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Design Philosophy


We believe that good design can enable positive change and transform the built environment for the benefit of our clients and the wider population. Based on over 100 years of insight and experience, SHCA seamlessly integrates consulting and interior design with architectural design, master planning and historic preservation. We work across a broad spectrum of project types and scales, helping clients envision and construct for a future that is innovative, sustainable, and beautiful.

Successful projects celebrate the resolution of the natural tension between a building's physical constraints and a project's goals and objectives. The integration of our interior and architectural design skills results in a unified, balanced response to internal and external influences.
SHCA aspires to the highest level of design quality coupled with care and concern for our staff, the communities in which we live and work, and our shared planet. Our corporate social responsibility policy is at the heart of this endeavour - an integrated ethical approach which embraces three primary issues:
  • Sustainability of designs - a clear focus on 'green' design is applied to each project;
  • Impact as a business on the environment and staff wellbeing - significant reductions in carbon footprint and improvements in workplace quality have been achieved in recent years, with more targeted;
  • Engagement with the local community - SHCA and our staff regularly donate funds, professional expertise and personal time to a variety of philanthropic and design industry organisations internationally.
Sustainability is essential to our design philosophy and is integrated with our thinking from the start of any project. Designing to reduce energy demand is the way to minimise further add on measures through the series of design stages. This process can include:
  • re-use of existing buildings and materials and flexibility for future change - minimising use of new materials;
  • building modelling that directly reduces energy demand;
  • active and passive renewable energy sources;
  • integrating new projects into the urban infrastructure;
  • use of energy and resource efficient materials, methods, and forms;
  • and, most importantly, careful consideration of the well-being of the end user.

The results speak for themselves, with many of our projects achieving highly sustainable ratings and awards.