KHAB DESIGN ETHOS
Creative responses to design challenges.
Balance the practical with the delightful.
A creative response to a design challenge successfully addresses the practical, the economical, the sustainable, the experiential and more. Khab’s mix of values, training and experience allows all design and project challenges to be treated thoroughly, and will typically result in outcomes that are just right. Practical outcomes dominate many briefs - Khab prioritise this while simultaneously crafting delightful, uplifting solutions.
Context; each Khab project responds to a unique recipe of client and site, people and place.
We see every Khab project as a recipe with a unique set of ingredients. Site, Client, and Budget - we are trained to respond with solutions that are well informed and tested to ensure they are the right architectural response for the project. The variety in our work is testament to how specific our designs are . We do not overseason the recipe with our own brand.
Quality over quantity; smaller footprints have big advantages
Well designed spaces and buildings don’t need to be big. Smaller spaces can feel more uplifting and spacious than big basic spaces when well executed- they can be higher in quality, be easier to furnish, have better storage opportunites, and just feel better. They also in turn leave more garden to enjoy, use less energy so are cheaper to run, and are easier to clean!
Good design for all people, not just those who can afford it.
Our homes are so important to our well-being, yet good residential design remains only accessible to an elite few. Khab are passionate about being part of the delivery of housing for everyone – especially people on low incomes and who are vulnerable. In addition to providing homes, good social housing models can strengthen community.
Khab are experienced in designing both social housing and SDA Specialist Disability Housing, and are committed to continuing our involvement in this sector.
KHAB CULTURE
Prioritising work-life balance to work smarter, optimise creative capacity and improve staff well-being.
Khab is a small office of 5, working out of a space filled with natural light and ventilation, and a view of the parklands and Botanic Gardens.
Our size keeps us agile, and allows our 2 Director’s to be connected to all projects in the office. We value quality in our practice, we love to work on a diversity of projects, and continue to evolve with every project we take on.
Khab has been a 4 day /week office for years. We firmly believe that work-life balance is crucial to our own and our staff’s well-being, and that this balance reflects on the quality of, and our commitment to our work.
TWO EARS and ONE MOUTH
Listening to and learning about our clients and the people who will use the building.
We are good listeners. We query, then absorb, record, and reflect our understanding in the work we produce. Khab believe that the success of a project relies on an understanding of specific needs, priorities, and challenges - this understanding can only be developed through careful listening.
ENGAGEMENT
Collaborating with our clients, consultants, and each other.
On all scales - from house to church to hospital - there is a community that is served by the buildings we inhabit. At Khab we believe that stakeholder engagement is key to the success of every building and so we strive to engage with and respond to the needs of all parties with a stake in the outcome.
Khab understand that project success is closely related to strong working relationships between all people involved in a project, and that clear communication is critical.
KHAB and RECONCILIATION
Learning about First Nations, and their relationship with place. Finding ways to realise our intentions, and meaningfully engage with First Nations people and culture.
Khab acknowledge Australia’s First Nations peoples and the continuing connection they have with this land – the depth and dimensions of their identity that is derived from this country which we now share.
As Australians, we will never be a nation with a real future unless we can be real about our past. Khab believes that through reconciliation and owning our truth we can enrich our culture and create a chance to belong in a nation that has real integrity.
As Australian Architects, engagement and understanding of Australia’s traditional owners can help our projects to be contextually rich. Architecture appropriate for the site on which it sits should not ignore the history of the site.
From Adam - I live on the land and in the house that I grew up in. My dad grew up in it and my kids are growing up in it. My grandfather was an architect – he designed and built the house. My family has been on that land for 85 years and that patch of this country is an integral part of my personal identity…. I can not begin to imagine what this connection would feel like if my family had been there for over 60,000 years.
Khab are entering the REFLECT phase of our RAP Reconciliation Action Plan, and are motivated by the structure this is giving to our learning and our intentions.
KHAB, SUSTAINABILITY and REGENERATIVE DESIGN
Respecting natural environment by reducing the impact that construction has on it, enhancing the experience of it through our design response, and using resources strategically.
Environmental sustainability is standard for every Khab project. We strive to minimise the carbon footprint of our projects, placing value first and foremost on reducing size. We follow principles of regenerative design, seeking to not only reduce the harm of construction impact, but to ultimately positively impact the environmental and social setting of a project.
Khab are interested in a ‘whole of site’ approach – all spaces within boundaries are considered, and the relationship between the enclosed spaces, the spaces on the edge, and the landscape the building/s sit in, is critical to a successful outcome.
We respond to climate to create low energy buildings, and focus on 8 points of passive design, ie orientation, shape, zoning, glazing, mass, insulation, ventilation and landscaping. Additionally we encourage clients to collect water and power, and to use materials with low embodied energy. Simple decisions in these areas reduce impact, reduce running costs, and positively impact the lives of the inhabitants. Co-existing respectfully with the landscape, and valuing the landscape through design can lead to enhanced landscape care.
Khab are part of Australian Architects Declare, within an international network of architectural practices committed to addressing the climate emergency.