September, 2026

Brett Crellin, General Manager of Mirvac Design, attributes Mirvac’s celebrated reputation for design and construction excellence to the successful fusion of form and function, neither taking precedence over the other.

“Something we have really focused upon, right from our foundation years, is designing from the inside out, because the living experience, the outlook, the views and access to natural light and ventilation have such a material impact on people’s health and wellbeing,” says Mr Crellin.

“We take a holistic approach to design in our buildings, considering form and function, both of which need to be developed simultaneously.”

Mr Crellin has a background in building services design, an expertise that is critical to ensuring quality in design extends beyond the façade.

Living on the upper floors of skyscrapers gives access to the best views but making the living experience in the stratosphere as premium as the apartment, involves complex science and engineering. The fact that you can be metres above the ground and open doors and windows without impacting the building’s indoor environment, is testament to good design.

“Our goal is to ensure people are able to live the way they want to live. The quality of the living experience and longevity of the building is determined by factors that people rarely think about. It’s our job to make sure that our residents never have to worry about the elements of the building they cannot see.”

New buildings are more tightly sealed than they were using older construction methods, and while that is a positive advance, it can impact indoor air quality unless the façade and services of the building are appropriately considered.

“Newer methods of construction result in buildings that are tightly sealed and higher performing,” explains Mr Crellin. “The challenge becomes how you design healthy buildings that can breathe without compromising thermal comfort or introducing other problems.

“A lot of work goes into designing buildings to achieve that balance and that must be done in the early stages of design. What we aim for is thermal efficiencies and high indoor air quality, looking to passive measures to achieve these goals.

“Ultimately we are seeking to hand over a building that is low maintenance and trouble free, something that owners and building managers don’t have to constantly worry about.”