Testimonials
"Watershed Architects and their principal Mark were professional throughout what is a lengthy and daunting design and build process for someone not in the industry. They successfully created an approachable and friendly environment whilst driving and navigating the lengthy design and build process. Not only is the final product exceptionally beautiful but throughout, they made it easy for us to understand and make decisions presented in an easily digested form. What needs to be understood is that it is a lengthy partnership, so comfort and trust is of upmost importance and Watershed provides both. I would have no hesitation in recommending their business to anyone who wants a truly unique and functional Architectual home for their family.”
Angus & Bec McGilvray
“We first reached out to Watershed Architects because of their incredible body of work. The consistency and quality of the finished product was simply amazing. Their style embodied the warmth and connectedness between indoor and outdoor living that we wanted for our own family home.
Upon meeting Mark and Carolyn we knew we had found the people we could trust to make our ideas a reality. They were absolutely wonderful to work with and the relationship they developed with the builders meant the whole experience was a positive one that we’ll always cherish.
The previous home, built 65 years ago, had reached the end of its lifecycle. While wonderfully designed in its day, it was no longer fit for purpose. The new design works better within the landscape, with a more seamless transition between levels that allows us to utilise more of the home and surrounding environment. The quality of the structure we have now is so much better equipped to deal with the coastal climate and allows us choice over the degree of openness or privacy that we enjoy in and around our home.”
Tim & Georgia Weston
“We chose Watershed because we loved their distinctive and very Australian design aesthetic.
Throughout the process, our approach was to put a lot of trust in Watershed, even when we felt nervous regarding whether elements of the design would work. We were very glad we took this approach once we could see the final product!
The design undertaken prior to the tender process for the builder was very detailed and took a lot of the risk out of our project. We were very impressed with the superb attention to detail across all elements of our house.
Watershed did an excellent job of project-managing the build. They were highly attentive, managed a tight process and worked collaboratively with the builder (JT Construct).
We look forward to finding an opportunity to work with Watershed Design again in the future.”
Kate & Alastair Pollock, Manly
"It was a privilege to work with Watershed Design in the creation of our home which has turned out above and beyond everything we hoped and dreamed it would be. Every corner, nook and cranny has been so well designed and thought through and we love living life in this beautiful home.
The past two and half years have been an incredible experience; we have learnt so much about architecture, design and building. We appreciated all the support, inspiration and encouragement from Mark and Nikki along the way. Nikki was super organised and available to take my many phone calls and answer my many questions and did it all with a smile - every time! Mark offered us guidance and inspiration and was a problem solver supreme… we appreciated all the early morning treks over the Spit Bridge for site meetings.
We will miss the energy, the journey and the fun of it all.
Mark - I know you said give it a few years and then do it again - I never say never but I can say that if we were to go again, it would be Watershed all the way!"
Ally & Gavin Lipman, Cremorne
“We love our Watershed-designed renovation! Mark and Evan took our brief of wanting more space, light and storage, and delivered a design that surpassed our expectations. Our renovation is just beautiful, as well as being functional and liveable for our family. Mark and Evan had so many great ideas to maximise the outcome we were looking for. They are highly professional, talented, passionate and dedicated to delivering an excellent result for their clients. We also appreciated their respect for our budget, always offering us different options so we could make informed decisions.
Mark is highly commercial and provided excellent oversight of our project start to finish, resulting in a very enjoyable and low-stress process for us. Watershed have an excellent reputation in the industry, not only because they deliver beautiful and quality outcomes but also because they work hard to maintain their relationships across the various stakeholders involved in a renovation, which directly benefits us as clients. We are so delighted with our Watershed-designed home and would not hesitate to recommend Mark and the team to others looking to renovate or build.”
Jodi & Sam Keall, Manly
“The Watershed Design team has done a superb job in designing and overseeing the development of our dream home. They worked hand in hand with the builders, made innovative and practical suggestions throughout the renovation journey. They have taken care to undertake best practice methods to ensure long term quality and integrity of the build. They did this even when it was not in the plan or in their advantage to do so. The marriage of materials - rendered brickwork, black butt wood, aluminium facade and steel was faultless. Similarly for the interior materials and colours, they were seamlessly put together, in a minimalist, modern, and very classy way.
Watershed accounted for seasonal light, shade and wind in the design, to maximise usability of the house all year round. As a result, the inside of the house feels almost like you are outside and vide versa. They were thorough, accurate, hard working, and very responsive to the changing environment and requirements throughout the journey. Mark Korgul, CEO and owner of Watershed Design, coolly and calmly managed his team of skilled architects, who were professional, hardworking and very courteous. His team also did all the necessary liaison with council staff no matter how challenging the assignment.
They worked to schedule and have completed an excellent project for us. Our builders Mink Building Group has also publicly praised and showcased Watershed’s work. We have no reservations in highly recommending Watershed Design to future clients.”
