(08) 92716091 WWW.EEKOS.COM.AU 951 BEAUFORT STREET INGLEWOOD WA 6052
REGISTERED BUILDERS AND REGISTERED ARCHITECTS ABN 77515406945 ACN 147020764
WHY BUILDINGS FAIL
ARCHITECTURE INFORMED BY REAL BUILDING PERFORMANCE
Most buildings do not fail because of one single mistake.
They usually fail because small decisions compound over time — poor detailing, unsuitable materials, unresolved moisture paths, inadequate drainage, difficult maintenance access, construction shortcuts, or design decisions that look fine on paper but do not perform well in real conditions.
At EEKOS, our design work is informed by direct, hands-on experience diagnosing and repairing building faults and defects.
Michael Spartalis, Director of EEKOS, is both a registered architect and registered builder. Through his work with CONSPAR, he has spent many years investigating why buildings leak, crack, deteriorate, move, trap moisture, become difficult to maintain, or fail earlier than they should.
That experience has a direct impact on how we design.
We do not see architecture as just the production of attractive drawings. We see it as the careful shaping of buildings that need to perform, age well, be maintained, and support the people who use them.
DESIGN STARTS WITH KNOWN RISKS
A large part of good design is knowing where problems are likely to occur before they happen.
Our experience with building faults helps us think carefully about:
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water entry and moisture control
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roof and wall junctions
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balconies, decks and waterproofed areas
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drainage and ground levels
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material durability
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thermal performance and condensation risk
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structural movement and cracking
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maintenance access
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construction sequencing
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how details will actually be built on site
These are not afterthoughts. They are part of the design process from the beginning.
MOISTURE, DRAINAGE + DURABILITY
Moisture is one of the most common causes of building deterioration.
Poorly resolved drainage, waterproofing, roof plumbing, ground levels, balconies, flashings and wall junctions can all lead to expensive failures over time.
Because we regularly investigate these issues in existing buildings, we are highly conscious of how water moves through, around and away from buildings.
This helps us design with better attention to:
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keeping water out
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allowing materials to dry
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avoiding trapped moisture
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reducing condensation risk
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selecting suitable materials for the exposure
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making future inspection and maintenance easier
Good design should not rely on wishful thinking. It should anticipate how the building will behave in real weather, over real time, with real users.
REDUCING FUTURE MAINTENANCE + REPAIR COSTS
Buildings that are poorly planned or poorly detailed often become expensive to own.
Leaks, premature deterioration, access issues, repainting problems, failed membranes, poor drainage and difficult repairs can create unnecessary cost and disruption for owners.
By bringing fault-diagnosis experience into the design process, we aim to reduce avoidable future problems.
This can help owners achieve:
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more durable buildings
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lower long-term maintenance pressure
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fewer disruptive repairs
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better building performance
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clearer construction detailing
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more practical project outcomes
A good building should not only look good when it is finished. It should continue to work well after the photographs are taken.
RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL + HOSPITALITY PROJECTS
This approach applies across different project types.
For homes, it means designing spaces that are comfortable, durable, practical and suited to the way people actually live.
For commercial projects, it means considering wear, maintenance, operational needs, compliance, access, flexibility and the cost of downtime.
For hospitality projects, it means balancing atmosphere and experience with durability, cleanability, safety, services, movement, acoustics and day-to-day use.
Every building type has different pressures. The design response should understand those pressures from the beginning.
COMPLIANCE, RISK + APPROVALS
Good architectural work also needs to consider the approval pathway early.
Depending on the project, this may involve planning requirements, building code issues, heritage considerations, access, fire separation, energy performance, structural advice or specialist consultant input.
We help identify these matters early so they can be addressed as part of the design process, rather than becoming costly surprises later.
WHY THIS MATTERS
When you engage EEKOS, you are not only engaging an architectural design service.
You are working with a practice that understands how buildings are built, how they fail, how they are repaired, and how early design decisions affect long-term performance.
That knowledge helps us create buildings that are more durable, more practical, easier to maintain and better suited to their purpose.
PLANNING A PROJECT?
Start with a clear brief and a practical understanding of the site.