their clients’ specific needs. Whether the brief be to craft an exquisite cheese trolley to delight and intrigue, or to create a timeless rocking chair from hand picked timbers, Laura can do it all.

Just north of Brisbane’s CBD, sits Gareth Robertson’s workshop, Blackwood Collective. And it’s not just any workshop. Blackwood Collective specialises in high-end custom residential and commercial furniture, joinery and carpentry. Every piece coming out of the workshop expertly handcrafted with an acute sense of detail, made to perfectly fit the space it will call home. While Robertson is a fan of all Tasmanian timber species, as the name of his business suggests, Tasmanian Blackwood is Robertson’s material of choice, time and time again.

The balance between conservation of our wild natural places and producing enough beautiful wood products to meet society’s demands, is not an easy task. But it’s vital that we get it right. Because as The Ultimate Renewable resource, trees are part of the solution to the greatest challenge of our time – climate change. Enthusiasts of using timber across their range of large-scale projects, Sydney architecture firm Fitzpatrick + Partners were invited to take part in the Visiting Architects Program, an experience designed to showcase Tasmania’s forest management practices and forest products. The firm got an up-close glimpse of the innovative forest products that are leading the nation’s forestry sector and how Tasmania’s processors are committed to getting the most out of every log.

Tasmanian timber is sourced from forests that are sustainably managed, independently audited and certified to an internationally acclaimed standard. The end product is revered by designer makers, architects, interior designers and furniture makers. Playing a significant role in the global fight against climate change, timber is The Ultimate Renewable resource. On the back of the Visiting Architects Program, Rod Pindar, partner at renowned architecture firm, Fitzpatrick + Partners and Anne Schutter, Manager of the Biodiversity Program at the Forest Practices Authority (FPA), discuss Tasmania’s world class forest management system and how its sustainable management is ensuring Tasmania’s forests and forest species flourish for eternity.

Timber is the material of choice for Sydney-based architects Fitzpatrick+Partners. Considered an authority in timber construction on large scale projects, offering expertise on some of the world’s greatest buildings, founding Principal, James Fitzpatrick is turning heads in the design world. Fitzpatrick+Partners were invited to take part in the Tasmanian Visiting Architects Program, an experience designed to showcase Tasmania’s forests and forest management practices. The Partners gained a new found knowledge around Tasmania’s regrowth forests.

Tasmanian Timber will be in Sydney in May (week commencing 18 May) and Melbourne in June (week commencing 1 June) 2020, offering in office presentations to architectural firms.

Broached Commissions will be exhibiting Broached Goulder, designed by celebrated Australian designer-maker Jon Goulder at the JamFactory in Adelaide during the 2020 Adelaide Fringe Festival. The collection made entirely from sustainably sourced Tasmanian timbers, honours four generations of knowledge and inherited craftsmanship within the Goulder family.

Fitzpatrick + Partners, one of Australia’s leading architectural firms, travelled to Tasmania recently to experience firsthand Tasmania’s forest management practices and timber industry. The firm’s four Partners spent three days exploring Tasmania’s beautiful forests, learning about how they are managed, the Forest Practices System and sustainability certification. They also learned about Tasmanian timber processing and products, and the applications for those products in both residential and commercial settings.

With over a decade of experience in the architecture industry and a portfolio that’s packed with a range of designs for both residential and commercial projects, Dock4 Architects are ready to grow. Making their award-winning architectural designs accessible for everyone, they’ve recently relaunched eHabitat, their very own modular home system, with a unique Tasmanian stamp.

The year is 1830 in the infant city of Launceston. A three-story Bond Store is built from stone, using timber sawn from nearby to construct the interior. Set in the center of this buzzing new town, the Bond Store is set up to service the city’s eclectic and growing population, with many eager to have a fresh start from a grim past. Serving its purpose to help establish The City of Launceston, the Bond Store was in use for years until its necessity fizzled. The old Bond Store has sat empty and idol for decades, until now.

