Grand designs: The Bourakis way

Bourakis Industries is one of Melbourne's foremost high-end residential designers and builders: a one-stop-shop for people wanting to build their dream home, guided by the creative vision and experience of the company's founders, George and Rita Bourakis.... I meet George and Rita outside one of their current projects in Port Melbourne: a relatively small house overlooking a park. It's nearing completion and though shrouded by polythene and scaffolding its clean lines still reveal its pedigree: a cool contemporary feel, a hint of art deco: a unique design and build and the product of someone wanting more than the average. George, who was born in Leros, met Rita (of Italian extraction) in the late seventies when they were both studying building design at RMIT. A shared love of design brought them close, and as they attended lectures and nurtured each others' creative passions, they fell in love. After graduating in 1981 they worked for different architectural firms before marrying two years later.

"The same year we left our jobs to start our own business," says Rita over a soy latte in a nearby Bay Street cafe, "though the company was called Mediterranean Design and Construction in those days. Within 12 months we'd also started a family - so we went full on into it." George and Rita's interest in design and construction had begun at early age. George arrived in Melbourne with mum and dad aged 14, along with younger brother Kon, in 1973. At school the young George shone for his drawing ability.

One of the first incarnations of his prestigious talent came at Footscray Technical College where he won first prize in a drawing competition. The subject: the ancient church of Agia Kyriaki that he remembered vividly near his hometown of Merovigli in Leros. George's father had been a carpenter and furniture maker and as a small child George helped in the workshop.

Rita's father worked in civil construction, and she remembers an early and uncommon interest for a young girl - exploring construction sites. After nearly 30 years in business, Rita and George put their success down to their ability to interpret and translate a client's wishes. "It's about understanding those needs and reading into your client's brief what they're really about, what they want to achieve," says Rita. "We tell our clients that designing a house is about joint input, and we do listen; it's about producing something that fits, says George.

"We've never built the same project twice, every one is different." With a swathe of top industry awards for his residential properties over the years, George, who is also President of the Lerian Club of Melbourne, works on commercial and community projects. He designed the new Greek Orthodox Church in Yarraville, and is working on a second Greek church project in Altona. With brother Kon as project supervisor since 1985, Bourakis Industries is very much a family concern.

George's cousin Anna is in the office, and both sons Andrew (25) and Emmanuel (27) and are involved in the business. Despite being in ever-greater demand, with an expanding client-base developed by word-of-mouth recommendation, Rita and George are keen to remain true to their original vision. "We consciously decided to keep it boutique, small, hands on, in touch with everyone, and it works," says Rita. And works, it certainly does. With around seven residential projects on the go at any one time, often clients are prepared to wait in line. One recent $3m project customer waited 12 months for their turn.

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