Explore our latest ‘Made with Programa’ feature as AKI Design discusses the Alexandra House project, detailing the workflow, challenges, and how Programa streamlined the design process.
AKI Design
Alexandra House
Made with Programa
Programa26 August 2024
AKI Design, is a multidisciplinary studio based in South Yarra, Melbourne. Known for luxurious and timeless designs, AKI blends diverse inspirations to create high-end spaces. The Alexandra House project reworked a modern home to reflect its owners' heritage and individual expression, aiming for minimal changes with significant impact.
“There are many platforms out there for builders, but few specifically for interior designers or architects. For me, being able to jump into Programa, makes life so much easier. ”
Charis JamesDirector
Alexandra House embodies a European luxury aesthetic with refined detailing and integrating existing elements. AKI reworked the recently built home to reflect the current owners’ personalities, adding depth through subtle colour variations and materials.
Minimal changes included adding steel and glass doors between indoors and outdoors at the thresholds, enhancing the flow throughout the project.
“Sometimes you would lose an entire spreadsheet, and have to redo it again. So there's a lot of Pro's to Programa. Having all of the admin points looked after by Programa allows us to grow as a business. ”
Candyce JamesDirector
AKI utilized high-quality materials and reshaped the interiors to ensure longevity and permanence. They introduced classical references into an otherwise nondescript home by opening the inside to the outside and improving flow. Handmade doors added an artisanal touch, a key part of the brief.
Robust finishes such as terrazzo and marble in the bathroom and kitchen, timber in the flooring, and custom joinery added warmth. Custom joinery concealed essential amenities while adding refined detailing. The interiors were further enriched with furniture, artwork, and lighting—many pieces created by European designers—to ensure lasting beauty and function.
“Some of the challenges as designers is keeping everything in a schedule that is able to be constantly updated without taking too much physical and mental time away from what we're doing, which is designing. Programa has helped so much in that way...”
Tessa JamesDirector
Programa is critical to AKI Design’s ongoing project success. “We plan to use it in future projects to maintain efficiency. It is now an essential tool in our studio’s workflow, particularly for managing large projects with extensive details,” says Tessa James.
Both the team and clients have provided positive feedback, noting increased efficiency and streamlined workflow. Programa’s organizational capabilities and ease of use have become a cornerstone in AKI Design’s process, helping the studio achieve its design goals while saving time and reducing errors.