With the only plans in the brief being to take advantage of the mountain and the pristine water views of Tasmania’s Bruny Island, Dock4 Architects decided to pitch a tent. And not just any tent. A tent of architectural perfection. Modest in size but filled with geometric angles, character and modern charm, the award-winning Apollo Bay House blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living. Creating an oasis for its Melbourne hailing residents, Dock4 brought the outdoors in with the use of Tasmanian Oak throughout the home and the clever use of translucent triple-polycarbonate to act as a ‘tent skin’ allowing the ample light to filter throughout the home.

The annual architecture commission at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is unique in Australia and highly prestigious. It is a blind competition with an open brief, providing freedom to architects and architecture students from across Australia to test their submissions on merit alone – letting their ideas and creativity with materials and design compete on a level playing field. The resulting structure is on exhibit for six months. In Absence, the 2019 installation, supported by Tasmanian Timber, officially launches tonight.

The new Elvire Collection by Caroma celebrates contemporary minimalism with timeless, natural and thoughtfully crafted Australian materials from Tasmanian Timber.

For Preston Lane Architects, balance and simplicity is everything. Old and new. Dark and light. Bold and neutral. The small team split between Hobart and Melbourne have mastered the art of mixing just the right amount of textures, tones and materials to come up with a design aesthetic that so clearly identifies them but also pushes the envelope, giving clients a one of kind home that’s a work of art.

Furniture and lighting designer Duncan Meerding is passionate about sustainable design. Favouring the use of timber in his designs, Meerding follows the design ethos that ‘a product should last as long as it took for the tree to grow.’ With his popular designs receiving international recognition and awards, his lighting masterpieces are set to do just that – and beyond.

Fourth generation Australian furniture designer-maker and Tasmanian Timber ambassador Jon Goulder, is celebrated for his fine craftsmanship, attention to detail and award-winning designs. His works have made their way around the world, having made custom pieces for private clients, one-off installation designs with some pieces becoming permanent fixtures in State and National museums across Australia. Commissioned by design trailblazers Broached Commissions, Goulder has just completed Broached Goulder, a collection of pieces that meld the complex intricacies of generations of furniture making- all made with Tasmanian timber species.

Set alongside Tasmania’s Tamar river in a lush valley known for its ample wineries, rests My Build’s latest completed design-build project, The Boathouse. While wine production may contribute to the area’s current economy, it hasn’t always been vines and corks. With its convenient location at the top end of the state, close to the Bass Straight, the area was formerly used for boat building. Now, The Boathouse sits atop an old boat yard used in the late 1800’s, with remnants of the lands former use still apparent when the tide is low. Used now as an escape from the city, this Tasmanian timber clad shack combines the best of both worlds, where old meets new in a quiet corner of Northern Tasmania

Tasmanian Timber shone at the Australian Timber Design Awards last night with The Seed House, a stunning showcase of Tasmanian Timber by fitzpatrick+partners, announced as the overall winner. And the ‘Tailored’ Tasmanian Oak couch by local Designer Maker Simon Ancher Studio won top prize for furniture and joinery.

The bespoke ‘Tailored’ Tasmanian Oak couch was designed and made by Simon Ancher Studio. Tasmanian Oak is an ideal timber for furniture making, especially when the design calls for beautiful curves. Why? Its stability is unmatched.

Highly figured Birdseye Blackwood only occurs randomly in nature, making the trees affected by it very rare and totally unique. When expert Tasmanian log graders came across this Blackwood, they knew they had something special that deserved a bespoke and iconic application. The logs were cut into boards and segregated from the normal stock, and for 20 years they waited for the perfect place to call home.

For Luke Di Michiel, Caroma’s lead industrial designer on the Elvire Collection, the challenge was to keep the designs as simple as possible, and not to overdesign the products.

Krakani Lumi Camp, by Taylor and Hinds Architects, was honoured as a highly commended entry into the World Architecture Festival awards for the ‘Best Use of Certified Timber Prize’. Located in a National Park in Tasmania’s northeast, the camp serves as a stopover for visitors taking guided walks through the aboriginal land.

A Tasmanian writer blends her love of the Tasmanian environment with her admiration for Tasmanian artisans to create a jewel.

