Born and bred in Egypt, ArtMade Founder and Director Sherif Saad began his career working for local firms as a project architect on residential, hospitality and commercial projects.

He and his young family made the move to Australia in the late ‘90s, at which time he worked as a joinery designer whilst preparing for his Australian registration to practice as an architect in Sydney.

“It was a very intense and stressful process,” Saad says.

Familiarising himself with Council approval processes, and Australian legislation and building codes, was all-consuming.

“I was very determined and hungry to learn. Even now, I am always open to learning new things. I consider myself a life-long student.”

The moniker for Saad’s studio, ‘ArtMade’ was borne out of his love for both art and architecture. He considers communication as its own artform.

“There is a real art to communication and translation,” he says.

“I always strive to elevate clients’ initial ideas in a way that surpasses their expectations, and that can only happen if we collaborate and communicate effectively.”

Evidence of the success of this process are the three Client Choice Awards (by Beaton Research + Consulting) Saad and his team have notched up over three consecutive years for Best Architecture Firm with revenue below $30m.

Saad says his impressive success rate in the New South Wales Land and Environment Court as an expert witness in architectural and planning matters is another of his career-defining achievements to date.

“I definitely feel the weight of responsibility when it comes to advocating on behalf of my clients,” he says. “I commit to it 100%.”

From sole operator to now heading up a design team of 13, in the years ahead Saad looks forward to ArtMade building upon its already significant portfolio of childcare projects.

Back in May, he was invited to join other industry experts as a presenter at the Childcare and Early Learning Real Estate Summit in Sydney.

“It’s a competitive marketplace and will continue to be,” he says. “As childcare centre designers it’s incumbent upon us to keep prioritising design considerations that help support children’s safety and wellbeing.”

When it comes to consolidating childcare briefs, Saad is adamant: operations managers should be at the table.

“We also have to design with educators and other staff in mind; it’s imperative we understand and help deliver the types of spaces they need to facilitate their best work,” he says.

Meanwhile, in the new year and beyond, ArtMade will continue to meet increasing demand for a wide range of residential work, spanning high-end prestige homes, as well as residential flat buildings and designs borne of the New South Wales Housing Pattern Book.

For architects considering launching their own studios, Saad says to not “be scared of competition, just believe in yourself and always be willing to learn.”

He also offers some forewarning with regards to the challenges of balancing business and architecture.

“You have to become two people concurrently, an architect and a businessperson,” he says.

“If you focus solely on the architecture, the business may suffer. But if you only focus on the business, the architecture may suffer. Finding the right balance is not easy, but it’s not impossible.”

Image: Turramurra Early Learning Centre / Ruth Gold Photography

Clémence Carayol

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