Ande Bunbury Architects

ABA have been designing sustainable buildings for over 20 years – way before if became trendy - so really know what we are talking about. We believe that buildings should effortlessly provide comfort for the occupants without consuming the earth’s resources. We love researching new things as what is ‘best practice’ keeps changing over time. Plus we have active minds and we’d get bored otherwise. There are always new materials, new construction techiniques, new tools for measuring the impact of our buildings.

Ande has been a rebel since uni days and outside her professional career she has been a committed advocate for sustainability and an improved environment through involvement in community and Council-based groups. Currently she is a member of Yarra Climate Action Now, Architects Declare and the Affordable Housing Reference Group at Merri-bek Council. She is passionate about improved housing options and believes that the current housing crisis cannot be solved without radical change to the Planning scheme, economic models, and public expectations about what constitutes home.

Bigger is better is obviously wrong, especially when facing climate change. What we really need is smaller, and smarter. At Ande Bunbury Architects (ABA) we pride ourselves on doing the least building intervention necessary by retaining and reusing spaces as cleverly as possible, with the fewest possible materials, and designed to last. Flexible spaces that can be used in multiple ways, particularly as needs change over time.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this means cheap. Good design still costs and any building work has labour and materials costs associated with it. This is why it is a good idea to plan small. What is the least that meets your needs? This will also be the most affordable and sustainable. Best for you and the planet.