Tasmanian Oak took centre stage at the Australasian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) Awards for excellence last week taking out three awards including Overall Winner Floor of the Year.

Karryn Dargie and Dean Baird make up the team from Tasmanian based architecture and design studio IN-TERIA. With a passion for projects where re-interpretation, adaptation and re-use are the focus, this design duo is on a mission to spread their love for a material that they think ticks all the boxes: wood.

Australian timber manufacturer Porta has been in the timber industry for over 70 years. Porta prides themselves on being one of Australia’s leading suppliers of timber products, mouldings and custom moulding services to the building, trade, commercial and home improvement sectors. Leveraging their expertise in sustainable timber to source and provide aesthetically beautiful products for specifiers around Australia, they’re also upping their sustainability game to ensure every log processed through their Tasmanian mill is utilised to its fullest capacity. As part of this process, their Bridgewater mill in Tasmania’s south is currently undergoing a significant upgrade.

As a building company that specialises in delivering solutions for tricky or demanding sites, Hobart-based Lawless Builders has worked on a good number of unusual and intriguing houses. But, according to owner Stuart Lawless, this recent Bruny Island project managed to eclipse them all.

IN-TERIA Design and Architecture partners Karryn Dargie and Dean Baird are proud Tasmanian’s, and they’re making waves on the Tasmanian design front. Championing the work of carefully selected Tassie craftsman, this Hobart-based practice has created a timber centric hardware collection through the art of wood turning. The materials chosen for each piece are thoughtfully selected with sustainability at the forefront of the criteria. With each architectural project, IN-TERIA inject their love of timber when possible to create an end result that’s simple, refined and will last a lifetime and beyond, encapsulating the art of truly superior design.

Hobart’s City Hall was last renovated in the 1940s ahead of a reception to host Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. This year it has been re-imagined by Hobart Architectural firm McCarthyReed. They were tasked with bringing life back into the hall while staying true to the sites rich history.

This magnificent home is noted as being the ‘birthplace’ of European settlement in Tasmania’s north-west. Highfield House has incredible historical significance, and as such, its restoration required incredible care and locally sourced Tasmanian oak.

Imagine waking up every morning surrounded by a scene of minimal, natural serenity. As you blink open your eyes taking in the first glimpses of the day, you’re enveloped by a subtle glow as the rising sun reflects on the warm Tasmanian Oak timber floors throughout the space. Looking around the intentionally minimal but thoughtfully designed bedroom, touches of natural materials are everywhere, from the inviting leather armchair in the corner to the cool grey stone peeking out from the bathroom- all touches that you’ve helped handpick from a sustainable source. The inherent purity of your home’s surroundings creates a sense of peace and calm as you ease into your day. While this may sound like a distant dream for many future homeowners, there’s one design firm that is bringing this sustainable and beautiful architectural dream into reality for Australian’s, one prefabricated modular home at a time.

Not far from Melbourne’s ever popular Brighton Beach beach is the equally radiant Bungalow Trading Co., a women’s fashion and homewares shop that has recently undergone a makeover. Tasmanian Timber was selectively chosen to bring neutral warmth and equilibrium to the new fit out to balance the rich tones found throughout the shop.

According to Melbourne-based designer Jaron Dickson of Ontic Design, a connoisseur of wine should have their bottles on display in something that reflects their passion for wine. It should complement the wine and fit in their space. The Grenache Wine System, made from Tasmanian Oak and metal, is proving to be one of the edgy young designer’s most popular products.

James Fitzpatrick has been designing buildings across Australia and Southeast Asia for the past 30 years. As the founding partner of Fitzpatrick+Partners, one of Australia’s leading architectural design studios, the firm has come to be known for pushing the boundaries on technology and building systems with every new build. When it came time to design his own family home on Sydney’s lower North Shore, Fitzpatrick curated the ultimate mix of materials. The design includes his signature combination of geometry, an engagement with the surrounding environment, and a dedication to sustainable and natural materials. The result is the staggeringly impressive Seed House.

