Candid Company: A Q&A With Vanessa Wegner Architect's Founder
For the founder of this boutique architecture firm, quality design and a work-life balance trump exponential growth
Julia Fairley
26 June 2018
Chief Sub-Editor and Writer, Houzz Australia and New Zealand. I love design and architecture that is thoughtful, sophisticated and champions an element of the unexpected. Before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts at UNSW and becoming a journalist, I studied interior architecture. For over a decade I have interviewed inspiring creative minds from around the world to write about design in its many different forms. Recently, I have also become an accidental gardener, to everyone's surprise.
Chief Sub-Editor and Writer, Houzz Australia and New Zealand. I love design and architecture... More
Houzz caught up with the principal architect at the eponymous Vanessa Wegner Architect firm to find out what lured her from designing high-end residential architecture to seeking out smaller, more affordable residential projects.
What do you do?
I am an architect practising in a small firm under my name, Vanessa Wegner Architect, which is located in Gladesville in Sydney’s Inner West. We work on residential projects of all sizes and some commercial interiors.
Vanessa Wegner, principal architect at Vanessa Wegner Architect
I am an architect practising in a small firm under my name, Vanessa Wegner Architect, which is located in Gladesville in Sydney’s Inner West. We work on residential projects of all sizes and some commercial interiors.
Vanessa Wegner, principal architect at Vanessa Wegner Architect
What distinguishes your work?
We can work with relatively small budgets to achieve an outcome tailored to the client’s needs and desires. We are realistic about the budget in relation to the scope of the work. And we love to create warm, light spaces that are great to live in and always relate to the landscape or garden.
Gladesville Courtyard House
We can work with relatively small budgets to achieve an outcome tailored to the client’s needs and desires. We are realistic about the budget in relation to the scope of the work. And we love to create warm, light spaces that are great to live in and always relate to the landscape or garden.
Gladesville Courtyard House
How did you enter this field of work?
I studied Architecture at Sydney University and spent a number of years travelling and practising overseas. I worked in a couple of firms doing high-end residential work and realised I would like to start my own firm working on smaller jobs that more people can afford, and trying to improve design at the other end of the market.
I studied Architecture at Sydney University and spent a number of years travelling and practising overseas. I worked in a couple of firms doing high-end residential work and realised I would like to start my own firm working on smaller jobs that more people can afford, and trying to improve design at the other end of the market.
When did you start Vanessa Wegner Architect?
I started practising on my own in 2005 with clients who were all referred to me by word of mouth. Most of my work came from repeat clients and friends of friends. I then had kids and lived overseas in the Philippines and the USA for four years, only working on one job at a time.
Gladesville Courtyard House
I started practising on my own in 2005 with clients who were all referred to me by word of mouth. Most of my work came from repeat clients and friends of friends. I then had kids and lived overseas in the Philippines and the USA for four years, only working on one job at a time.
Gladesville Courtyard House
How has your business changed?
Since I returned in 2015, my workload has grown considerably and I have recently hired my first full-time employee.
I am more experienced as an architect now, having seen many projects through from initial design stage to a built and finished product. There are so many aspects to architectural design, including the arty design side as well as the technical construction side, also the management of the business – clients, councils, fees, costs, etcetera. I am learning and evolving constantly as every job, site, client and budget are different and require constant attention.
Gladesville Courtyard House
Since I returned in 2015, my workload has grown considerably and I have recently hired my first full-time employee.
I am more experienced as an architect now, having seen many projects through from initial design stage to a built and finished product. There are so many aspects to architectural design, including the arty design side as well as the technical construction side, also the management of the business – clients, councils, fees, costs, etcetera. I am learning and evolving constantly as every job, site, client and budget are different and require constant attention.
Gladesville Courtyard House
Can you identify a turning point for your company?
When I set up my website with finished photos of the Drummoyne House I started to get a lot more enquiries. My clients from the Drummoyne House have been wonderful, always allowing me to take people through the house and referring me to others.
Since uploading my profile on Houzz I have also had many enquiries, and recently converted many of them into jobs. This marketing has boosted my profile and the number of potential projects.
Drummoyne House
When I set up my website with finished photos of the Drummoyne House I started to get a lot more enquiries. My clients from the Drummoyne House have been wonderful, always allowing me to take people through the house and referring me to others.
Since uploading my profile on Houzz I have also had many enquiries, and recently converted many of them into jobs. This marketing has boosted my profile and the number of potential projects.
Drummoyne House
What has proven the greatest professional challenge?
In one of my earlier projects I had some clients who tried to make a claim against me through the legal system, when the approved design was quoted by a builder at 10 per cent higher than their budget at tender time.
