Folk Architects’ designs are about people and experiences. We activate spaces by integrating art, design, science and technology in a way that is collaborative, innovative, and pragmatic yet playful.

Our approach is to engage with people in a site specific and shared design process that explores the possibilities of architecture and how it can contribute to and enhance our everyday.

Folk Architects is an award winning architecture practice with a reputation for high quality, user generated design projects driven by participation and engagement with community and project team.

After many years of collaboration and working for local and internationally renowned practices, founders Christie Petsinis and Tim Wilson established Folk Architects with a desire to make architecture more inclusive and accessible.

Tim and Christie are both actively involved in all aspects of the practice. Tim leads project coordination, documentation and construction while Christie’s focus is innovation, research, design and ongoing engagement and education.

Our design process engages the project team and site community to create a built environment that reflects cultural values and bestows a sense of civic pride and ownership.

Drawing upon professional experiences, travel and postgraduate study abroad, Folk’s body of work is diverse in scale, program and complexity.

Medhurst Winery, our first completed project, received a Victorian Commercial Award, a National Commendation and was a finalist at the 2013 World Architecture Awards. Subsequent completed projects have been recognised for their architectural design excellence.

Sustainability

More than just sensitivity to the environment, Folk’s concept of sustainability encompases economic simplicity and a respect for location. Architectural intelligence and compassion for our fragile environment ensures each project captures the desires of its users, and has a positive environmental and cultural impact.

Curiousity

Natural curiosity drives a desire to understand how people live and work, and explore how this changes as we become global citizens with fragmented working lives. We care about post occupancy outcomes, and how each project will grow and develop over time.

Civic Generosity

It is the role of design to respond to social and environmental conditions. Our approach is compassionate, referencing the climate, science, technical changes and social and contemporary issues. We use our skills as architects to improve the lives and wellbeing of others.

Legacy

We Folk provide architectural solutions that create happy and safe communities and deliver a positive legacy with social, environmental and economic benefits that extend beyond the physical dimension of architecture.