FAQ’s
Five Mile Radius was founded in 2016 to accelerate construction’s shift to a circular economy and to make reuse look good. We are Australia’s leading design studio working with waste and bio-based materials across architecture, interiors and furniture.
If we haven't answered your questions below, get in touch.
FMR FAQ
To book a workshop visit or consultation, simply get in touch via our contact form or email us at studio@fivemileradius.org
We’re always happy to welcome people into our Yeronga workshop, whether you’re exploring a custom furniture piece or looking to collaborate on a commercial or architectural project.
Once we hear from you, we’ll organise a time for you to come in and have a look around.
Our name is taken from a challenge set forth by the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Understanding the socioeconomic and environmental benefits, he asked his countrymen to build from materials found within five miles (or eight kilometres) of their homes.
This Indian was the inspiration for our studio however the context in Australia is very different. Five miles in India, a country of small villages is very different to five miles in Australia, a place of vast distance.
We take inspiration from Ghandi but are not strict with an exact number of miles. Our approach is what is existing, what is local, what is regional, and then what is onshore….. And when we do use a resource we try our best to understand where it comes from.
Yeah…… we know. Our name comes from an Indian tradition that was a bigtime source of inspiration at the time of our foundation. Never fear, we are fully committed to the metric system in both our furniture and architectural work.
We are currently hiring for a Business Development and Sales Manager. You can view the job listing here.
Outside of this role, we’re not actively hiring. That said, we’re always open to hearing from people who are aligned with what we do.
If you’d like to be considered for future opportunities, send your resume to studio@fivemileradius.org. We accept resumes across architecture, interior design, and fabrication, whether you’re experienced or just starting out.
We work with brands and businesses to design architecture and interiors that are beautiful, durable, and ethically aligned. Using reclaimed and locally available materials, we create spaces that reflect our principles. Our in-house workshop fabricates bespoke elements for our projects, making material sustainability straightforward and achievable.
Head here to explore our previous architectural projects, head here to view our Commercial Catalogue, and please get in touch to see how we can work together.
Generally, architectural fees are arranged as a percentage of the project costs. A full architectural fee is between 6% and 15% of the total cost of building; however there is variation in this based on the amount of input involved.
Five Mile Radius delivers architecture and interior design across hospitality, workplace and public projects. We are registered architects with experience delivering projects ranging from $30,000 fit-outs to $6,000,000 commercial builds.
Our services include:
- Full architectural and interior design
- Design collaboration within larger consultant teams
- Reuse and material procurement consulting
- Integrated joinery and furniture design
Following an initial discussion, we’ll issue a Fee Proposal that talks about our fee arrangement and the terms involved with our engagement as your architect or collaborator.
Head here to explore our previous architectural projects, and please get in touch to see how we can work together.
Yes. All of our furniture is made locally in Australia at our workshop in Yeronga, Brisbane.
We source waste materials from across the greater Brisbane region. While not strictly within a five mile radius, that idea continues to guide how we work and where we source from.
Every piece is fabricated in house by our talented team of designers and makers, head here to view our range.
We source our materials from a range of local waste streams and suppliers, with a focus on keeping everything as close to home as possible.
- Our concrete comes from excess material on local construction sites. We work with a network of concreters to collect and repurpose what would otherwise go to waste, using it to produce our Waste Terrazzo and Pigmented Concrete pieces.
- Our timber is either salvaged or responsibly sourced. We work with decommissioned telegraph posts that are no longer considered usable due to minor water damage, giving them a second life in our furniture. We use recycled hardwood flooring from demolished houses, where every mark tells part of its previous life. We also use FSC-certified hoop-pine from a sustainable supplier on the Sunshine Coast.
- Our steel is entirely salvaged. We reuse reinforcing bars from construction sites, reclaimed fire pipe from pre-demolition industrial buildings, and offcut sheets from steel yards. These materials are reworked into table bases, planters, and other custom elements.
All materials are processed and fabricated in our Brisbane workshop.