Renato D'Ettore Architects

Architect's Curriculum

Born in Italy, he moved to Australia with his family in the 1960s, studied architecture at the University of Technology in Sydney. In 1984, Renato lived in Sardinia investigating many architectural sites around the Mediterranean islands. He later worked for Pier Luigi Nervi and Paolo Portoghesi in Rome and for Harry Seidler and Romaldo Giurgola in Sydney. Renato started his own practice in 1990 after receiving a commission for a house in South Coogee.
 

Professional Journey in the Architectural Landscape

The house, with a magnificent site near the sea, inspired Renato to seize the opportunity to forge a personal path within the multiplicity of the modern architectural landscape. The chosen personal path has manifested not only in his design values, but also in the practice of his architecture; an intuitive way of working where projects are allowed to evolve in their own time through continuous review and modification, working through the infinite possibilities of design and biophilia of architecture.

The Concept

Renato's architecture draws inspiration from past masters and civilizations, seeking to represent the present with the desire to leave lasting buildings for the future. Renato is a member of the Australian Institute of Architects and has been a registered architect in NSW since 1997.

Philosophy

As a practice, the architecture studio draws inspiration and references from as broad areas as possible. Each project presents an opportunity to explore aspects of phenomenology and the challenge of conferring specificity. Avoiding trends for preconceived solutions that are formulaic in the design approach and that hinder rigorous research, exploration, and discovery of the hidden forces intrinsic to each site. Once these hidden forces are uncovered and the design direction becomes clear, only then can architecture have the potential to achieve a significant presence. The goal is to create evocative architecture, attempting to give a sense of place and beauty, satisfying the human need for textual and tactile expressions, calming or stimulating the senses with light and shadow, space and materiality, reducing complexity to achieve clarity and simplicity, thus emphasizing the ephemeral elements that good architecture can generate.