The very first thing that strikes me upon getting into SSdH’s South Melbourne studio, along with Harrison, Jean-Marie and Todd’s pleasant faces (and that of their lovely workplace canine, Remy), is their vivid assortment of DIY and domestically made furnishings, materials samples, objects, artwork and basic life-stuff occupying the house. These are clues to the interdisciplinary and collaborative method championed by the group of three – whose mixed final title initials kind the acronym SSdH. The studio, each actually and metaphorically, is a vibrant assembly place for artwork, graphic design, styling, images, building, structure and extra.
Solely 4 years into their rising enterprise – and with seemingly extra accolades than precise initiatives full – they’ve come leaps and bounds from their origins moonlighting from the entrance room of an inner-north Melbourne terrace. In these early days, the group had been independently engaged on speculative initiatives for mates after they determined to mix forces. Other than being what Jean-Marie calls a “monetary failsafe” for the newly-formed observe, these two greater initiatives had been enriched by the variety of insights from the trio, whose official launch in early 2020 kickstarted a sequence of thrilling alternatives and commissions.
The primary of those, Kerr, was a particular mission that set the tone for the observe’s interdisciplinary method. Regardless of not having any constructed work below their belts, entrusting purchasers tasked SSdH with designing a modest renovation to their historic Fitzroy residence. All through the method, the group labored carefully with stylist Jess Kneebone and photographer Pier Carthew to compose a sequence of photographs for the mission, which served as a method for additional design exploration – even prompting the selection of the ensuite’s yellow tiles as a reference to an unearthed paint color.
Profitable a spot on the 2023 Smeg Tour for this primary mission was a possibility for SSdH to attach with massive names – the likes of Version Workplace and Jackson Clements Burrows Architects – and rising interstaters doing comparable work. In Todd’s opinion, it was additionally “actually gratifying to get the suggestions from individuals who had been sitting on the jury deliberation behind all of that, and having the ability to have our mission offered in entrance of somebody like John Wardle.”
SSdH additionally acquired recognition within the 2024 Homes Awards as joint winner of the Rising Structure Follow award with their recommended mission, Stewart. In response to Harrison, “one of many good issues about Stewart being recognised … was due to how small it was, setting an exemplar for the best way which you could present structure on a restricted funds.” For Jean-Marie, the mission coincided with “an undercurrent of dialog of what’s worthwhile and what structure is and what it will probably do … We’ve landed at this second in time the place what we worth aligns with what individuals are beginning to see as worthwhile.”
With every episode within the highlight, SSdH is conscious to transform the chance right into a platform to share their method with colleagues. On the similar time, the observe prioritises the various voices of others throughout all sides of their observe, drawing upon an increasing community of go-to allies. “What’s superb is that once you work with somebody time and time once more and when it turns into a part of your id, it means that you’ve got shorthand with them too, so we will additionally belief – and do belief – what they contribute to the mission or the observe,” says Jean-Marie.
By trying past Melbourne’s bubble of eminent architectural collaborators, SSdH have diversified not solely their community however their method. This contains working with branding designer Kwan Yi Cheng of Conze Studio to develop an unorthodox method to the observe’s id, commissioning artist Wyatt Knowles to create a site-specific art work on the graduation of every new mission, and interesting Jess and Pier to doc every SSdH mission because it progresses by means of building to completion. On the time of writing, the agency are additionally working with a inventive author to develop a novel narrative round their soon-to-be accomplished mission in Preston.
For SSdH, collaboration has been a method to uncover new and stunning design alternatives whereas selling summary interpretations, and versatile variations, of the areas they design. Every voice provides a layer that – regardless of a pursuit of sincere and on a regular basis areas – elevates the usefulness and relevance, of the agency’s initiatives far past the bizarre.
