We break down the five key themes from our podcast This Much I Know with Karen McCartney with Kennedy Nolan founders and principal architects Rachel Nolan and Patrick Kennedy. Recorded in one of their latest projects —gallerist Sophie Gannon’s Melbourne home— Rachel and Patrick discuss how buildings can engage the imagination, the impact of colour and memory, and the importance of designing innovative and relevant homes.
1. Evoking Imagination through Design
In this podcast, architects Patrick Kennedy and Rachel Nolan discuss their desire to create buildings that evoke imagination for both children and adults, rooted in their own childhood experiences of being fascinated by buildings and imagining the stories within them. “We talk about making monsters, or things that are almost living, where the building almost becomes like a creature,” Rachel says. “There’s magic to that; an enigmatic thing for an adult to be drawn to, where you don’t even know why you’re drawn to it.”
Kennedy Nolan crafts structures that aren’t just functional but playful and mysterious, drawing people in with elements that are open to interpretation, like unusual shapes—such as their constant use of circles—or unexpected colours that make the building feel as though it’s alive.Â
2. The Importance of Colour in Design
Patrick and Rachel discuss the emotional impact of using colour in their projects and how this has evolved in their design approach. The architects discuss how strategically using colour can evoke feelings and responses, creating depth and shifting perspectives within spaces; “Everyone—whether they are conscious of it or not—has an emotional reaction to colour,” Patrick says. “We’ve always used a lot of colour, but we’ve now started to try and think about it more methodically or scientifically.”Â
Exploring the complexity and skill involved in using colour beyond just visual appeal, Patrick and Rachel also analyse the dynamic interactions between colour, light, space, and materials. For example, they discuss how light during different seasons or times of day affects how the colour will appear or how colour on linen looks different from paint or stone. “That’s the exciting thing about working with colours; they move and they change,” Patrick says.
Rachel Nolan and Patrick KennedyÂ
3. The Impact of Memory
Patrick and Rachel discuss the concept of memory in architecture, acknowledging the importance of designing homes with personal experiences and histories in mind. Highlighting the ongoing evolution of a home —where gardens grow, interiors change, and families adapt over time— Kennedy Nolan creates living environments that evolve with their inhabitants, valuing the interplay between architecture, interiors, and landscapes to create holistic and memorable spaces.
Sharing the joy in revisiting past projects to see how they have matured and fulfilled their intended purpose, Rachel and Patrick believe that their projects are never truly ‘complete’, but rather dynamic and evolving. “To make something which sits in your formative memory is really exciting, because it really makes you feel like you’re having a part in someone’s personal narrative,” Patrick says. “That’s what we always try and think about in residential architecture – what makes you enjoy every part of your life.”
The living area features the DCW Editions Mantis floor lamp.
4. A Modern Approach to Heritage
The podcast delves into Kennedy Nolan’s philosophy on heritage, exploring the importance of modernising and adapting historic buildings to inject them with new life. For example, when designing Sophie Gannon’s heritage home, Patrick and Rachel incorporated contemporary elements of post-war modernism and Japanese architecture to ensure the building maintains relevancy as time passes. “Good architecture can convert,” Rachel says. “To approach heritage in a contemporary, dynamic, creative way is the best way to preserve things because if you make them relevant, they will be cared for and loved through generations.”
The study space features a Vitra Akari pendant light and Driade table designed by Patricia Urquiola.
5. Embracing Private Living Spaces
Finally, Patrick and Rachel emphasise the significance of creating domestic spaces that allow for reflection while celebrating family dynamics. Discussing the growing trend of large, open-plan living spaces, they break down the art of designing traditional and compartmentalised spaces that allow for both natural connection and separation. “Home environments are really attuned to how you actually make your domestic experience enjoyable, calming and affirming,” Rachel shares. Through this design approach, Kennedy Nolan architects design homes that consider the long-term needs of families, ensuring that spaces are adaptable and functional over time.
