Ardent Architects Pty Ltd

It’s the low points in one’s career that often initiate a change in direction and create the best results. And in 2010, not long after the fallout of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), architect Justin Morris established his practice. Named ‘Ardent’ (meaning ‘intense feeling’), Architects, it was both an appropriate name and timing for the Melbourne-based practice. Graduating from Deakin University in 2000, Morris worked as a Senior Design Manager for a project management company prior to establishing Ardent Architects. And while design has always been at the core of his business and that of others in the practice, from the outset he understood the importance of addressing the financial arm to ensure the success he was looking for. Working with a broad portfolio that includes residential at one end of the scale and large commercial projects at the other, Ardent Architects’ clients include individual home owners through to some of Australia’s largest companies: Priceline, Coles, Nissan, Mitsubishi and the Blood Bank, many with numerous franchises across the country. Car showrooms and offices, as well as educational projects, are delivered with the same level of care and attention to detail as the practice’s bespoke homes. And over the years, these clients have established long-term relationships with Ardent Architects. Unlike some practices, Ardent Architects enjoy the ‘moving feast’ of projects, quickly adapting to change, with a strong focus on the latest technology (Morris started his career working in architectural animation). Using Building Information Modelling (BIM), real time rendered schematics and interactive data bases, the practice is continually evolving its methodology and delivery to its clients. Its ability to think laterally has also been a reason for its growth. For the State Emergency Services (SES), for example, Ardent Architects designed six building typologies that could be used for a variety of different sites. This means that when firefighters walk through the front door of any fire station anywhere across Australia, often in haste, they know exactly where they can quickly find everything they need. Text by Stephen Crafti