ABOUT NATHALIE CURTET.
Nathalie Curtet creates living spaces that are innovative responses to the land, her clients, their lifestyle, and spatial qualities. In challenging conventional thoughts around the use of space, she achieves design that translates traditional building types into new cultural and social paradigms.
With a passion for creating spaces that nurture the senses and a connection to place, client joy is paramount to Nathalie’s practice. Designing unique, mindful living spaces and establishing respectful relationships with clients, Nathalie is a professional place maker.
Nathalie lives today on the land of The Wallumedegal People of the Eora Nation.
From designing green architecture
to compass architecture.
Born and educated in France, Nathalie studied in the Languedoc regions, where ancient Romans left traces of striking monuments in the landscape, and where artists celebrated light, shade and colour. Developing a sensitivity to the emotive quality of her surroundings – of the earth, the sky, the water and the sun – Nathalie became fascinated by the relationships between built forms and the landscape, and the layering of time and buildings.
Attending ENSAM at the Aix-Marseille University, she began to develop her design philosophy, building on the values and principles of green architecture. Graduating with Honours in 1988, Nathalie was drawn by the intensity of the light and the beauty of the Australian coastline, and Sydney Harbour’s magic eventually convinced her to settle in Australia.
Practicing as a design architect for local firms, Nathalie soon developed her own company, Designing Green Architecture. After gathering more than 25 years of experience, she transitioned into Compass Architecture – maintaining her focus on meeting the highest client expectations, while creating environmentally, culturally, socially and economically responsive and responsible architectural solutions.
Nathalie is an A+ Member of the Australian Institute of Architects, a Registered Architect with the NSW Board of Architects, a Green Star Accredited Professional with the Green Building Council Australia, and a Member of the Living Future Institute of Australia.
Why Compass
Architecture?
The places we live and work in give us a sense of being. Identifying our geographical location in our urban, rural and natural environments helps us find and make our place in the world.
The four cardinal points are also central to the First Nations’ language and culture. At the intersection of north, east, west and south lies the centre; our country. This centre grounds us within our environment.
The Compass Architecture design philosophy.
We create new spaces for the enjoyment and experience of our clients. Our design philosophy adopts a holistic approach, focusing on three key pillars.
We design and create in harmony and balance with the site, natural forms, the community and the environment.
We integrate our clients’ budgets, needs and visions, the functionality and fluidity of spaces, and design principles.
We enhance quality of life and a sense of connectedness to place and community.
Nathalie Curtet is a Certified Passive House Designer.
Sustainable design
practice.
At Compass Architecture, we’re passionate about the opportunity to create sustainable, responsible and site sensitive buildings.
We design adopting passive solar principles to reduce the building ecological footprint, determining optimal solutions for energy use, water harvesting and use, indoor air quality, materials and the building lifecycle.
This practice ensures harmony and balance within the property, community and environment, creating a positive impact for our clients, their families and their communities.
Sustainability principles include:
- Site Integration
- Site Location
- Passive Solar Design
- Natural Ventilation
- Cross Ventilation
- Water Harvesting Systems and Storage
- Grey Water Collection and Filtering Systems
- Hot Water Systems
- Building Footprint
- Room Dimensioning
- Construction Type and Materials Selection
- Insulation and Glazing Selection
- Solar Power: Panels, batteries, grid or off grid systems
- A-Rated Fittings and Appliances
- Light Fittings