In the wake of the devastating Tasmanian bushfires, the processors of Tasmanian Timber assure the marketplace that when it comes to supplying timber, it’s business as usual. Tasmanian Oak, Blackwood, Myrtle and Celery Top Pine continue to be available in normal volumes across Australia.

Internationally acclaimed Australian Designer Maker, Jon Goulder, has become the ambassador for Tasmanian Timber. We spoke to him about why he has joined the campaign to support ‘buying local’, why Tasmanian timber is his material of choice, the rise of the Australian design industry and what he has on the agenda for 2019.

A highlight of this year’s Australian Wooden Boat Festival is a handcrafted Celery Top Pine boat born of a collaboration between Tasmania’s Wooden Boat Centre and the U.S. based North West School of Wooden Boat Building. Celery Top Pine is a worthy jewel in the crown of the festival – the fine-grained, pale, honey-coloured timber is “incredibly durable and wonderful to work with.”

Playing with space, volume and geometry, Simon Ancher’s Myrtle furniture designs are prevalent throughout Freycinet Lodge’s updated interior. Creating a collection of bar-style benches, coffee tables, side tables and shelving units, the pieces spark intrigue as Simon’s use of deep shallow chamfers and triangular geometries seem to defy logic.

Consumers and professionals want to be assured that timber products are coming from responsibly and sustainably managed forests. But with multiple certification schemes available in Australia, how do you know what the best environmental choice is?

Melbourne’s award-winning furniture craftsman Anton Gerner has been creating bespoke furniture pieces for nearly three decades. Anton is set to reveal his latest chest of drawers as part of his own exhibition in 2019. Showing off the dark and light tones from beautifully stained Reclaimed Blackwood, the chest of drawers literally tells a story of its uncommon history.

Students at one of Sydney’s most decorated technical secondary colleges, Northern Beaches Secondary College (NSBC) Freshwater Senior Campus, had the unique opportunity to use premium Tasmanian timber as a part of their HSC Major Project, crafting Tasmanian Blackwood and Oak into fine custom furniture.

Despite the grandeur of this seven-bedroom, three-bathroom (plus powder room) resort-like “shack”, the interior design brief was to create a space that exudes both warmth and comfort where friends and loved ones could walk in and didn’t feel the need to remove their shoes at the door.

As they say, first impressions are everything. And for one of Melbourne’s up and coming architecture firms, MAP Architecture, creating and designing a new office space that allowed clients to gain a sense of their thoughtful and refined architectural style was a must.

Nestled within the heart of Hobart between the city and historic Sullivan’s Cove, sits one of Hobart’s classic parks, Franklin Square. A quiet refuge for office dwellers on their lunch breaks and a sanctuary for tourists and families alike, this iconic park has maintained its existence since the 1860’s and has just undergone an award-winning reva mp featuring Tasmanian Celery Top Pine.

Over 100 years ago a magnificent Tasmanian Oak barn was built on the Lawrenny Estate, a valuable swathe of land 80km north of Hobart. Thanks to a deep desire to drink superb whisky for the rest of his days, the current owner of the Estate embarked on a new venture – restoring his 100-year old, somewhat tottery, barn into Tasmania’s best whisky and gin distillery.

A new Tasmanian Oak engineered flooring product, Woodsmith, has been introduced to the national marketplace. The product is receiving outstanding feedback and interest from architects and designers.

Tucked away thirty minutes south of the bustling streets of Hobart sits the historic and scenic Tinderbox suburb. Perfectly situated atop a densely forested hill overlooking Bruny Island, Storm Bay, D’Entrecasteaux Channel and the Iron Pot Lighthouse at the mouth of the Derwent River, these advantageous views offered the perfect site for a military fort and training grounds during WWII. While some evidence of the area’s history can still be seen, the suburb now offers its residents a place of peace and solace, and for visitors of the private retreat AERIE, a chance to literally soak in the views from a Tasmanian Timber clad hot tub.

