Haviland Architects

15/04/2026

“We believe that architectural excellence is achieved through good design, teamwork and a thorough understanding of both our client’s needs and the project particularities. We consider personal service and client collaboration paramount to a successful outcome.” – Owen Haviland

10/04/2026

Architects Abroad: Homes of Tuscany

One of the great gifts of travelling is discovering how climate, culture and materiality shape the places we call home. For us as architects, this exposure to the diversity of the built environment is invaluable—each experience subtly informing, enriching and inspiring the spaces we go on to create. Tuscany’s homes rise from the landscape like timeless sculptures of stone and terracotta, built to hold the cool of centuries. Australian houses, by contrast, open themselves to the sky—light-filled, airy and modern, shaped by space, sun and the rhythm of outdoor living. Two worlds, two climates, two ways of calling a place home

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

25/09/2025

Currently in Sketch Design...

Using trace paper is an integral part of our iterative process. It may look chaotic or messy but every line is an opportunity to carve out and curate our most ideal outcomes for our clients.

02/09/2025

Architecture Abroad Series Part 04
Louvre Museum

Beneath the iconic glass Pyramid of the Louvre, the Carousel Hall blends modern geometry with timeless grandeur. I. M. Pei’s design floods the space with natural light, highlighting the sweeping spiral staircase and concrete ceiling, an elegant contrast to the historic palace above.

The Louvre Pyramid remains one of the most emblematic examples of the tension between preservation and progress. When unveiled, many critics argued that I. M. Pei’s modernist glass and steel structure clashed with the classical grandeur of the Louvre’s Renaissance façades. Yet over time, the pyramid has become a celebrated symbol of Paris, showing how bold interventions can reshape cultural identity.

The debate it sparked - whether contemporary design should contrast with or seamlessly blend into historic settings continues today. At Haviland Architects, it's something we often deliberate as each addition raises questions about how we must respect the architecture that's already present.

20/08/2025

We are grateful for happy clients and meaningful collaborations!

If you would like to have an obligation-free initial meeting with us to discuss your requirements, or are interested in any of our architectural services, please contact us directly.
Ph: (02) 9417 1876 OR [email protected]

13/08/2025

Architecture Abroad Series Part 03
Villa Romana Del Casale

Located near the town of Piazza Armerina in central Sicily, Villa Romana Del Casale was built in the first decades of the 4th century AD. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its exceptionally well-preserved Roman mosaics, which cover a significant portion of the 4,000 square meters floor space which decorate almost every room.

Given its extremely luxurious characteristics and the incredible scale for which it was built, we can only imagine that the Villa was probably built for a member of ancient Rome’s elite like an official or aristocrat.

There are estimated to be over 60 rooms including the Great Basilica, a dining room, a central courtyard, thermal baths, rooms for slaves and so much more. The Corridor of the Great Hunt is arguably the most impressive space being a 60 meter long mosaic corridor that depict scenes of hunt, capture and the transport of animals across the Roman Empire.

Interestingly, the Villa has a highly sophisticated system for heating which involved a furnace that heated the air which then circulated through hollow chambers beneath the floors and walls to warm them up! A photo above shows how the flooring was elevated to allow for this.

11/08/2025

Architecture Abroad Series Part Two
Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudi

The Casa Batlló (remodelled by Gaudi in 1906) is a masterpiece of residential architecture. Amongst its obvious peculiarities, you might be surprised to know that Batlló had quite a big influence on generations of designers and architects to embrace more creative and personalised approaches. Gaudi’s use of organic forms and innovative construction techniques were representative of the potential and power of craftmanship in residential architecture.

Walking through Batlló’s interior really helped to put this into perspective with curved wooden walls, arched hallways, and dynamic, swirling roofs.

The facade is a standout, characterised by a wavy, undulating surfaces adorned with colourful ceramic tiles (trencadis) and bone-like stone columns. The roof is arched and likened to a dragon's back, with a tower topped by a cross. The balconies resemble masks or skeletal structures, and the building incorporates elements of marine life, such as scales and shell-like skylights.

Comment your thoughts on the Casa Batlló! Let us know what you think!