{"id":843872,"date":"2026-08-05T01:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/843872\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T01:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:58:12","slug":"products-in-practice-architect-kerry-kounnapis-shares-a-product-he-loves-for-its-versatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/843872\/","title":{"rendered":"Products in Practice: Architect Kerry Kounnapis shares a product he loves for its versatility"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">Melbourne-based architect Kerry Kounnapis approaches material specification with curiosity, balancing rigour and exploration, whether it be a cafe, retail store or residential home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In this edition of Products in Practice, he shares how a versatile timber product helped shape an award-winning hospitality interior.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">What\u2019s your favourite product right now, and what do you love about it?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">At the moment, it has to be ArmourPanel. It\u2019s extremely versatile \u2013 it\u2019s a material that can perform across many different applications while still bringing warmth, texture and authenticity to a space. The variation in grain, colour and feature is what makes it special; no two applications are exactly the same, which gives every project its own identity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">How would you describe it in three words? <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Beautiful. Dynamic. Robust.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Palace Coffee is captivating from the street, with its sculptural oxide-red steel entry, set against Big River Group\u2019s ArmourPanel timber.\" class=\"['full'] full blur-up lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5a5d661b69a0bd7980b05fc80e2e2065.jpg\" height=\"546\" width=\"728\"\/><\/p>\n<p>View gallery<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">How have you used the panels in a recent project? <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We recently specified Spotted Gum ArmourPanel throughout Palace Coffee in Melbourne. The material was integrated into wall linings, custom joinery and perforated architectural elements throughout the cafe. ArmourPanel worked beautifully alongside the sculptural oxide\u2011red steel elements and backlit fibreglass ceiling, as a balance for the more industrial materials. The perforated panels also allowed us to conceal services while contributing to the cafe\u2019s layered architectural expression.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">What feedback have you received from clients about it?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We always explain that the natural variation is part of its appeal. Once clients understand its natural and Australian-made origins, they often become even more excited about those unique characteristics.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The natural variation in the timber adds tactility and warmth to the space.\" class=\"['full'] full blur-up lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/03adb4d02a8bddb2d0b72346838ea5ae.jpg\" height=\"620\" width=\"465\"\/><\/p>\n<p>View gallery<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Do you have any tips for other designers looking to specify ArmourPanel?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">I\u2019d recommend spending time testing your finishing system as it can dramatically influence the final appearance of the material. If your intention is to celebrate the natural characteristics of ArmourPanel, a subtle, low-sheen or near-invisible finish often works best. At Palace Coffee, we used an Osmo finish that maintained a very raw, natural feel, which really highlighted the timber\u2019s inherent beauty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">What\u2019s a product or material you\u2019re keen to experiment with?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">I\u2019d love to explore fibreglass more extensively within interior architecture. What\u2019s fascinating is the way it interacts with light. I think there\u2019s an opportunity to use it in subtle and unexpected ways that blur the line between lighting, furniture and architecture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Melbourne-based architect Kerry Kounnapis approaches material specification with curiosity, balancing rigour and exploration, whether it be a cafe,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":843873,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,460,134],"class_list":["post-843872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-design","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/843872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=843872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/843872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/843873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=843872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=843872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=843872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}