Madeleine Blanchfield

Architect of the Month

Paddington, NSW, Australia

A house should reflect the quirks and nuances of the person or people who reside within. But then how does the designer, whose job is to create a space for someone else, evoke a narrative that is not their own?

More often than not, the go-to solution is to pull back and rely on materials and forms that appeal to broad tastes. And again, more often than not, the result is a watered-down space that simultaneously appeals to everyone and no one at all.

The genius of Madeleine Blanchfield, of the eponymous architectural studio, is her ability to create spaces that toe the line between characterful and quiet.

Madeleine Blanchfield Architects is an interdisciplinary design studio that appreciates the home as something greater than the glossy pages that it hopes to occupy. The relationship between one’s home and oneself is often a slow brew and the studio takes great time to consider the personality of the client into their designs.

Not afraid to veer from the safe showroom aesthetic with an absorbing wallpaper or 70s-esque mirrored door feature, each space sings to its own inherent character. Yet it is the attention to complimentary colour and material palettes that create a sense of balance and timelessness. Ultimately, allowing for Madeleine Blanchfield Architects to lay the foundations for future residents to etch their own marks into a house that is very much their own.

First off, tell us about your practice. Where are you based, how long have you been there and what types of projects do you work on?

We are a Sydney-based practice of eight. Our projects are mostly residential; from new houses to interiors and alterations and addition projects. We have grown from one to eight people over the past few years and find this a good-sized studio. We are a diverse group of students, graduates, architects and interior designers. We all sit at one large desk and collaborate on projects. Everyone brings something different to the group.

Tell us about your completed projects. Do you have a reoccurring theme or signature design, or do you embrace the individuality of each project?

We embrace the individuality of each project. Houses are very personal and we see the owner as crucial to establishing the design direction and bringing depth and personality to the end result. Some people know exactly what they want, others are happy for us to lead the way. But each house is and should be different.

Are there any fundamental elements that you try to carry through in the philosophy and process of your designs?

While each house differs, we always develop the design as a response to the specific site and context. Strong, clear planning and finding the most beautiful light and space that a site can offer shape each design. Forms are derived by studying sunlight and perfecting orientation and sun shading. Honest expression of the structure and using materials in the way that they perform best brings a lightness, calmness and legibility to our spaces.

Do you have a favourite project to date?

Our recently completed Clovelly house was a large, long project on which we did the architecture right through to the furniture, and custom made almost everything. It gave us an opportunity to deliver an intricately crafted and complete house, and we are very proud of it. The clients are thrilled. And standing in the house, there is a pervading sense of light and tranquillity.

What are the main day-to-day challenges that you’re presented with?

Houses are complex, emotionally charged and take a long time. Each one is different and involves a different set of personalities. It can take some time to develop a good understanding of each other and the project. Beyond that, there are endless challenges from council to budgets to mistakes on site. The good and the bad thing about designing bespoke houses is that there is very little repetition between projects.

How important to you is the relationship between architecture, interior design and interactivity? Do our spaces influence how we live, work and play?

I can’t mentally separate a house from its landscape and interiors, they are the same entity. I absolutely believe that your house influences your life. The way spaces connect influence how you use them and interact with others in them. The light, sun and outlook affect your mood as well as your physical comfort.

Are there any periods of architecture, geographies or designers that inspire your work?

I’m very interested in Japanese architecture. The simplicity of Japanese houses – both contemporary and from the last century – is beautiful. They are honest, layered, detailed and manage to convey complexity of design with an overall purity and calmness. Spaces are fundamentally linked to ritual and beauty; they are flexible and embody a powerful and controlled relationship between the exterior, the landscape and the interior space. I believe we can learn a lot from their examples.