AO Design Studio

About

Here at AO Design Studio, we believe in a humanistic approach in all our design work. We are driven by the people we work with, the places we design for and the program for each building. We are constantly reminded of how deeply interwoven we are with the environment around us, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, enhancing our connection with nature and maintaining a strong appreciation for the beautiful landscapes we touch. We believe in creating a healthy lifestyle and a healthy planet in the process of our design work.

It is in the Australian landscapes that we begin gathering our thoughts, the connection to place, the approach that gives us our first impressions and the surroundings that influence our decisions. We explore all the possibilities that the site has to offer; where do the sunrise and set, where do we need protection from the elements, are we looking to frame a view or capture the entire landscape. All with the idea of creating a building that is settled and harmonises with the surroundings, with spaces that enhance the lives of those that use them. We take a sustainable approach in all our design work. We explore opportunities for passive design through cleverly designed overhangs to control solar access, narrow footprints to allow for natural ventilation and beautiful bright spaces for the occupants. We accurately model all of our designs to test the performance of the building and collaborate with our clients and consultants throughout this process to realise the best design outcome for the project.

The Journey

The Studio

Our Process

Meet the team

Tony O'Meara

Director / Registered Architect

Kalpana Sagar

Associate

Tamsin Mehmel

Interior Designer

Awards and recognition

2022

BDAA

National Design Awards

House Woodlands

Testimonials

“Most custom builds are the ‘dream house’ which has been nurtured over a long time. But not for us, as we lost our home in the January 2020 bushfires, and had never considered what we’d build if we ever had to. Friends recommended Tony to us. We met and talked about what we like, what we needed, what we wanted, and what we could afford. Tony listened. Tony asked great questions and made insightful and inspiring suggestions. We showed him some of our (now embarrassing) sketches. He came back to us quickly with a preliminary design that was clever, creative and striking. We LOVED it! Tony was patient with our myriad of questions and suggestions while the plans were being drawn up. There was nothing we couldn’t ask or suggest, and there was nothing that Tony couldn’t answer or improve upon. Tony has held our hand every step of the way. He is not only a fantastic architect, he has been our go-to man across this process, and a rock at a very difficult time.”

YUILLE AVE, BUNDANOON

“We decided to renovate our 1970’s home and build a new addition which encompasses the principles of passive design. We are delighted with what Tony O’Meara from AO Design has achieved for us. From the initial contact to design completion, Tony has been very creative and professional. At each stage we’ve been a part of the process and have always been in control. Tony is very knowledgeable in local council and bushfire requirements in the Southern highlands. He is professional, easy to work with, expresses his ideas with clarity and always listens to his clients and their needs. Thank you, Tony for a stress free design project.”

KELLS CREEK ROAD, EXETER

“Working with Tony has been exceptional. Designing and building a home is never easy but Tony’s care and willingness to truly listen to what we wanted made all the difference. This difference struck us from the beginning, his commitment to delivering what we imagined and then taking it a whole lot further. He is truly a gifted architect. After interviewing many other architects, we saw that Tony was unique in that he understood and respected we had a solid vision for what we wanted our home to look and feel like and he willingly polished those ideas and improved the design and functionality greatly. Tony is passionate about combining design and functionality and has been caring, professional, efficient, totally committed and very supportive throughout our time working together.”

STONEQUARRY CREEK ROAD, EXETER

At ArchiPro we recognise and acknowledge the existing, original and ancient connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to the lands and waterways across the Australian continent. We pay our respects to the elders past and present. We commit to working together to build a prosperous and inclusive Australia.