Our Collaborations
Collaborating for Excellence: Our Professional Network
At Merlin Constructions, we believe that great projects are the result of strong collaborations. We work closely with a diverse network of professional consultants, each bringing their expertise to the table. Our collaborative approach ensures that every project benefits from a holistic perspective, innovative solutions, and seamless execution.
Architects and Designers
Our partnerships with architects and designers are at the core of our success. Their creative vision shapes our projects, from concept to completion. Whether it’s a residential home, commercial space, or community facility, their expertise ensures that aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability blend seamlessly.
Structural Engineers
Precision matters in construction, and our collaboration with structural engineers ensures that our buildings stand strong. This allows us to create safe and durable structures. Their insights guide our decisions, whether we’re designing a high-rise or a custom home.
Environmental Consultants
Sustainability is a priority for us. Our environmental consultants help us navigate eco-friendly practices, energy efficiency, and green certifications. From choosing sustainable materials to minimizing our carbon footprint, their guidance ensures that our projects contribute positively to the environment.
Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors
Efficient project management is essential. Our collaboration with project managers and quantity surveyors keeps us on track. They oversee timelines, budgets, and resources, ensuring that we deliver exceptional results within agreed-upon parameters. Their meticulous planning and coordination are invaluable.
Interior Designers and Landscape Architects
The beauty lies in the details. Our collaboration with interior designers and landscape architects adds the finishing touches. They transform spaces into inviting havens, paying attention to aesthetics, functionality, and user experience. Whether it’s selecting fixtures or creating lush outdoor areas, their creativity shines.
Hinsby Hill
Hinsby Hill Is a creative combination of home and surroundings. This architectural brilliance gives the feeling of being so close to the surrounding bush you can nearly touch it.
The externally glazed facade by Candour surrounds the house floor-to-ceiling on all sides however, the incorporation of natural band sawn timber to the exterior of the art studio breaks up the expanse of glass by introducing a soft balance to the external palate. The addition of a green roof on the lower level means the usual hard surface associated with a roof facade do not exist … instead, as you look out from the upper deck level, the garden and soft ground covers blend into their surroundings seamlessly.
This residential plot of land is extremely steep bringing challenges to the function and construction. Archier have designed a home that combines form and function by elongating the footprint along the contours, creating space and access to suit our clients’ growing needs.
The interior is bold but simplistic. It incorporates large, exposed timber members across the window and ceiling systems. These are stained a dark walnut colour to not detract from the view towards the trees and ocean but still give a robust industrial feel.
The use of unique Japanese tiles both large and small format give so much character to the floors and walls. The joinery blends perfectly into the style of this home but has distinct design features of its own. An island bench that stands on legs rather than kickers and looks like a piece of furniture instead of joinery is just one of these.
The upstairs pavilion houses the kitchen dining and living rooms. Some features are the timber screens housing the stairs and separating the dining from the living area. The inclusion of a coffee nook between the kitchen and dining rooms with another timber screen continues in the same theme. The Chimney Philippe fireplace stands boldly in its surroundings in front of more stunning terracotta tiles. The downstairs pavilion shares the master bed, walk in robes and bathroom as well as the office, media room and Mud room.
The master bed and WIR are separated from the rest of this pavilion by a seamless full height pivot door giving privacy and separation when needed. The bathroom has more stunning tiles as well as an exquisite, pressed metal bath that matches the zen of this beautiful bathroom. The media room is minimalistic but captures the best of both worlds with enough space to catch a move as well as including a large bookshelf and the perfect space to chill and read a book.
The mud room has heaps of seated bench space and just as much space underneath for those wet boots after a winters walk. The mudroom is also the storage hub of the home with meters of floor to ceiling joinery for everything you could imagine to store. There is a workshop and garden shed nestled under the upper pavilion that is also a necessary structural component to the upper level. It also houses the entire hydronic heating hub which disperses warm water to the entire in screed hydronic heating system.
The client has a deep connection with art and wanted to incorporate an art studio into the design. This studio had a different connection to the outdoors than the rest of the house as wall space and the need for a dark room were required unlike the rest of the home.
A detached building with access across a large adjacent deck was included. This houses the art studio, guest bedroom and ensuite. The art studio is large and versatile with benches on casters and a large washroom. This ensuite is generous in size with creative finishes including some stunning hand make Japanese tiles referred to as blue cheese tiles.
Collaborated Project
Maison De Panissou:
The project name comes from our client’s deep connection with Europe, in particular France. It means House of Panissou. Panissou... being a 15th century castle in the Perigord region of France, featuring a distinctly unique aesthetic profile.
This home was designed by Archier, Constructed by Merlin. Our clients wanted a design construction team that could work closely together, who also shared their passion for the unique aspects of building their future home. Merlins past collaboration with Archier highlighted the fit for both Client and Architect.
This project is located in the foot hills of Mt Wellington(Kunanyi) and has great ties to the surrounding landscape. This is seen through the design aesthetic that celebrates the terrain and outdoor landscape the home is perched on.
Archier were also involved in the design and construction of the Candour glazed facade system that surrounds the home on 3 sides. This itself is stunning and significant design and structural element however, still not the main glazing feature... The main glazed feature is the central floor-to-ceiling, 2 story glazed entry seen from the street and enjoyed from the halls of this contemporary home. The glazing system combines the use of large glue lam beams, St Lucia glazing profile and large expanses of double-glazed units.
The home also features a unique in-screed hydronic heating system, located inside a burnished concrete slab, suspended meters from the ground while being supported by a structural timber floor...An epic engineering feat.
What makes the house special are the zones within it and how they interact: There are play spaces, there are workspaces, there are rest spaces and there are spaces that immerse you in nature, like the outdoor bath and pool area.
Inside all these spaces are unique features that add to the creative playful intent of this home! Just a few of these are ladders... used to access mezzanine playrooms or reading nooks, a sunken kitchen to aid connection between people on either side of the island bench, brass splashbacks, unique fluted, stone or kit-cat tiles in outrageously bold colours. Large timber screens acting as fall protection from the mezzanine floors above while still allowing light and atmosphere to flow between.
The ensuite opens onto a private deck with a custom concrete bath located externally capturing the surrounding Tasmanian bush setting. There is also a 10m lap pool and associated decks between the house and pool for entertaining with family and friends. Since completing this project, the client has been busy planting out the entry and yard with a selection of native Tasmanian trees and shrubs. My favourite being a 20-year-old established Huon pine not likely to grow much taller in our lifetime!