Last year we revisited Draped House before it was sold to take @tommydevy through the house and capture what it’s like when we walk potential clients through our projects.
We speak openly about the challenges, the problem solving, and the thinking behind the materials and processes that shape the finished spaces.
Because we maintain most of the homes we build, we’re able to see how materials actually perform over time. We see what improves, what needs attention, and what gets better with age.
Timber is a good example. Rather than coatings that sit on the surface, we prefer oils that penetrate the fibres and allow the timber to develop a natural patina. It changes slowly with light, weather and use and becomes part of the life of the house.
This walkthrough sparked a number of conversations about materials, craft and the realities of building. We will share a few more of those moments from Draped House in the coming weeks.
Architect - @trias.studio
#drapedhouse #architecturalbuilder
#timberarchitecture
#builtforlife
Cloaked House reflects a shared commitment to sustainability, a collaboration between client, architect, builder and engineer to retain what was good, remove what wasn’t, and upgrade the structure, services and performance, all within the same site footprint.
What began as a structurally complex challenge was distilled into something quiet and seemingly simple. A beautiful building shaped by responsible material choices, grounded by respect and cloaked in care.
@tommydevy recently captured something of this quiet clarity.
Last Friday, @trias.studio received awards for Alterations & Additions and Sustainable Architecture at the 2025 NSW Architecture Awards.
Engineer: @sdastructures
Build: @a.r.c___
Recently I was asked by a new client what our most fun project was. I don’t really think of projects as “fun”, I find them rewarding.
And often, the most rewarding projects are the most challenging.
With the right client, architect, engineer and builder, those challenges become opportunities and problems are solved collectively. That process is something to be enjoyed and it makes the outcome that much more meaningful.
It’s the part of building I value most, and why I’ve structured the business to remain involved in it.
When we meet new clients, we always suggest the same thing. Choose a builder you trust. Without that trust, the process is much harder to enjoy.
Featuring Cloaked House and Draped House from architects @trias.studio
Video: @tommydevy
Tomorrow we’re sending out the full story behind Cloaked House. The craft, the decisions, the details that made it. Sign up to the newsletter at the link in bio before it lands.
Our Botany Bay project celebrates the strength and story of timber and one of its most compelling qualities, the ability to be reused.
The timber here was sourced by Australian Architectural Hardwoods from the Mather Bridge in Inverell, the region’s last timber bridge, which was demolished in 2023.
These photos show it as it stood, and as it lives now. A bridge that once connected a community. Now that same timber protects another.
Architect: @bvnarchitecture
Project Architect: @_chloe.naughton_
Recycled Timber: @aahardwoods
Smash Repair House is a unique inner-city home built within the shell of a former automotive workshop in Paddington, Sydney. Behind its modest brick façade lies a calm, light-filled retreat, thoughtfully constructed to feel private, warm, and deeply connected to natural materials.
Builder: @a.r.c___
Architect: @mattelkan
Windows and doors: @architecturalhardwoodjoinery
Photography: Clinton Weaver
#sydneyarchitecture #arc__ #sydneyjoinery
For the past 10 years, we’ve had the privilege of caring for and maintaining a Glenn Murcutt & Wendy Lewin-designed home in inner Sydney.
Alongside ongoing maintenance, our work has included a series of respectful minor modifications delivered in collaboration with @scalearchitecture .
A long-term relationship with both client and home is something we value deeply.
Photography: @timclark.studio
I started Arc. because I love building, not just the projects, but the process, the people, and the chance to make something properly. Something that lasts.
We’re a hands-on team. We like being on site, solving problems, getting the little things right. To us, good work means being thoughtful, staying honest, and showing up with care, treating every job like it’s our own.
We bring in technology where it makes sense, not to replace the craft, but to support it. To keep things clear, efficient, and true to the standards we set for ourselves.
I believe great design deserves great execution. That the things we build should not only function but feel right, for the people who live in them, the people who build them, and the land they rest on.
This has never just been about buildings. It’s about doing things well, together. It’s about care, collaboration, and leaving something better than we found it.
Videos: @tommydevy
Photos: @__jly
Built in the middle of lockdown, on a narrow laneway with limited access, CLT Cottage shows how constraints can drive better outcomes.
Using prefabricated cross-laminated timber, we were able to deliver a precise, low-carbon structure that went from slab to watertight in a matter of weeks.
The CLT panels themselves do a lot of the heavy lifting, acting as the structure, lining, and finish in one. This project was a considered response to site, material, and process, where efficiency supports the design and every element has a purpose.
Architect: @stillspace_design
Photos: @brettboardmanphotography
Now that we’ve wrapped up our 10-year posts and celebrations, we just want to say one last thank you.
Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of working with incredible clients, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and our talented Arc. team. From inner-city homes to projects in far west NSW, your trust has allowed us to do what we love.
We’ve grown, learned, and stayed hands-on every step of the way, committed to craft, thoughtfulness, and building things that last. And we couldn’t have done it without you.
Here’s to the next 10 years.
Mi Casa, Su Casa: Brad Swanson of @a.r.c___ on building an urban retreat of character and warmth, that works smarter - not harder. Now for sale. Read the full story, on The Journal. Link in bio. Redfern 31/8 Phillip Street
#Arc10Years
Year 10 - 2025 - Yalwal
A project grounded in shared values from the outset.
Yalwal takes its name from a bushland area significant to the clients. This was a build shaped by a focus on sustainability, longevity and considered decision-making. A lot of time went into material provenance research and testing new approaches. Fly ash concrete, extensive use of recycled hardwood, and a large solar array all formed part of the strategy.
At its centre sits an 1870s coach house. The original coachway now forms the entry, dividing two buildings that have been carefully underpinned, ensuring the structure is stabilised for the next 150 years.
The approach was measured. Less about doing more, and more about doing things properly.
Looking back on ten years of Arc., it’s the same approach that has underpinned our all our work and the same approach we’ll keep building from in the future.
Architect: @saltbush_projects
Engineer: @sdastructures .
To be photographed this spring 🌱