For more than forty years Melbourne diners have been flocking to ‘Stalactites’ to get their traditional Greek cuisine fix. Serving its patron’s mouth-watering traditional dishes based on what would be found on dinner tables across the Peloponnese region of Greece, the restaurant and Konstandakopoulos family have been on the receiving end of dozens of awards and media attention. While they continue to serve up traditional Greek dishes they have now created a low key and hip spin-off to the Melbourne restaurant scene, having opened the doors to Hella Good in 2018. While the food produced by the Konstandakopoulos family is usually in the spotlight, this time the focus lies on their newest establishment’s design featuring Tasmanian Oak.

To expand into a second location in Melbourne, owner of Laksa King Restaurant, Esmond Wong, sought out Urbourne Architecture and Crown Shopfitters to create a stylish and warm new interior. To achieve this inviting new look, Tasmanian timber dowels were used in a unique and stylish way throughout.

On the fringe of Hobart’s CBD, clad in brown brick and cement slabs stands Surrey House. Built in 1978 the exterior is still reminiscent of the time and style in which it was built. But forty years after its doors opened, hidden behind this boxy and retro façade, is the new Surrey House featuring three new state of the art office fit-outs for Pitt & Sherry, Aldanmark and Ray White, where aesthetics and sustainability collide. Unknowingly paying tribute to the building’s beginnings, Tasmanian hardwoods are featured beautifully throughout.

Nestled amongst the pristine wilderness in the heart of Tasmania rests a magnificent piece of architectural history that sat dormant for decades. It is now one of Tasmania’s most exclusive and sought-after accommodation sites.

An institution in one of Melbourne’s most beloved neighbourhoods, Mount Erica Hotel is fully restored by renowned designers Bergman & Co, returning the hotel back to its former glory with a modern twist.

“This humble material is elevated to a higher level as it blurs the boundaries between the functional, the decorative and art,” says FMD Architects, Fiona Dunin of the Tasmanian Oak dowel in this incredible residential project. “The dowel establishes a consistent design approach through each space while varying its function in each instance.”

With a 5 Green Star rating, Tasmania’s new Salamanca Building serves as a benchmark for green-building while showcasing the natural beauty of Tasmanian timbers, and the talent of Tasmanian designer/makers.

Tasmania’s wild west. The natural wonder and pristine beauty of this corner of the state has remained somewhat of a mystery to many due to its remote location. Wanting to reveal this UNESCO Wilderness World Heritage Area to more people while respecting the sanctity of this remote land, RACTs Gordon River Cruises has recently launched the maiden voyage of the ‘Spirit of the Wild’, the newest vessel in their fleet of public cruises. Paying homage to local designers, builders and artisans to create the crown jewel of their fleet, Tasmanian materials were also chosen where possible making Tasmanian Timber an obvious choice.

The new RACT Freycinet Lodge Coastal Pavilions offer an immersive accommodation experience within the coastal bush of the Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s East Coast. Designed by Liminal Studio, and built by Cordwell Lane, the Waterfront Pavilions take their cues from nature.

Perched atop a very large cliff on a remote island sits the cottage of mercantile adventurer Captain Kelly, looking out to sea. Untouched since the early 1830’s a Tasmanian architect has

Two free masterclasses, Working with Tasmanian Timber and Timber for Internal Applications, designed specifically for architects, interior designers, specifiers, builders, and joiners, are now available online.

Fourth-generation Australian furniture designer-maker Jon Goulder has pushed the envelope with materials and methods, creating the bespoke ‘Innate’ collection in collaboration with renowned Sydney design retailer, Fiona Lyda of Spence & Lyda. The first iteration of the Innate collection features moody dark tones and celebrates the use of Australian materials including the use of Tasmanian Oak and Blackwood.

A series of Tasmanian Timber Masterclasses are scheduled to take place in late June in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. The masterclasses are designed specifically for architects, interior designers, builders and joiners, and will provide information on Tasmanian timber species, their supply, characteristics and product range. Book now.

Architect Robert Morris-Nunn tries to use timber in every project. “The fact that it is a warm, living material means that people relate to it. If you think of Tasmania, it is the quality timbers that are here, and they should be used. It’s a locally available resource. They’re not used nearly enough, and they speak of this place like nothing else.

“Phat” is slang for cool. And in Hobart’s newest bar and seafood restaurant, Phat Fish, the owners have created a luxurious but inviting atmosphere that is just that – cool.

