Product In Focus | Architecture & Design

Four water saving toilet innovations you wouldn’t want to send down the drain

Our cisterns are not just getting smaller to increase water-efficiency in the bathroom. In some cases, we’ve even given up the use of water altogether.

Building armour that protects and breathes: the benefits of perforated metal and mesh facades

While Brutalist Architecture conjured up rough and raw concrete skins to convey a sense of strength and functionality, today's buildings often feature facades that are interesting, protective, and allow a building to breathe.

Hydronic or electric radiant floor heating? Product in Focus

Heated floors offer benefits beyond foot comfort. They keep entry and bathroom floors dry, are completely silent, can reduce heating bills and are an allergen free type of heating—a relief for Asthma suffers.

The internet of food: 5 smart kitchen devices to shake things up

Our kitchens are the latest members of the ‘Internet of Things’ – a network of physical objects embedded with electronics, sensors and software to provide greater value and service for users.

Easy touch faucets to height adjustable lifts: 5 products that allow kitchens to be fit for all

We explore five products and systems that help make kitchens an easier place to navigate and use for all, including the elderly and disabled.

Changing the way you see kitchens: plus 4 products for a concealed kitchen

Bins can now be kept out of sight – although hopefully not out of mind – while sliding splashbacks hide away kitchen equipment to minimise clutter.

1 Bligh Street versus 100 Mount Street: the tale of two double skin facades

Double-skin façades with cavity venetian blinds challenge the assertion that full height glazing for commercial projects are on the way out in Australia.

Magney House by Glen Murcutt an enduring testament to reverse brick veneer

Murcutt’s disinclination for mechanical air-treatment and his quest for a comfortable, low-maintenance home led him back to the basic principles of passive design and in this case a reverse brick veneer walling system.

Tools for containment: 6 rainwater capture and storage solutions for urban homes

Containment is the number one solution to ensuring water efficiency in homes. Here are six rainwater tanks and storage systems suitable for urban projects.

LED lamps taking lighting to new limits – but not only option just yet

Advances in LED lamps have seen them living up to their potential promised for years, but as you'll see in this article, there are still specifications where alternative lamps still reign supreme.

5 lighting products brightening Australia’s built environment

As geometries in architecture become more complex, the technologies of lighting design are becoming more sophisticated and intricate in response.

LED lamps: why and where not to use them

With peaking electricity prices and an increasing push towards sustainable building practices, building designers are seeking more efficient products to illuminate their buildings. Are LEDs the only option?