HELLO, I’M INGRID

I’ve been working as a building designer in Melbourne since 1996. My focus is on residential work, for which I won an award (Best Alteration and Addition Under $200K) from the BDAV in 2011.

My passion is creating homes that combine pleasure, practicality and sustainability for (and with) my clients.

What I love about design, and what makes me the happiest about the work that I do, is that it gives me the opportunity to bring together structure, engineering, art, beauty, psychology, and the environment into a unified, harmonious whole. I believe that every renovation is an opportunity to make a difference.

I have been an active member of Design Matters National (formerly BDAV) since 2002, and I share CHI Design Studio with two other women designers in Brunswick, Victoria.

CHI DESIGN STUDIO

After starting my business in 2000, I worked from home for several years before moving out with a group of like-minded designers. We spent 9 years together, sharing an office and being a sounding board and/or cheer squad for each other, during the inevitable ups and downs of running a design business.

In 2020, Chi Design Studio has become a fully virtual community; we continue to share the ups and downs of life and business, while our physical workplace has returned ‘home’.

WHY I LOVE BEING A BUILDING DESIGNER

I love making a difference to the people I work with. I do this by staying curious; I keep asking questions, and keep listening to the answers, until I understand what will make the biggest difference to my clients. That’s part of what I love about this profession.

MY DESIGN APPROACH

I will look after you – that’s what ‘designs for you’ means. I’ve learnt to allow time to understand what motivates the brief you give me; to tease out the hopes that lie underneath the words. It involves courage, and trust, on both sides; but it’s worth building that relationship, because the results are a reflection of that understanding.