about SDA

Steve Drake

Steve Drake is the principal of SDA, an Architectural and Construction firm that practices across all facets of architectural design and building.

With a career beginning in hardware as a junior and from there to a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship.

Building led to a foreman’s role with a mid tier construction company in north Qld.

A desire to contribute at a higher level led Steve to an Architecture degree.

He worked at several Architecture firms before branching into his own Architectural Design and Construction Company (ArcStruct)

Design and Construct

ArcStruct completed multiple projects across SE Qld, ranging in scope from boutique modifications and extensions to high end residential projects. In addition town house developments, vet surgeries and commercial buildings. One of the key focuses at this time was to experiment with traditional construction methodologies to derive interesting and inspiring results.

Medicinal Cannibas

SDA have been commisioned to work with early adopters in the Medicinal Cannibas field.

Design and development of strategic growing and processing facilities, from planning, ODC approvals and construction roll out.

Early Learning

A collaborator on a series of ELC projects with Milton Architects across QLD, NSW + Victoria.

The Myocum Project

The Myocum Project is a lived experiment.

Focusing on sustainability, experimental building, architecture as art,  food production + value adding.

The focus of a blog for the next few years……….

Community + Placemaking

Steve is an active participant in the local business and artistic community of Byron Shire and in particular, Mullumbimby.

Mullumbimby – Burringbar St – shared streets programme.

Steve has been involved in the Shared Streets Grant with Byron Shire Council and carried out the production and rollout of the “stone landscape resting places” inserted into the gradens of Burringbar Street.

The Mullumbimby Sculpture Walk

Steve is current vice president of Creative Mullum Inc.

Their manifest is to apply and encourage creatitivity and creative engagment in the region. One of their projects is the Mullum Sculpture Walk along the banks of the Brunswick River in Mullumbimby.

Steve has been instumental in producing and aquiring pieces for this precinct.

Early Learning Centres

Architects in association

SDA are collaborators on a number of ELC projects with Milton Architects across QLD, NSW + Victoria.

Glen Iris ELC commencing in 2022

South Melbourne SLC – Concept design in collaboration with Tezuka Architects (JAPAN)

Manly ELC – completed 2020

Residential

The Greens

In the  western suburbs of Brisbane nestled on 10 acres of  residential rural bush-land backing onto state forest is the Green House.

To protect against the exposure  of the rural setting and the prevailing winter weather, the house is divided into 3 wings surrounding a central pool and lawned courtyard.

Greystone

The Greystone is a MCM inspired home situated in the leafy suburb of Chapel Hill in the western suburbs of Brisbane.

The home is designed for a modern growing family of 7.

We have configured the home around a courtyard opening to the North.

The family’s future needs are encapsulated in the planning and manipulation of the spacial arrangement.

Range House

The Range house is set on a sloping lot overlooking a golf driving range.

The house is compact yet flexible in its layout with volume and glazing expanding the perceived scale and size.

The Sweet Shop

A story of 2 buildings connected and renovated into a delightful home set in the county.

Bayside

Bayside sits overlooking the edges of Moreton Bay.

The house is oriented to take advantage of the slight grade over the site and the requirement for an accessible design to provide an elevated position

Social + Affordable Housing

SDA has a strong focus on the provision of housing for the sector of the market where housing stress and insecure tenure are key factors effecting them.

Steve and his colleagues have developed an affrdable housing and integrated mixed use development for the Byron Shire Council for a disused site on Byron Bay

Following is a link to an aerial video of the proposal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI6CSLAe3Wo