Sustainable elegance
MESH DESIGN PROJECTS
Mesh Design Projects is a full service Melbournebased design firm specializing in homes that balance elegance and sustainability. On every project, they have two goals – one, to create home that’s not only beautiful but sustainable and functional for years to come, and two, to provide clients with a stress-free experience. They accomplish the first goal by staying up to date on the latest innovations and building techniques and by prioritizing solutions that are responsible, comfortable, and long-lasting. They accomplish the second goal by guiding clients through every step of the process, and by limiting the number of projects they take on so every client receives the same personalised attention and service. “Our goal isn’t to win awards but to create functional, stylish spaces that fit the client’s lifestyle and long-term needs,” says Matthew Duignan, principal and senior designer. “We tailor our designs to the client’s vision, working within their budget while using the latest sustainable and energy-efficient techniques.” Matthew has personally been working in the building design industry for over 25 years. Over the course of those years, he’s seen the industry from multiple angles. He began his career at a large commercial practice in Melbourne, working on major builds including stadiums – but the scale of those projects wasn’t for him. “When you’re working on a big project, you can get bottlenecked into one part of the building,” Matthew explains. “I think when I was working on one of the stadiums, all I drew up was lifts and stairs for about three months. With residential projects, they’re smaller, but you get to work on THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
MESH DESIGN PROJECTS
more parts of the design – from the initial concept right through to the detailing. The quantity of work is a lot more varied.” That variety, and the ability to see a project through from vision to reality, drew Matthew into the residential world. He founded Mesh Design Projects roughly 14 years ago, and the company has since carved out a clear niche: inner-city Melbourne period homes in need of thoughtful, modern extensions. Many of these homes were built 100 years ago, not oriented to their sites with any particular intention, and not built to perform. Bringing them up to current standards – functionally, aesthetically, and environmentally – is at the heart of what Mesh does. “A lot of these homes were designed without really thinking about site orientation,” Matthew says. “We’re trying to fix some of the design mistakes from many years ago and bring the energy efficiency up to current standards, making the homes genuinely livable.” Typical projects for the company range from $600,000 to $1.3 million, with the occasional larger build reaching around $3 million. Within that niche, Matthew believes what sets Mesh apart is their seamless customer experience. From the beginning, they work closely with clients to make sure they truly understand their wants and needs, and then they walk them through the process step-by-step. “We look after clients from start to finish and we make sure the whole process is easy and simple,” Matthew says. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
Mesh’s process is around a seven-stage design framework that typically spans about 12-to-16 months. Breaking it into clear stages keeps clients focused and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions a renovation or new build requires. Mesh handles all consultant coordination on the client’s behalf, acting as a single point of accountability throughout. “There are so many decisions a client has to make on a new home,” Matthew says. “We’re there with them every step of the way, giving them clear communication and making sure it’s an enjoyable process. For most of these people, this is their life savings. We want to make sure they get a great outcome – and that they enjoy the journey.” Over the years, that approach has enabled Mesh to build some very strong client relationships. The strength of those relationships is reflected in the company’s history of repeat business and referrals. According to Matthew, word of mouth has always been their moist powerful marketing tool. “When a client talks about you, that’s the best advertising you can get because it’s genuine,” Matthew says. “They’re pleased with your work. On your website, you can boast about yourself, but prospective clients know that’s coming from you. When someone else recommends you, that means something different.” Internally, also tends to build loyal relationships. According to Matthew, most of the direct team members have been with the company for five to 10 years, and some of their relationships with builders and consultants go back even longer. Matthew highly values those relationships, as he knows how important they are to the project’s ultimate success. MESH DESIGN PROJECTS
While Mesh Design Projects doesn’t actively chase industry awards, the work has attracted attention on its own merits. For example, the firm has been featured in Sanctuary Magazine, a publication dedicated to energy-efficient homes, and they also had a project appear on the television series ‘Australia’s Best Houses’ on 7two. Though they’re not the kind of company that designs just to win awards – “we’re too focused on the client and their project,” Matthew says – they value that kind of recognition when it happens naturally. “It feels good when someone sees your work and recognizes that you’re doing it well,” Matthew says. “And when something like that happens, it doesn’t just belong to me – it gets shared between all the staff. Everyone was part of it.” Currently, one of the company’s exciting projects is a Passive House build in Preston, Victoria – which Matthew describes as clearest expression yet of where Mesh is headed. Australia’s building code The next level THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
currently requires a minimum 7-star energy efficiency rating, but standard Matthew considers that requirement a floor, not a ceiling. “Seven out of ten isn’t a very high score,” he says. “Passive House takes it to the next level.” A Passive House is built to be airtight, with higher levels of insulation, better glazing and shading, and mechanical ventilation running 24 hours a day to every room in the home. Unlike conventional builds that only ventilate bathrooms and kitchens, a Passive House ensures constant fresh air throughout – using barely more electricity than a light globe to run the system. With solar panels and no gas connection, the ongoing energy costs are minimal. “It costs about 10 to 15 per cent more to build this way upfront,” Matthew acknowledges, “but over the next 10 to 15 years, that pays itself off. After that, it’s basically costing you nothing. And it’s a more comfortable home – warm in winter, cooler in summer. Some people do it because they don’t want to burn fossil fuels. Others do it because the home simply feels better to live in. Both are good reasons.” The Preston project was made possible by a client who was enthusiastic about pushing the boundaries on energy efficiency – and it’s now the benchmark Mesh wants to bring to more of its work. Looking ahead, Matthew’s vision for the firm is to do more sustainability-centric projects like that one. To that end, he hopes to do more new builds, where energy efficiency targets are easier to achieve than in period home retrofits. He’s also MESH DESIGN PROJECTS
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looking seriously at modular and prefabricated construction methods as a way to build faster, reduce waste, and lower costs. “The old way of building – tradespeople coming to site, everything done manually on site – takes too long,” Matthew says. “We’re not building homes fast enough. The average on-site build takes 12 to 18 months. We want to cut that in half. These are families who can’t go far from schools. The quicker we can get them back into their homes, the better.” Matthew is equally motivated by the environmental case for off-site construction. When materials are cut on-site, offcuts go straight to landfill. In a factory setting, they can be stored and reused on the next project. It’s a small thing, but for a firm with sustainability at its core, it’s exactly the kind of detail that matters. It all circles back to the same set of values that have driven Mesh Design Projects from the beginning: thoughtful design, genuine relationships, and homes that are built to last and to perform. For Matthew, those values aren’t separate from the business – they are the business. MESH DESIGN PROJECTS
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on Mesh Design Projects, their process, their projects, and to hear from their past clients – and to get in touch with Matthew and the rest of his expert team – visit www.meshdesignprojects.com.au
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