ABOUT

INCEPTION
Some time ago, a four years young Murray Slavin lived in Northampton, a regional town of not even a thousand inhabitants. Long days were spent playing with the local kids underneath a wire bed frame - or, depending on the game, a bed-shaped fortress or boat. Elevated on roughly cut pipes, the bed frame allowed for a fair sized rag-tag bunch below its belly. By night, the bed became the territory of the ‘grown ups’, who commandeered the fortress for a good night’s sleep. It occurred to Murray much later that the pipes elevating the bed frame had not been intended to benefit of the children. Rather, they had kept the bed high enough off the ground to ensure insects and other critters couldn’t make the leap and disturb the adults sleeping above. This otherwise forgettable vignette was, in fact, Murray’s ‘ah ha’ moment - architectural form and function working sympatico, the coming together of play, pleasure and purpose. In all aspects of design, Murray’s experience as a four year old is Slavin Architects’ touchstone. The finished product must be more than beautiful, more than functional, more than efficient. It should be all of these things, yes, but it also must bring a certain pleasure to its users that feels important, even if no one can quite say why.

WHAT WE DO
Slavin Architects' award-winning portfolio spans heritage, civil, commercial, education and residential design as well as master planning. We have a special interest in sustainable design - we make use of a location’s natural light, heating and cooling properties, all supported by energy saving technologies, ensuring maximal efficiency and minimal environmental impact. We work with local government authorities, corporations, small business or individuals to create buildings and landscapes that stand outside of time and trends, that are adaptable, and that have modest maintenance costs over their life-cycle. 

HOW WE WORK
Our integrated, soft-edge approach encompasses architecture, landscape and interiors, ensures that synergy is the guiding principle of all our projects. Through collaborative design, elements cohere to create a whole far greater than the sum of its parts. As a research-based practice, we viewing a structure as a part of the living landscape it inhabits. In other words, context is everything.  For this reason, Slavin Architects has developed a reputation for identifying environmental, cultural or site-specific obstacles and turning them to advantage during the design process. Our readiness and expertise in community and stakeholder consultation is key to our success, ensuring that the end result is a building that is loved by the community it serves.