This project began when two dentists, who are also father and son, decided that they needed a new building for their growing dental practice - a building that would reflect the quality of their dentistry and modern equipment and a building that would serve their business well into the future. 

 

Our first task was to assist the clients realise the potential of the site and to understand the projected local urban development.   This exploration led to the brief being for a three storey mixed use building that provides the ground level for their dental business, a second level for a commercial tenant and a third level as an apartment for the son to occupy.

 

For the design of the building, we began by reflecting upon the aesthetic ideals of dentistry and the role of the dentist to sculpt and shape teeth.  We took this as our starting point for the architecture.  We developed the design to achieve a considered interplay of the qualities of translucency, reflection, depth, solidity, surface and composition with the aim of giving proper to the craft of dentistry.  This attempt to evoke allusions to dentistry harks back to the tradition of buildings communicating the service or trade that occurs within.