ARCHITECTS EWERT LEAF TAKE GOLD AND SILVER AT DESIGN AWARDS

Published by: Greta Donaldson Publicity | 18-Jul-2016
Dynamic Melbourne architecture, interior and urban design agency Ewert Leaf has picked up two major awards at the 2016 Melbourne Design Awards winning gold and silver in different categories. @EL_architects #PerrettEwertLeaf @ewert_leaf
The company, founded in 2009 by co-directors Toby Ewert and Will Leaf, collected a Gold Award for the contemporary apartment redevelopment it designed for a large corner block overlooking Malvern Gardens.

In the same competition, Ewert Leaf won a Silver Award for the interior of the new South Yarra premises of Black Leopard Skincare. Located in a heritage shop front in Chapel Street, the building hosts the flagship store for men's-only skincare range Black Leopard.

The company has a history of picking up awards across commercial and residential projects. It has won numerous honours in the Melbourne Design Awards for residential and commercial properties, including Hawk & Hunter, Aer Bar, Feast of Merit and Cobb Lane Bakery, over the past few years.

"Our goal is to create carefully considered contemporary architecture, interiors and urban design that is specific to the unique requirements and aspirations of each project, no matter what size," architect and director Will Leaf said. "We work in collaboration with our clients to achieve successful design outcomes, balancing creativity and practicality to create innovative design solutions for residential, multi-storey, commercial and hospitality projects."

The two directors, who met as students at Brighton Grammar and later played football together, are involved in every project. All aspects of the design are completed in-house. Their focus on marrying creative and commercial elements of a project "“ they are developers as well as architects "“ helps them to walk in their clients' shoes.

A registered architect with a degree in architecture and property development, Will Leaf understands the commercial reality of developer-driven projects and is known for his ability to develop commercially viable, cost-effective designs for complex projects. He has worked extensively in China and India, and was the project architect on the $3 billion New Delhi Terminal 3, overseeing 35 local architects.

Toby Ewert has acquired extensive expertise in the commercial, retail and hospitality sectors during 12 years in the industry and has led many successful and award-winning projects. Toby brings an invaluable mix of creativity and commercial proficiency to hospitality ventures. His in-depth understanding of the complexities of the design, procurement and operational processes makes him uniquely placed to balance design with commercial reality.

"It's essential to communicate effectively with clients and to understand the business case for their project very quickly," Toby said. "This is the essence of any brief and if you can't articulate that in a design you are wasting your time." Ewert Leaf also had a strong focus on problem solving to devise and deliver fast and cost-effective solutions. "We know delivering projects on time is the major driving force for everyone involved and we pride ourselves on being efficient," he said.

Ewert Leaf have a lot in the pipeline at the moment - current projects include:
  • Gontran Cherrier Bakery & Café, Collingwood (with Samantha Eades Design, and Bergman & Co), Vic (opened late-June);
  • Everyday Canteen, Artarmon, NSW (opened late-June);
  • The Hamptons Bakery, Hampton, Vic (to open July 14);
  • Rock Sugar Restaurant and Bar, South Yarra, (with Samantha Eades Design), Vic (opens early-August); and
  • Addison Street Development, Elwood, Vic (completed end of July).
The Melbourne Design Awards is a member of the [city] design awards program incorporating eight global design capitals. Established in Melbourne, the [city] design awards are held in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, London, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney, providing the design community critical links into global markets and an efficient method to gain recognition in export markets. The Melbourne Design Awards "“ Presentation and Design Summit will be held on July 27.

For further information, visit www.ewertleaf.com.au

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