There is nothing more important to architectural firm Edmiston Jones than being part of the Shoalhaven community.
Established 35 years ago, the company is proud of its community connections and is a staunch supporter of business in the thriving Shoalhaven region.
Fellow director Mark Jones established the business as a South Coast agency for a Sydney-based business and both he and Steve are shameless advocates for living and working in regional areas.
“I grew up in Albury and Mark in Cooma – we’re country boys at heart,” Steve said. Steve came to Nowra for practical experience during his architectural studies in 1986, met his future wife and his Shoalhaven connection was cemented.
“The benefit of working in a regional area is we are able to work on a variety of projects, from residential projects to commercial development,” he said.
“We are familiar with the way regional communities integrate, collaborate and do business and that’s the thrust of our business, to stay in regional areas.”
While the company does work around Australia, its main focus is on the South Coast, Wollongong and inland to Albury. In the early days Edmiston Jones worked with local councils on community centres and now works on projects as diverse as Muddy Puddles, a therapy and education centre in Batemans Bay for young people with a disability, and the $84 million Parq on Flinders development in Wollongong.
Steve said being embedded in the local community was intrinsic to the way the company worked.