Press | Community Coverage — Austin Maynard Architects

Press

Two children are playing inside a black net enclosed structure in a room with white walls and shelves. The structure has netting sides with yellow, black, and blue rope accents. One child is lying on the floor, and the other is crouching or climbing inside the net. There are orange grid shelves on the wall behind them.

Financial Times

ARCHITECTS ARE TAKING THEIR DESIGN CUES FROM KIDS

“Austin Maynard Architects (AM.A) has become sought after for its playful approach to residential architecture; its homes often integrate swings, ladders and nets…Evidence, such as a 2022 University of Exeter study, increasingly shows the positive impact of play on children’s mental health.”

A woman in a kitchen preparing food at a large island, with greenery, modern decor, and large windows in a bright, contemporary space.

Habitus Living

GARDEN DELIGHTS WITH AUSTIN MAYNARD ARCHITECTS

“Straddling the space between contemporary and modern heritage, Hotham by Austin Maynard Architects seamlessly blends a new addition with the original inter-war bungalow in Deakin, Canberra.”

A modern multi-story house with wood and glass exterior, surrounded by trees, with people and a dog in the front yard, and a brick wall to the right.

Green Magazine

OUT BACKWARDS – SMALL INFILL DEVELOPMENT IN MELBOURNE

“Parkside continues the strong legacy of finely-crafted joyfilled projects by Austin Maynard Architects. The sophisticated detailing achieves a highly functional and spacious dwelling on a tight urban site. The project nestles into the heritage setting and confidently marks a moment in time for this transitioning segment of Alfred Crescent.”

“Sliding batten screens conceal and clarify, maintaining visual coherence while allowing access when needed. Even these moments of pragmatism feel resolved and purposeful.”

Clarke, Kat Barandy, Designboom

Modern kitchen with wood and white cabinetry, large window, brick walls, and a speckled gray and white kitchen island with two white barstools.

Houses Magazine

PLAYFUL AND HOLISTIC: YARRA BEND HOUSE

“Andrew and Mark don’t doggedly pursue timeless minimalism, they don’t dabble with a world-weary irony, and they don’t shape their design work around perfectly styled Instagram “moments.” What they do instead is create playful, holistic architecture, in the best sense.”

People sitting on wooden stairs outside a modern building with solar panels on the roof, some conversing, others relaxing, under a partly cloudy sky.

Carbon Upfront

AUSTIN MAYNARD’S PARKLIFE REPRESENTS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING HOUSING

“There is a lot of conventional development in Melbourne, with conventional garages and fancy finishes. But there is room for something different, room for firms like Austin Maynard to change the way we design housing. Architects and developers everywhere should pay attention.”

Two men in business attire standing in front of a modern, metallic, ribbed wall, smiling at the camera.

Habitus Living

BUILDING COMMUNITY BEFORE DESIGNING THE BUILDING

“Austin Maynard Architects is unapologetic in standing for something: caring about the social dimension of architecture including community connection, sustainability and mental health.”

“Austin Maynard Architects have a well-deserved reputation for taking complex architectural challenges and delivering solutions that are not only brilliantly functional but also utterly captivating to look at.”

Leo Davie, The Coolector.com

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a black blazer, blue ribbed top, and light blue jeans, standing outdoors among green foliage and smiling.

Real Talk Podcast

AUSSIES ARE MOVING LESS - ARE OUR HOMES FLEXIBLE ENOUGH FOR OUR LIFESTYLES?

“Finding a home that ticks all the boxes is tough, especially as our wants and needs have shifted so drastically post-pandemic. In this episode, we speak with Sophie Whittakers, General Manager at Austin Maynard Architects and PropTrack Economist Anne Flaherty about what buyers are looking for in a home, and how we can make our existing homes more adaptable for years to come.”

People enjoying a rooftop pool with a modern brick wall, spiral staircase, and lush greenery.

The Local Project

A HAPPY EQUILIBRIUM - AUSTIN MAYNARD ARCHITECTS

“The exuberance and resolve expressed through the work of Austin Maynard Architects reflects Co-Directors Mark Austin and Andrew Maynard to a tee. When combined, the pair’s contrary dispositions and skill sets create an undeniable force, resulting in a portfolio that’s fun and witty but always informed.”

“Austin Maynard Architects are renowned for their playful designs and crisp detailing that extracts the maximum potential from their projects.”

Jake Taylor, Green Magazine

Modern house with wooden slat exterior and large glass windows, surrounded by garden greenery and purple flowers, with two women inside, one sitting and one standing.

