Alishia Minett-Johnson

Principal Architect

Childhood memories create a more indelible mark than most people think. In the case of Alishia Minett-Johnson, an architect, interior designer and, a horticulturalist, her choice of career was largely inspired by her glamorous grandmother who immigrated to Australia from the UK in the 1960’s.

While her staid and simple looking home blended with the other interwar houses in the streetscape, it was the vibrant interiors and garden that resonated with Alishia from her early childhood to teenage years. The home’s brightly coloured wallpaper, some with large graphic motifs, captured the imagination of a young and creative soul, as did the unusual colours, such as a striped deep royal blue sofa her grandmother selected and Ochre plush carpeting. The Citrine-coloured walls may have disappeared, but a similar tone was used by Alishia on the front door of her office – an important reminder of the past as much as a ‘welcome mat’ for her valued clients.

Although her grandmother only dreamed of becoming an architect, Alishia made it a reality, enrolling in architecture at RMIT University and graduating in 2006 with a double degree in architecture and interior design. And during COVID-19, she took the initiative of studying horticulture online to provide her with a holistic approach to design – understanding not only the way spaces feel, but as importantly, how these connect to the broader context of a site and its surrounds. Her time at RMIT did not disappoint with fond recollections of creating spaces such as a gallery flooded with water where visitors had to don raincoats and galoshes for protection. Although obviously not practical for a home, it certainly unleashed Alishia’s creative juices moving forward – with the word ‘experience’ literally rippling through the notion of architecture.

Even before graduating from architecture and interior design, Alishia was working in the office of a high-end architectural practice which focused on bespoke homes. Although this proved to be of valuable experience, the results were often in opposition to comfort or human scale. The many double-height voids that appeared in the various schemes also may have wowed magazine editors but did little to make the owners feel connected to a space – often overwhelming them when, in actual fact, the need for privacy or a sense of cocooning was more appropriate. So, her later move to Cox Architecture, where she remained for over six years, set up an important framework for her career – including working on larger projects such as AAMI Park, the Cranbourne Aquatic Centre, Hepburn Bathhouse, and a number of apartment buildings such as Ilk, where her role was as lead Interior architect.

Although these prominent buildings provided Alishia with valuable skills, she felt it was the appropriate time to establish her own practice in 2012, well over 10 years ago. And while there is often great trepidation in taking the ‘plunge’, Alishia’s start was fairly rapid – initiated by designing a new house in Queenscliff for her parents. The distinctive home, with views overlooking botanical gardens and Swan Bay, attracted the attention of locals.

For Alishia, whose practice includes renovations and new homes, the process as much as the final design is pivotal – understanding what a client really needs and how they live rather than simply ticking off a ‘wish list’. As with her grandmother’s home, a house is about clients creating their own memories that come from the day-to-day living experiences. When she’s working on a new project, coming up with concepts after extensive briefing sessions, is the most creative time – when the music is calming allowing for a slightly meditative state of mind and providing the emotional attachment that goes well beyond simply bricks and mortar. And while each design is obviously different, Alishia often compares the effect as not dissimilar to creating a stage set – where the owners, be it a couple or a family, ‘play out their lives’ that captures the way they live, both in the short and long term – allowing them to live better and more fulfilling lives in the process.

Text by Stephen Crafti