Multi Award Winning Glow Design Group specialises in designing energy-efficient buildings that are functional and beautiful. We are passionate about design and work hard to ensure our clients enjoy the journey and love the creation. Good design is of utmost importance: high thermal efficiency not only helps save the environment, it saves on ongoing costs by using energy wisely. The studio began as Timothy Ellis Building Design-but has formed into a design group to cover the various other aspects of building design including interior design. Glow represents the sun and aspect. Designing for the aspect and utilising energy wisely will save vast sums over the life of the project. Specifying details on the plans leads to less costly contract changes and the plans are translated into built form as planned. Good design ensures higher resale values.  We design on the latest three dimensional software allowing for pre-visualisation and walk through in the design phase. We are inspired by past and present Architecture and design and keep up with interior design trends whilst appreciating a classical style.

What is building design?
Buildings have been designed since we required shelter from the elements. Throughout history amazing buildings were designed and built with various trades coming together.
Varying education over the centuries has been part of this role but often on the job training. Artists and great thinkers were often self-taught in the role. The term is autodidacticism.
Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eileen Gray, Jean Prouvé Violet-Le-Duc, and Tadao Ando and many other great ‘architects’ were self-taught. When you walk around Melbourne and admire the Grand Victorian buildings their design was from a different school.
In Victoria and various states of Australia there are various people that can design and document a building. Building Designers are registered and carry insurance. Building designers do a different course to that which gives the title Architect. In the market there is some confusion as to what a Building Designer is and their level of training. I did 21 core units studying Building Design and Architectural drafting. This was three years study, then I worked for an architect for two years before having my plans reviewed by peers, sitting an exam and having an interview before I could finally be a registered Building Designer. This also involved carrying insurance. I am registered by the VBA and answerable to them also.
Graduates of Architecture do a different education. This is three years Bachelor then two years Masters, work experience with log book before doing an exam and becoming registered, carrying insurance and using the title Architect.
What you learn at school and to become registered is but a part of what you do as official education. It is what you learn through life and ongoing self-learning that leads to what you design. There are many Building designers I respect and love their work, there are others I am not so sure about. There are also many Architects I admire, but also some I am surprised by their output. Fees can vary between designers set by market demand, portfolio and in part ongoing expenses such as fees on education expense.
The ability to have choice in the market, to know you are working with someone that shares the same passion as yourself. To have different life experiences reflected in design.
Look at the work, talk to the clients. See which designer you wish to work for in an open market of design. Building Designers like myself are proud of the work we do and the quality of the work. I like that I know the process and able to work right through from design to detailed documentation.
The choice between and Architect and Building designer should be done on their work and their passion for building design knowing that they are both registered, both answerable for their actions and share a love of design.