Grounded by a focus on the natural landscape and local ingredients, Adelaide’s highly acclaimed Restaurant Orana combines the incredible talents of chef Jock Zonfrillo and furniture designer-maker Lex Stobie, to create a unique, organic dining experience that pays homage to indigenous Australia.

For award-wining Australian furniture designer and master craftsman, Will Marx, there is no greater joy than a day spent in his workshop, building a piece of furniture with his bare hands. When you admire his creations, each of them honouring the tree from which it’s crafted in a true labour of love, it’s not hard to see why Will’s work has earned him the esteemed title of Master Craftsman.

Resting high on a hillside on Launceston’s rural fringe at St Leonard’s, Valley House is far from a stereotypical Australian bush dwelling. Its mix of cement sheet, steel cladding and local timbers immediately signals a fresh point of view that is a true celebration of place. Tasmanian architect Philip M Dingemanse redefines the clichéd notion of “outside-in” through his clever design and respect for the natural surrounds. Inspired by the landscape, the award-winning house is bent around the contour of a valley as if to welcome it in. The use of locally sourced Tasmanian timber throughout the home conveys a tactile and natural warmth, where visitors seamlessly transition from inside to outside.

Sustainability is paramount to the objects created by Tasmanian furniture maker Simon Ancher. It is central to not only the materials he chooses but his design approach to the object itself.

The newly completed North Lakes Medical Centre in Brisbane is a visually impressive landmark perched atop Mango Hill overlooking Anzac Avenue. Its mix of glass and aluminium accents combined with its rendered exterior gives the façade a contemporary, but hard aesthetic. Yet upon entering the building, you are immediately invited into a very human space, touched by the warmth of natural timbers.

There are two things immediately striking about Ben Percy. Firstly, he’s young – not only in years (he’s only just departed his 20s), but also in his youthful enthusiasm that is infectious.

Jason Stancombe, furniture designer and founder of Relm Furniture, was commissioned to design the dining furniture for Supernormal Natsu pop up restaurant, at the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) garden restaurant. The restaurant was temporary, part of Natsu, a 10-day festival held in January 2018. The Supernormal pop-up site was designed by Peter King – Senior Exhibition Designer at the NGV.

It’s not often that a floor can make a claim to be saving lives. But the Tasmanian Oak floor, laid in a new-build charity home in Tasmania, is helping hundreds of families in third world countries.

Anna Gowen, architect at TONIC Design, has designed the most opulent ceiling you could imagine for the ten-pin bowling alley at Crown Casino in Melbourne.

The Noosa-based Australian furniture business began with their now-famous Babaneese stool, with Tasmanian Oak legs. Having now sold over 2000 stools, Green Cathedral co-founders and owners Sally and Tim Scarce have since become Tasmanian Oak devotees.

Creating special places in spectacular landscapes is something Tasmanians have a knack for. And for visitors to the award-winning Pumphouse Point – a hotel like no other in the centre of one of the world’s most pristine natural environments – the experience is a truly remarkable one.

Landscape Restaurant & Grill was inspired by the island of Tasmania. Every element of the design has been carefully selected and embraces the history of the place. The timber selected for the tables and chairs has an incredible history of its own. It is literally steeped in history.

When you get a man with a vision, and that vision is to create a tropical-themed 80sqm outdoor entertaining area at the back of his place, incredible things happen. Despite the grandeur of the lush space, it is the Tasmanian Oak ceiling that makes this renovation extraordinary.

Timber’s capacity to store carbon and replace energy-intensive conventional building materials has driven a surging interest in wood as a structural material for tall timber buildings.

Consumers are taking an increasing interest in the provenance of products. As such, the brand story has become an essential and valuable component of the marketing mix.

CSAW is the national authority on the drying, processing, handling and installation of timber from the forest to the final application. They have determined a way to take their academic know-how into every timber yard in Tasmania.

St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Adelaide, the obvious choice was Tasmanian Blackwood.

RACV’s superb Healesville Country Club has drawn praise from around the country and its stunning design and use of natural materials have been a key factor.

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