Get to know architect Bayden Goddard
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Mar 1, 2019
Get to know architect Bayden Goddard
Renowned architect Bayden Goddard is the man at the helm of progressive design-based practice Bayden Goddard Design Architects.
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Image by Kollosche.Pictured: 3533 Main Beach Parade, Main Beach. For sale by Michael Kollosche of Kollosche. As seen on Luxury List.
Bayden Goddard does not design average homes.
The Gold Coast architect's practice, Bayden Goddard Design Architects, has a portfolio of homes ranging from projects in Bondi and Brisbane to New York and the South of France.
The award-winning architect has numerous accolades under his belt. He won the 2016 Housing Industry Association award for this Gold Coast apartment.
WILLIAMS MEDIA caught up with the man at the helm of it all, Bayden Goddard.
What made you decide to pursue architecture as a career?
My parents were perpetual renovators and built a few homes during my childhood. That, and the fact that I always enjoyed creative subjects at school set me on the course to become an architect.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I really enjoy the design and problem-solving processes that result in something amazing.
The 'champagne moment' at the completion is a pretty hard rush to beat.
What is the role of a good architect?
Every architect is a little different and will bring different strengths. We like to be fully involved in the design and delivery process.
Being fully involved allows us to create something beyond our client's expectation and deliver it as a positive experience.
Not utilising an architect to manage the construction phase might save a bit on fees, but it opens the client up to all the construction stress.
What advice would you give to new property investors wishing to build or renovate?
As a loose rule, we do not take on a lot of renovations. We will for existing or previous clients but otherwise, we probably won't.
Unless we can be given accurate drawings of the initial build it is very difficult for us to protect our clients from costing creep due to unknowns.
Our practice is here to limit stress and renovations can be very stressful.
That said, some properties are best suited to renovations, but there is a point not to cross before a new build starts making real sense.
What is the most interesting brief you've ever been given by a client?
When I first graduated, I spent a few years undertaking some pretty wild briefs for the Brunei Royal Family, ranging from hotels and resorts to luxury residences, recording studios, apartments and leisure projects.
It was a great, crazy experience, but it was fantastic to return home.
What advice would you give to a newly graduated architect?
Try before you buy. Gain as much experience as you can in a practice to make sure the career is for you.
The degrees are so long and tough that gaining experience within them is tough but critical. A recent graduate without first-hand real-world experience is difficult to employ.
Our practice has always employed part-time students who are balancing study and work, and they have then become extremely competent architects.
Where do you live now, and what would be your dream home if you could live anywhere in the world?
I have lived and visited a lot of places, both in Australia and abroad, but the Gold Coast is where I call home.
The more I travel, the more I miss our enviable lifestyle.
Funnily enough, most of our work is away from the coast whether that be Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, or even our current project in the South of France.
It's all about creating the lifestyle we take for granted.
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