Anna Castles is here to help you design your home with you.

“Back around 2015, I worked with another architect to develop the ‘Dream Home Workshop’, which was a bit different to the normal consultation an architect would have with a client,” explains Anna. “It was a full day consultation; people could come to talk about their dream home, do some thinking exercises with us and have a nice lunch.”

“The beauty of the Workshop was thinking about homes in a different way. Rather than starting with a brief that says ‘three bedrooms, a lounge, a dining kitchen, and two bathrooms’, it was about identifying activities that occur within the home. So, thinking about where we eat, where we play, where we work, then layering those activities throughout the home, sometimes in the same space at different times of the day.”

Anna continues to apply the concepts of the workshop to her architectural approach today. 

This is evident in her own home, where Anna has adapted the space to suit modern living while raising a family and running her architectural practice from home.

“At various times of the day, this sunny space by the courtyard is where we eat; my kids draw and play on the table; then I can work here with my laptop and drawings.”

Anna generally focuses on residential projects as her passion is helping people to create inspiring spaces in their homes. She also assists her clients with furniture selection, artwork, and curated pieces. It’s the very personal, one-on-one relationships that Anna finds gives her the most joy.

“I have always wanted to be an architect. My godfather was an architect, and he inspired me. I recently found a piece of paper when I was cleaning up that I had written about houses when I was eight years old!”

Anna encourages people to reflect on how they live. This is also apparent in her creation and operation of Slow Wardrobe, a web platform that inspires people to shop local, shop secondhand and swap.

“It's a really nice aside from architecture and encourages people to think about what clothing they buy and be more conscious of their choices and impact. In the same way, I try to translate thoughtful and considered elements in my designs.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna EncIO