Paul and Tallie Farrell, Collaroy
“We purchased our home from Watershed's founders Mark and Carolyn almost a decade before renovating. When it came time to add on additional space to our lovely home, we did not even consider 'shopping around' for an architect. We knew Watershed would deliver in terms of quality and professionalism, and we had a high level of trust from the beginning. The existing block and house is a tricky one to work with, but they were able to create a delightful and functional space that is a joy to live in every day. Mark and Charlotte are terrific listeners, very approachable and well-respected by the builders and tradespeople. They guided and supported us in all the decisions and valued our input as clients. It made the whole process run smoothly and we could not be happier with the result. ”
Carolyn and Owen Deane, Manly
“We thoroughly enjoyed working with Watershed on designing and building our new home. At every stage the team was enthusiastic, responsive, and accommodating to our ideas and in meeting the requirements of our brief. They over-delivered on our expectations with superior attention to detail, interesting and innovative use of materials, and a perfectly resolved design. Watershed's experience and expertise in working with different contractors and builders, as well as in understanding government regulations made the entire building process stress-free for us. We couldn't be happier with the final result. ”
Richard and Sally Breden, Manly
“Watershed Design were wonderful to work with from the moment we were simply considering the project. The first concepts seemed to nail the brief from the very beginning and we worked as a team to bring the blank space to life. The tiny parcel of South facing, overlooked land was transformed in to a beautiful, private house that made great use of every bit of solar access available. We were thrilled with what great design was able to achieve!"
Emma & Phil Lovell - Owner Builders, Lawson and Lovell Building Services
“I have worked with Watershed Design on 3 projects, over a period of nearly 10 years and they consistently provide exactly the amount of guidance, support and professional services required for each scenario. Without exception the finished results are fabulous spaces that ooze class and simplicity. I am proud of the way we work together to create the right balance of subtle architectural features that are understated yet just feel ‘right’. There is an ever present influence of natural materials enhanced by clean lines which is the style that first attracted me to Mark and the team.”
Charlie Buchanan, Roseville
“When we approached Watershed Design we were naive about the cost of building and materials. Yes we went over budget and yes we compromised on our wish list but now that we are living in our fabulous home we have absolutely no regrets. It is clear that Mark gave us first class advice and a stunning design that truly leveraged all that building cost. We get endless compliments on how great the place looks and we have no hesitation in recommending the team at Watershed Design.”
Ken & Anita, Fairlight
“We enjoyed the process of creating our new home together with Watershed. Mark & Evan are friendly, creative and designed a stunning home for us.”
Sally Breakwell, Manly
“We are unbelievably happy in our beautiful Watershed designed home. It is better than we ever expected due to the great team at Watershed who were able to interpret our very detailed brief. They were great to work with, very professional and nothing ever seemed to be a problem. We knew from our first meeting they knew what we wanted. Thanks Mark, Carolyn and Watershed team.”
Jackie and Andrew, Collaroy
“Thank you for your time, effort and patience on our Manly Project, we got the DA and more importantly you managed to convince Council to remove Car Parking contributions which has saved us a lot of money. We are looking forward to completing the Project which I believe will be the standout Commercial Building in Manly.”
James Economides, Manly
“I can’t say enough great things about the Watershed Design team. They’ve undertaken a number of significant projects for us now, and every time I’ve been blown away by their combination of creativity and approachability. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them to anyone looking for the very best design talent mixed with a down to earth and friendly attitude.”
Dave Greiner, Caringbah South
“Watershed design beat all our expectations in terms of turning our vision into a reality. They listened to our brief and improved on the ideas we put forward. The easy going and collaborative nature of Mark Korgul made the whole experience much more pleasant than we could have imagined. The true test of good architecture is whether it is livable and since moving back into the house we can honestly say we would not change a thing.”
Kent Hindmarsh, Manly
“Watershed Design did a superb job in designing my new house which was built on a difficult block with numerous restrictions. After the initial brief they provided three colour options which were amazing. We discussed the best features of each to come up with our final design. Both Carolyn and Mark have great vision and care very much about their projects. This was demonstrated by them constantly being available to find solutions to site problems as we conducted the building process and ensuring that their design was not compromised. On completion and to this day I still marvel at some of the design features which add tremendously to the experience of building your own home. My association has continued with Watershed Design by supplying joinery for other projects through my interiors fit out company. I would highly recommend Watershed Design for anyone looking to work with a professional company who can provide unique and well thought architecture.”
Craig Watkinson, Queenscliff
“Watershed Design seems to be synonymous with client care, attention to detail and design integrity. It is always a pleasure to work with Mark & Carolyn, their professional yet approachable style coupled with their passion for an excellent outcome, always ensures a successful project and most importantly a happy client.”
Scott & Sam Hindmarsh, Manly
“We originally contacted Mark following a door knock enquiry to a Watershed designed property in Queenscliff that caught our attention. We were attracted to it by the modern, unpretentious style, quality finishes and seemingly good use of space on a tight block. Our brief to Mark for our home was to create an open feel from back to front of the block, while retaining the option to section parts of the house off and maintain privacy or “retreat” areas when required. In meeting the brief Watershed were able to provide a clever solution to a problem and create a practical and inviting living space that we had previously been unable to visualise, or even imagine possible. The layout and proportions of the property are perfectly suited to our needs and the design makes outstanding use of the property’s location and aspect. Mark worked collaboratively with the builder and was flexible and pragmatic when changes were required. All credit to Watershed for designing a beautiful and immensely “liveable” home that will stand the test of time.”
Kim Dawson & Kevin Smart, Freshwater