A few sneak peek snaps at the Guild Hall in North Fremantle - its open for business! Not any kind of business, its an event space for weddings, feast, shin digs and the like. The team (Owners, FINESPUN, Gabrielle Scott and Layton Creative) have given North Fremantle another a wonderful space - email events@guildhall.com.au to book.

Yes, I know my videography - film making - editing skills are very poor, but everyone loves a site update, so im taking it to the next level with film purely for your pleasure - HERE. One day i will spend more time on these things and get really good at it. And then i will quit architecture and the next time you will see me will be at the Logies (im not aiming too high) winning 'best TV show intro' hopefully for something like 'Today Tonight' or 'Family Feud'. Then you will say to people, i knew him when he first started out.

As part of a new series on Perth suburbs, Scott and Gillian from the Afternoon show on 720 ABC Perth rolled through the suburb to talk to locals on the state of affairs in the hood. Scott came into the office to delve a little deeper with Patrick Miller at around 21 minute mark - here - Thanks Scott, come back and play darts anytime.....

We have started off racing out of the gates this year and we are very fortunate to have wonderful projects to come back to the office to. The break always gives you time to think and reassess your direction in life, and more so this year as im turning 40. Some say this is where the midlife crisis lies? I did like that Faith No More song....... 

Ive had a blessed life and made the most of it in my travels around the world and have generally followed my heart. Yes, the grey hairs are starting to spring forth and the body is showing signs of minor malfunctions, but all in all, with age brings wisdom - so they say. Ive made many mistakes, both personally and professionally but am a keen advocate of taking a chance, coping with risk and believe failure is inevitable in order to grow.

The video of my talk on the subject of Chance at Creative Mornings Perth can be viewed HERE which may provide inspiration for those without grey hair and lesser wisdom to take chances early in life......... Oh and the reason im laughing in this photo? During question time, my wife (sitting in the audience) took the opportunity to ask "Whats the chance of you cleaning the car?"

That time of year again folks for our annual wrap up for 2014 - found here, so a huge thanks to our clients, builders, trades, suppliers, consultants and most of all the guys and girls who have helped craft these in the office - Marcos Prado, Joe Mathiessen, Tor Dahl, Jaime Mayger and Michelle Miller. Saturnalia here i come!

I was nominated for the AIA WA Emerging Architect Prize this year which was nice, and like all 'architect' events my double denim came out again. No prize this year, but we did win 'best couple' and i can tell you Mr AyEyeAy, i'll be back..... i may even be tempted to become a member one day and get involved in the board and then i might even submit my projects for the awards. I might even get the denim jacket out and go triple.

Thanks to those who nominated me! Id also like to thank my ever glowing and wonderful wife Michelle who puts up with this architectural life of mine and ever since i have been going to events with her we find ourselves in 'that paper that shall not be named' and on the web wide intranet thingy..... and we all know why - double denim and a Macedonian goddess are magnets for a camera. Kisses.

So if you aren't aware of Creative Mornings, its an international ring of awesomeness. Its similar to TED Talks but generally for the creative industries. I am lined up to talk at the next Creative Morning 7th November at 8am and very much looking forward to it. For free tickets and more info click here. Yeah i still get nervous talking, but the best way to overcome these things is to keep doing them........ Thanks to Perth Host Michael Grau.

Update: Click HERE to view the talk for Creative Mornings Perth.

OK, so that double murder on tenth avenue in 2011 put us back a bit, he's in jail now; but the rejuvenation of Maylands is really showing massive signs of growth towards my (not so) favorite thing - gentrification. The 'gossip' (look that word up on etymology.com.... naughty women) around 8th avenue has been running wilder than a class five river, about new venues and businesses coming to town. If you have stumbled across this Journal because you were researching Maylands, then in my expert opinion you should buy now. Why? This is what Maylands has to offer right now (in no particular order);

Fill Your Belly - Mrs S Cafe, Eki Bento, Dome Headquarters, Hampshire on Eighth, Chapels on Whatley, Smoults Deli, Ploy Thai, Milkd, Piccos Kitchen, Riffos, Sherbert, JWs Bakery

Craft Your Head - Estebans on Whatley, The Chop Shop, East Salon, Platinum Perth

Get Liquored - Swallow Bar, The Peninsula Tavern (i love a good old dirty pub)

Celebrate or Apologise - Green Door Florist

Layer Up - Blackcurrent Clothing, Look Feel Be, Mizled, This Fine Day, Avenue

Shimmy - Estudio Nuevo, THE Home of WA Ballet, WA Youth Jazz Orchestra

Gaze - Studio 281 Gallery, Miik Green Studio Nights, Chrissie Parrot Arts, This Fine Window?

Pray - Fo Guang Shan Temple and every other denomination you may be into

Hit Balls - Maylands Golf Course, The RISE

This is not even half of it, the Swan River, the Maylands Hawkers Markets, the Little Shop of Plenty, the refurb of the Peninsula Tavern and Finbar's Unison Apartments, Henry on Eighth Small Bar and the proposed Lyric Lane Live Music Venue. The only down side to Maylands is that its so close to Mt Lawley and that dying hipster strip of Beaufort St. Buy Buy Buy! Bye.

Ive always loved the origins of words. You can easily trace the history of words at www.etymonline.com. Aussie slang doesnt get a mention, this is where www.urbandictionary.com fills in. Like the phrase 'carn the hawks', growing up in Melbounre i get it, i heard it every weekend, it relies on the verbalist to drawl, abbreviate and leave out certain sounds from 'come on the hawks'. Anyhow, good win - back to back!

I understand advertising on TV and radio, where you can choose to turn off. But billboards in the public realm really piss me off. Whether its being sold the latest car, a meal deal from McShites or fake tan & boob job, they are a distraction to your mental silence whilst you listen to Rage Against the Machine in your car, you are already angry enough. In short, they just look shit - visual pollution. Your eyeballs are attacked every day as you drive, pedal and walk around the city scape to upwards of 3,000 ads per day. Think Stirling Highway and Scarborough Beach Rd?

In 2007, the world's fourth-largest metropolis, São Paulo - Brazil, became the first city outside of the communist world to put into effect a radical, near-complete ban on outdoor advertising with the mighty kahunas of Mayor Gilberto Kassab. Corporations and advertisers cried foul and argued 'advertisement' was culture. Peh! Many thought this would render the city colourless, grey and dull, but it has had the opposite effect, opening the way for public art to fill the void and allow architecture lost behind signage and advertisement to be seen again. You can see the difference in the before and after photos here.

Adbusters Magazine - Sao Paulo A City Wihtout Ads

Tony De Marcos - Flickr

The Fox is Black - Grey City Street Art

and a little piece of RATM to keep your mind peaceful - HERE