Virginia Wong See, together with likeminded regional architects, founded the Regional Architecture Association. The association advocates for better design in regional areas and is passionate about providing support to the close-knit regional architecture community.
Virginia is an Armidale-based architect and co-founder of Architecture@Altitude. She believes in designing simply, advocating for better design, and working with quality materials.
With sustainability shaping the path forward, her approach to building comes from a philosophy she originally honed while working in kitchens. “From cooking, I always learned you must pick the best ingredients and treat them with respect and treat them simply and so that way of thinking came into my architecture,” she said.
Virginia laments the waste generated across both the food and building industries, commenting that “all facets of the building industry need to be carefully overhauled so we continue to reduce and address all these issues of excess.”
“We’ve done so much damage that we really need to start actively looking at repairing and regenerating and protecting what we have left.”
She applies this to her own practice, building long-term relationships with her regional builders and suppliers that understand her nature of work. She selects natural materials and avoids things like “nasty composites that are causing all sorts of problems with silicosis”.
Wong See’s work is always site-specific. The home orientation is optimised, using the site’s location and climate zone, while taking full advantage of the views and breezes. She always utilises natural light and ventilation to ensure the clients’ money is spent on the best quality their budget allows.
She is also conscious of responsible material sourcing. Living regionally, Virginia understands transport and logistics can pose a challenge. Virginia aims to combine deliveries within a project so things required at a similar time can be shipped using the same transport services.
“A building should be a legacy for a family, it shouldn’t be a liability,” she said.
One of her recent projects was a house at Tenterfield for a couple who had just purchased a 1000-acre property and wanted a new house that could be a hub for the extended family and friends, replicating their holiday home in Texas, while also suitable for just the two of them.
“The house was designed in such a way that it could be shut down. Particular zones of it could be closed off so we don’t have to heat or cool the whole house,” she said.
The 400 square metre home is fully off-grid with 40 solar panels, five 14 kilowatt batteries, water tanks and large dams put in for fire fighting purposes.
One of the standout attributes of this property lies in the remarkable heights that can be achieved using Architectural Window Systems (AWS) windows and doors, all while effectively minimising energy consumption.
“The focus for the house was to make every room have a view out so the windows are designed to be like picture windows to take in the views,” she said.
“They’re framed in an internal quite deep timber reveal, so they do actually look like a picture in the wall.”
“In the main living area, there are large sliding windows that open out to the courtyard on the south and a large deck on the northern side of the building which opens to the long view”.
“It was really good working with AWS. I’ve been working with them for a very long time. They employ architects and other specialists who are able to provide a very high standard of service and they have a very strong understanding of the products,” she said. Virginia notes that she always engages AWS for their expertise early in her projects, discussing requirements, size, and project suitability.
“With this project, we were very mindful of using natural materials and making sure that everything was built to last and I think that is one of the most important things I’ve learned over the years of working in the industry that really a sustainable building is a building that is there for the long term.”
If you’d like to find out more about regional architecture communities listen to the whole episode of the podcast here.