The Design Files

A TRANSFORMED FEDERATION COTTAGE TO LIVE ‘ALONE TOGETHER’

“Functionality and future proofing were the cornerstones of this recent Federation cottage renovation by Austin Maynard Architects.With the homeowners of 10 years growing ‘bigger and louder’, the house was lacking space and practicalities to support all aspects of their day-to-day life: working from home, riding bikes, doing laundry, and coming together as a family.”

Living room with large window, bookshelf, framed painting, and two people sitting on a black leather couch, one using a laptop and the other looking at a phone.

Treehugger

THE AUSTRALIAN FIRM DESIGNS AND BUILDS A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT WITH SUSTAINABILITY, STYLE AND HUMOUR

“I have adored almost everything that Andrew Maynard has done because he understands sustainability, he knows how to bend the rules and he just doesn't care about convention.There are always smiles in Austin Maynard projects. There is always something twisted and different, and there is always something to learn.”

Modern residential buildings with unique angular roofs, large windows, and outdoor patio area, surrounded by greenery and trees.

Houses Magazine

CACOPHANY OF ROOFS: RAERAE HOUSE

“Like much of the work of Austin Maynard Architects, RaeRae House is both playful and unexpected. At the same time, it is analytical and ordered, conceived and constructed with precision; there is no risk of naivety or clumsiness. The ability to execute architecture that skirts the line between innovation and experimentalism so finely is born of two distinct yet complementary design minds at play.”

“The bold and delightfully eclectic work of Austin Maynard Architects is threaded with a fervent commitment to resolve design problems with civic mindedness and creativity.”

Katelin Butler, AA Magazine

A modern rooftop terrace featuring a covered outdoor kitchen and dining area with a view of a cityscape in the background. The space is decorated with plants and has a sliding glass door leading inside, with a brick wall on the right.

Dwell

A FUTURISTIC ABODE IN AUSTRALIA DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM STAR WARS

“When tapped to create a contemporary home with clean lines, ample light, and a view, Austin Maynard Architects find inspiration in the macrobinoculars from Star Wars.”

View from above of a modern building with a sloped roof, with three windows, a street, and four pedestrians walking along the sidewalk.

The Design Files

WHEN TWO HOMES BECOME ONE

“The word ‘unique’ is regularly bandied about in the art and design worlds, but in the case of Austin Maynard Architects’ projects, this term always applies.”

A modern house with a garden, featuring a woman and a dog walking on a gravel path. The house has a mix of brick and red metal siding with large windows, some open. The sky is clear and blue.

Green Magazine

CITY MEETS COUNTRY - HOUSE BUILT AROUND A VEGGIE GARDEN

“In the flesh, its charm and logic are undeniable: cleverly compact homes at front and rear orbiting the central star of a glorious productive garden (with all its inner workings on show like a proper little farm) and a shared library-cum-dining-hall-cum-guestroom.”

AM.A “Not only capture the clients’ brief but push the boundaries of design, delivering much more than what was expected.”

Stephen Crafti, Habitus Living on St Andrew’s Beach House

Modern house with a large balcony, white railing, and glass exterior walls, surrounded by trees and a white picket fence, during sunset.

Design Boom

AM.A HARNESSES THE IMAGE OF THE PICKET FENCE

Austin Maynard Architects completes the ‘Picket House,’ its latest residence in Melbourne which exaggerates the traditional vision of the suburban dream. The facade which wraps the home mimics the familiar white picket fence described by the Smithsonian magazine as ‘a visual shorthand for the good life.’

A man with short gray hair and beard, dressed in a gray blazer with brown shoulder patches and a blue shirt, standing nearby green plants and a bookshelf in an indoor setting.

Brickworks

ARCHITECTURE SPOTLIGHT: ANDREW MAYNARD

Andrew Maynard is renowned for creating resilient, robust and highly sustainable spaces that are designed to meet the challenges of the climate crisis. In our chat Andrew discussed his approach to sustainability, and how he cultivates spaces that spark a social connection. “I was one of those nerdy little kids who just loved drawing. I was always drawing and imagining different worlds…”

Modern residential building with yellow and teal balconies, white facade, and decorative windows, with a tree in the foreground and clear blue sky.

Dezeen

BRIGHT YELLOW BALCONIES ENLIVEN MELBOURNE APARTMENT BLOCK BY AM.A

A "mountainous" zigzag roofline and bright yellow balconies define the ParkLife apartment block in the Brunswick neighbourhood of Melbourne…located within Nightingale Village, a collection of six apartment buildings by different architects for housing not-for-profit Nightingale Housing that all demonstrate its development model, aiming to create housing which is "environmentally, socially and financially sustainable".The entire Nightingale Village development was shortlisted in the sustainable building category of Dezeen Awards 2023.