Gaea Architects

At Gaea, we embrace the principles of varying environmental design initiatives and strive to immerse ourselves in continued education by continuously expanding our knowledge. The team at Gaea Architects includes qualified and accredited Architects and Passive House Designers representing a broad range of experience over many years.

Philosophies and principles we apply include:

• Passivhaus Standard
• Passive Solar Design.
• Living Building Challenge.
• Biophilic Design.
• The WELL Building Standard.
• Modular/prefab components that minimise waste.
• Materials that are locally sourced, non-toxic, natural, recycled and recyclable.
• Site appropriate Landscape Solutions.
• Interior Alignment®, Instinctive Feng Shui™ and Seven Star Blessing Space Clearing®.

Passive House: Passive House promotes health and well-being by providing thermal efficiency, airtight construction and a heat recovery ventilation system. It is a quality, long lasting building that uses minimal power (for heating and cooling), resulting in no condensation or mould. It is an integrated design process and a fabric-first construction standard.

It ensures a design that delivers very high performance and comfort for the lifetime of the building. This plugs the “Performance Gap” often experienced in building operations. It relies on building physics and carefully integrated, minimal building services and technology- eliminating the need to bolt expensive additional technology onto a poorly performing building. Please refer to our blog which explains the 5 design principles and performance criteria.

Passive Solar Design: Passive solar design principles include correct orientation to maximise winter sun and minimise heat gain in summer. Thermal mass is considered along with cross ventilation. Where the right orientation is not available the Passive House building is able to provide thermal comfort year-round.

The Living Building Challenge: The Living Building is a philosophy, advocacy tool and certification program that promotes the most advanced measurement of sustainability in the built environment. It can be applied to development at all scales, from building construction and renovation to infrastructure, landscapes, neighbourhoods and communities and is more rigorous than green certification schemes. A Living Building Certification adheres to the ‘7 Petals’ principle of which is: Place; Aligned to how people understand and relate to the natural environment. Water; Promotes the proper usage of water and respects water as a precious resource. Energy; aspiring the built environment to be totally reliable on renewable forms of energy and operates in a safe, pollution-free way. Health & Happiness; Focused on creating spaces that have good access to daylight, good indoor air quality, connection to nature and interactivity between the user and built form. Materials; Specified materials that are non-toxic, ecologically restorative, transparent and socially just. Equity; Buildings that promote community and allow equitable access and treatment to all people regardless of physical abilities, age or socioeconomic status. Beauty; Recognizing the need for beauty as a precursor to caring enough to preserve, conserve and serve the greater good.

Biophilic Design: At Gaea Architects we have a particular interest in Biophilic Design, an approach to architecture that draws and incorporates direct inspiration from nature. Creating a multi-sensory experience through the built form. There are 3 categories to Biophilic Design – nature in space, the nature of space and natural analogues. These principles are applied to create a connection with nature, integrating forms in a way that feels natural. Please refer to our blog which explains these principles in more detail.

The International WELL Building Institute: The international WELL Building institute is leading the global movement to transform our buildings and communities in ways that help people thrive. This standard focuses exclusively on the ways that buildings, (and everything within them), can improve our comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance, not compromise, our health and wellness. WELL has been developed by integrating scientific and medical research and literature on environmental health, behavioural factors, health outcomes and demographic risk factors that affect health with leading practices in building design, construction and management.

Modular/prefab components: Our design methodology includes consideration of standard sizes of building components to minimise wastage. Our team often includes Darryn Parkinson of Eclipse Passive House (http://www.eclipsepassivehouse.com.au) to create certified Passivehaus buildings.

Non-toxic materials: In alignment with our wellness philosophy (WELL/ Living Building) we avoid PVC (and other plasticisers), VOCs (Volatile organic Compounds), Urea Formaldehyde, Polyurethanes, Flame retardant chemicals eg PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and other toxic substances.

Local, natural, recycled and recyclable building materials (and local labour) are specified and utilised as much as possible.

Landscape Solutions: All of our team possess a great love of nature. No good building solution can really exist without incorporating nature as part of the design solution. Whilst Architects are trained in creating both indoor and outdoor environments, we have undertaken continued professional development to include Landscape Design and Horticulture. We love to create outdoor rooms with different surface treatments, local endemic species, feature planting and permaculture to provide the most project appropriate solution.

Interior Alignment Embraces a client-centred, holistic, intuitive approach to working with people and their spaces. We bring together the best of the mystical traditions of the East and native cultures around the globe, uniquely combining the principles of Feng Shui, Space Clearing, sacred ceremony, healthy homes and the power of intention and our deep connection to our dwellings.

The methodology of a particular project undertaken by our team includes the following disciplines:

• Effective communication strategies in the office, with the Client, the community and the whole project team.
• Quality Assurance Programs.
• Wholistic design and documentation strategies.
• State of the art software.

The key to reaching the best design solution and outcome is effective communication and a full understanding of all requirements.

The systems and processes in our office ensure our working relationship will result in complete understanding and alignment of all expectations. This will ensure your vision is manifested.

We work as a team to ensure the best design and documentation solutions are presented and implemented. Our office promotes healthy living along with active dialogue of feedback and discussion. Working to a collective outcome, we find solutions to challenges that reveal themselves by understanding a greater perspective brought on by a responsive interest in relative problem-solving.

Our quality control system and ‘Teamwork’ project management program reinforces communications and expectations. Progress is continually monitored with each Milestone clearly indicated to allow completion within the project timeline.

Gaea Architects design methodology includes traditional architectural hand sketching combined with the latest technical documentation methods. Our office utilises the latest 3D CAD software (Archicad) and BIMX through all design and documentation stages. The use of this software enables clear communication between all parties throughout the design stages. During construction, the builder is benefited from the issue of the BIMX file. All the 2D files are accessible via a 3-Dimensional walkthrough when viewed from an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet. This program ensures quality control at various points throughout the project.

We aim for projects that are of a high quality being designed and built to last. 

In our experience, liaising with a builder for the duration of the project means there is less opportunity for misrepresentations to occur. When the building/interiors/landscape design and construction are combined, the project is able to flow seamlessly. From the stages of initial feasibility, design stages, statutory approvals, construction details, construction phase to completion.  

An important aspect of our design solutions is the incorporation of ‘Passivehaus’ building construction. Light-weight, timber-framed, sealed building components that are prefabricated off-site to reduce time-on-site and allow the cost of construction to be tightly monitored. Components may be transported in building modules allowing the works to be completed in a systematic and trouble-free way. 

Working in collaboration with a builder, we have an excellent understanding of construction costs whilst working on your design. We are able to carry out regular checks on the cost of ‘The Works’ during the design process, to ensure that the project can be delivered within expectations. This reduces the risk of a fully documented project exceeding the specified budget. We work closely with Builders such as Darryn Parkinson, of Eclipse Passive House who is able to prepare Cost Plans for the total project and provide the off-site building components.

SUE CONNOR
Principal, Sue Connor Architects (now GAEA) 1991 – Present

Sue Connor is a registered Architect (reg no. 6080), with Australian Board of Architects who began her own practice in 1991. Sue is also a Certified Passive House Designer and Interior Alignment Practitioner. Sue was a founding memebr of the Good Wood Guild and has studied the WELL Building Standard extensively.

Memberships include:

• Australian Institute of Architects
• Association of Consulting Architects
• Passive House Association.
• Living Futures Institute.

Charities include:

• Community First Development.
• Greenpeace.
• Global Parent (UNICEF)
• Wildlife Guardian Fund
• Australian Marine Conservation
• Rainforest Alliance
• The Wilderness Society