A holistic approach to building design – why building product manufacturers should deeply consider environment and context

As multidisciplinary designers, we provide expert advice to major Australian building product manufacturers, informed by decades of industry experience and insights from our in-house interior designers, who specify products for a wide range of clients. With a deep understanding of the needs and preferences of architects, designers and specifiers, we work to ensure the products manufactured are practical, desirable and will stand the test of time.

When our studio was first founded in the 1960s, the Australian construction market was reliant on products designed and produced for the European market. Fifty years on and things have changed dramatically. With a landscape and natural light like nowhere else on earth, it has been critical for the Australian architecture and design industry to develop high quality products that work for the landscapes we live in. Nexus Designs has been at the forefront of this movement, which sees manufacturers work hard to understand the needs of local specifiers to ensure their products are designed accordingly.

At the heart of this is a holistic approach to materiality. Working with Australian building product manufacturers we ensure that they design and develop their products to work harmoniously with both the environment and the other components on the market that they will sit alongside. Whilst performance is of course the top priority, considering the aesthetics – finish, colour, tonal range, and tactility of the products together is critical to the final outcome.

With our building products now being exported to countries across the globe, the Australian construction industry continues to pioneer this considered and holistic approach to design.