For long-time architectural practitioner Eid Goh, change has been in the air. Formerly a founding director of Architects EAT, established in 2001 and disbanded last year, Goh has embarked on a new phase of practice with the launch of AIR.

Established in April 2024, AIR is a Melbourne-based architecture and design studio comprising eight architects and designers, with a focus on commercial, entertainment, retail, multi-residential and government projects.

With more than two decades of experience, Goh has played a significant role in shaping Melbourne’s hospitality and mixed-use landscapes. Now with a team and new name that represents the ideas of agility and the ability to be nimble, to be present but not to overwhelm, there is definite direction for the studio. Indeed, the name AIR reflects a deliberate shift in approach, signalling agility, responsiveness and a desire to create spaces that are present yet unobtrusive.

“AIR goes beyond its name,” Goh explains. “It reflects who we are. We breathe new life into spaces so that businesses can grow and thrive.”

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While the practice is new, the expertise behind it is well established. Joining Goh are senior team members Emma Gauder, general manager and Janine Kariyawasam, head of design, whose leadership and focus on client experience have helped define the studio’s direction. From its inception, AIR inherited projects already in progress, with further commissions following soon after.

Currently, the studio has close to a dozen projects underway. These include the redevelopment of heritage buildings such as Osborne House in Fitzroy and the former Barley Corn Hotel on Johnston Street in Abbotsford, both being adapted for rooming house and short-term accommodation uses. Other projects include the interior design of the Shaq residence along The Strand in Williamstown, a pair of luxury townhouses and an extension to the Milano mansion in Brunswick.

Many of AIR’s commissions involve working with existing structures, whether through heritage revitalisation or adaptive reuse for hospitality. The practice has developed a strong interest in balancing preservation with contemporary intervention.

Recently completed projects include two restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD. Working alongside Plus Studio on the base building of Invictus House, AIR designed the interiors for Ministry of Crab and ii.ii.vi in Flinders Lane.

“The client envisioned Ministry of Crab as a theatre, with the open kitchen at centre stage,” says Goh. “Certain Sri Lankan dishes involve a highly performative preparation process, so the dining space was designed to frame these moments. Warm colours and expressive lighting help amplify the sense of spectacle.”

For ii.ii.vi, the brief centred on contrast and ritual. “The idea was a refined steakhouse concealed beneath a wine and cocktail lounge,” Goh explains. “The process of heating the charcoal and cooking over fire is inherently theatrical, so an open kitchen became essential.”

Another major commission is the redevelopment of the main retail precinct at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne. Spanning 2,000 square metres, the Alfred Health Food and Beverage Precinct was reimagined by AIR as three interconnected zones — The Beating Heart, The Sunroom and The Village — designed to improve flow, orientation and comfort within a typically utilitarian setting. The guiding principle was to respond to the emotional needs of patients, staff and visitors, creating a more humane environment.

With a diverse range of projects in progress, collaboration and communication are central to the studio’s ethos. Goh relishes complex briefs and multi-stakeholder environments, viewing them as opportunities to deliver considered and enduring design outcomes.

Over his career, Goh has delivered more than 300 projects through Architects EAT, including Capitol Grand South Yarra, the University of Melbourne New Student Precinct, Chadstone Shopping Centre and numerous hospitality venues across Melbourne’s CBD.

Now, with AIR, Goh brings that experience into a new framework. The practice is already establishing its presence, with completed projects and an active pipeline pointing to a studio poised for its next chapter.

AIR
airdesignstudio.com.au

Photography
Shannon McGrath