They were not successful, but since then I have always been careful to warn clients about the scope of their budget in relation to their brief and the fluctuating nature of building costs.
Drummoyne House
In one of my earlier projects I had some clients who tried to make a claim against me through the legal system, when the approved design was quoted by a builder at 10 per cent higher than their budget at tender time.
They were not successful, but since then I have always been careful to warn clients about the scope of their budget in relation to their brief and the fluctuating nature of building costs.
Drummoyne House
What have you learnt about your industry that you wish you knew when you started?
How to deal with councils. Dealing with councils and their regulations has been one of the biggest and sometimes the most frustrating challenges of each project.
Achieving the best design solution for a property often means that council regulations have to be stretched. Having a good relationship with the council and working with them and informing them of the key aspects of the design can help get a project approved.
Drummoyne House
How to deal with councils. Dealing with councils and their regulations has been one of the biggest and sometimes the most frustrating challenges of each project.
Achieving the best design solution for a property often means that council regulations have to be stretched. Having a good relationship with the council and working with them and informing them of the key aspects of the design can help get a project approved.
Drummoyne House
When choosing sub-contractors, what do you look for?
You have to be very careful when choosing a builder you haven’t worked with before, to make sure you check their references and that you get on well with them. You should not necessarily choose the cheapest tender as a sub-contractor’s price often reflects the quality of their workmanship.
I am in regular contact with a large network of architects, which is a great source of information and contacts in the industry. I also have a number of proven industry professionals I like to work with on a regular basis, such as my structural and hydraulic engineer.
Drummoyne House
You have to be very careful when choosing a builder you haven’t worked with before, to make sure you check their references and that you get on well with them. You should not necessarily choose the cheapest tender as a sub-contractor’s price often reflects the quality of their workmanship.
I am in regular contact with a large network of architects, which is a great source of information and contacts in the industry. I also have a number of proven industry professionals I like to work with on a regular basis, such as my structural and hydraulic engineer.
Drummoyne House
What are the deal-breakers that make you reluctant to work with sub-contractors?
I don’t work with sub-contractors who are reluctant to visit my clients’ sites. As for clients, some have a strong need to replicate something they have seen that might not be responsive to their site. If they are not open to discussing a number of design outcomes then I would probably not want to take the job.
Annandale House
I don’t work with sub-contractors who are reluctant to visit my clients’ sites. As for clients, some have a strong need to replicate something they have seen that might not be responsive to their site. If they are not open to discussing a number of design outcomes then I would probably not want to take the job.
Annandale House
What’s the best advice you can offer about managing a team?
Always keep everyone informed. Keep your clients up to date on your progress, keep on top of the consultants to push along their work, keep in contact with councils during the DA phase and keep clients aware of any issues on-site with the builder.
As I only have one employee at the moment, I would say provide realistic expectations. In general I also think it’s important to let employees know when their performance is not as expected.
Annandale House
Always keep everyone informed. Keep your clients up to date on your progress, keep on top of the consultants to push along their work, keep in contact with councils during the DA phase and keep clients aware of any issues on-site with the builder.
As I only have one employee at the moment, I would say provide realistic expectations. In general I also think it’s important to let employees know when their performance is not as expected.
Annandale House
How do you plan to grow or maintain your level of success?
I am currently at a crucial point deciding whether I should grow my business or focus on maintaining the size and workload I have already achieved. I am passionate about getting great design out to as many people as possible – for me, this is more important than exponential growth. I am also cautious about growing the business too much at this stage, as I like the flexibility to be available to my young kids.
Greenwich House
I am currently at a crucial point deciding whether I should grow my business or focus on maintaining the size and workload I have already achieved. I am passionate about getting great design out to as many people as possible – for me, this is more important than exponential growth. I am also cautious about growing the business too much at this stage, as I like the flexibility to be available to my young kids.
Greenwich House
Any recommendations for software or apps that help you run your business well?
I am now working totally in 3D CAD on Vectorworks. Working in 3D is great both for designing and presenting those designs to clients.
Greenwich House
Tell us
If you enjoyed this interview, like it, save it and join the conversation by sharing your thoughts or your own professional experiences in the Comments below.
More
Missed last month’s Candid Company story? Read a Q&A with the husband-and-wife design duo behind Evie Group
I am now working totally in 3D CAD on Vectorworks. Working in 3D is great both for designing and presenting those designs to clients.
Greenwich House
Tell us
If you enjoyed this interview, like it, save it and join the conversation by sharing your thoughts or your own professional experiences in the Comments below.
More
Missed last month’s Candid Company story? Read a Q&A with the husband-and-wife design duo behind Evie Group
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As someone that has worked closely with Vanessa for many years I can confirm she is one of the best architects around.
Matt (builder)