We, Design Avenue, are a building design, interior architecture and projects studio. Formed in 2009 by founder Konstandinos Malathounis. We are a niche studio that create highly considered niche outcomes.
Our design methodology is simple; every design decision has an explanation. We approach this methodology by treating each project and its site, as a singular entirety; enabling bigger pictures such as global environmental factors, the health of the occupiers and the longevity of the intervention, to be drenched creatively into the biology of the design. Simply, we design interventions that return now and for a generation beyond us.
Husband and wife, Kon and Michelle have spent their entire adult life in the design industry, combined for 30+ years. The duo combined skill sets and design individuality make for a successful business partnership. In the last decade they have designed, engineered and constructed their own personal projects driven by their design methodology. Their latest project is to pursue excellence that takes them back to their heritage, Europe. More of this to come.
Konstandinos Malathounis
Principal. Building Designer, Construction Detailer and Partner
Kon has a relentless zest for persistence, giving and for life. His persistence for design excellence has been engraved into him since his high school’s motto, “Honour your work.” And that he does.
Curious by nature, Kon’s personal approach to design is that of a visionist merged with a meticulous construction physician and has a deep set belief that design excellence is the merger of thoughtful design curated with highly considered materiality. The embodied energy of a material’s full life span has executive importance in all of his work. For Kon, it is simple, excellent design is built to last. His favourite architectural building in the world is the Pyramids of Giza.
Michelle Malathounis
Interior Architect and Partner
From a young age, visual communication is a language Michelle innately immersed herself within, starting in the fine arts, painting. Upon high school Michelle studied photography at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Mesmorised by the play of natural and artificial light within the camera frame, lead her curiosity into interior design studies, to later, complete an architectural discipline from Monash University. A left of centre eye for detail and design decisions that reflect honestly to site and materiality makes her design-thinking unique and instinctual. Michelle’s architectural interests are challenging the built form’s boundry to site threshold and the user experience within transitional spaces. Her favourite architectural building in the world is Fallingwater by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.