Meet the Team
Dean Picken
OWNER
Dean began his design and construction career at age 16, moving to Melbourne to study and gain experience with reputable Australian design firms, including INARC Architects, before starting his own practice. Specialising in sustainable commercial and residential projects, Dean’s mission is to provide a boutique service driven by innovation and quality outcomes. Passionate about coastal architecture, Dean has designed and built his own 8-star Green Building Council of Australia rated home.
Alice Piazzoli
GRADUATE OF ARCHITECTURE
Alice is a creative International architect who obtained her Master of Architecture at the renowned Academy of Architecture in Switzerland. Her love for travel inspires, enriches and influences her style providing Designers by Nature with fresh new perspectives, which she applies to the conceptual design of many projects. One of Alice’s most important stylistic traits is the continuous refinement of creating harmony between architecture and nature.
Louise Batchelor
GRADUATE OF ARCHITECTURE
Louise holds both a Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) and a Bachelor of Architecture from Deakin University and has skills across all facets of the design process.
With a focus on the Town Planning and Design Development stages, she has a keen interest in sustainable design that positively impacts people and their experience within the built and landscaped environments.
Annabel Walz
INTERIOR DESIGNER
After completing a Bachelor of Design, Interior Design, at the University of Technology Sydney Annabel worked as part of an interior design team for a Sydney architectural firm. Now living in the south west she loves the challenge of combining her passion for the natural environment with the built environment. She thrives on creating spaces that allow people to engage and appreciate the beauty of their natural surrounds through the harmonious use of colour and materials, acknowledging that each place and person are unique in what they can bring to a design.
Dechlan Picken
PROJECT MANAGER
Growing up surrounded by the building and design industry, Dechlan brings a business qualification, and several years’ experience in accounting and project management to his role with Designers by Nature. Dechlan handles the “Pre-Design” stage as well as the office management, helping to support the team to ensure all projects are delivered on time and to budget. Dechlan has just finished designing and building his own 8.5 star energy rated home with cost effective solutions that still allowed a great design outcome.
Kellie Sommerville
MARKETING
Kellie is our Marketing guru, keeping everyone up to date with our projects on social media, coordinating shoots, maintaining our website and everything in between. Kellie is passionate about sustainability, particularly in fashion and design, running Terra the Label with her sister. She enjoys netball, surfing and anything to do with the outdoors.