Ours is a beautiful house, designed by master architect Graham Jahn. The site presented many obstacles but Graham found unusual solutions that made all the spaces work wonderfully.
The house was complex to build—just the sort of challenge John Fielding lives for.
For me it was the same. I am an engineer by profession and hands-on by nature.
At our weekly site meetings John and I would settle down to work with the latest brainteasers. Graham and his assistant, Marisa Nardone, would check the details, the drawings and how John was going.
I understood the engineering imperatives and, having lived here for years, I knew the site well. John has immense knowledge of building, an artist’s eye and a passion for doing things perfectly. For a couple of hours we would push each other on until we uncovered the perfect solution. It was a joy.
We had designed a beautiful flight of outside stairs in which the treads sit on a suspended central beam. To enhance their elegance, the entire flight—both stairs and beam—had to be cast as one piece, in situ. There was no room for error. It had to be perfectly formed up, then poured and finished in one go.
John not only applies extraordinary attention to detail, but he too is hands-on. He supervised the entire operation, and personally attended with his team to the final trowelling of the stair treads.
I see him as a master artisan. He has both a profound knowledge of his craft and a passion for creating beautiful buildings, which show throughout our home.
His people share his passions. The Bellevarde site manager and leading hand were exemplary.
With John you get a master builder with immense skill and passion—plus a great sense of humour! You cannot ask for more. We are considering a holiday house in the mountains; John will be the builder.
We will live in this house forever.
