Architact Collective

The Architact Collective was founded in 2013 by Linda Bennett and Dillon Bailey. Linda is an architect, designer and writer, Dillon has spent many years on the construction site. The Architact Collective is an ongoing collaboration between an architect and builder. Each product is designed and made in Melbourne where we believe it is important to give back to the city that has inspired and supported our journey!

97% of our city is made of concrete, brick and timber. The city moves us, protects us and houses us. The Architact Collective is inspired by architecture and motivated by design as the primary catalyst for bringing together the community. Our work is derived from the construction industry and we reinterpret the notion of the city as wearable jewellery. Every detail and process of our work serves as constant reminder of the city that surrounds us.

We believe that design has the ability to better our quality of everyday experiences. Each product is unique; the inherent nature of the material and processes allows infinite colour and texture possibilities. With no two products identical, each product takes on a unique personality. Its unique personality is represented by tiny cracks, imperfections and scratches that continue to evolve over the lifetime of the product. We give each product our full attention to create something truly special.

We care about the environment; each product (and its packaging) is made from high quality recycled materials. Our products re-envisage common construction materials including stone, concrete, brick and timber and repurpose their processes, aesthetics, and functionality to create truly unique and one of a kind jewellery. Each ring comes with a rich history and lifespan. Corresponding to a unique build number, the materials are obtained and recycled from construction sites across Melbourne. Your build number is listed on our website.

The Architact Collective is inspired by architecture and motivated by design as the primary catalyst for bringing together the community. We love to work with our hands and create products that provide a deep connection to the things that keep us alive and happy. We believe in old school processes and the honesty of DIY; each product is made via three methods:

1. DIY Concrete Kits: Here we transfer the enjoyable process of building and allow an appreciation for the items and systems that create our products. The DIY process makes transparent the technology and construction behind your product, merging the often disparate roles of maker and owner. The DIY Concrete Kit empowers you through the process of making to embed diverse and unique narratives. By connecting a narrative to your product it takes on a life beyond it’s original conception. Our DIY Concrete Kits hope to transfer the fun, enjoyable and honest process of DIY.

2. Hand-Crafted Jewellery made by the Architact Collective: Here we use the same DIY process (refined over years of experimentation) but each product is lovingly hand-crafted by Linda Bennett. Linda ensures each product is as individual as its owner.

3. Hand-Crafted Collaborations: We constantly reach out to to create unique hand-crafted and limited edition jewellery developed through unique collaborations with fellow artisans, architects, engineers and entrepreneurs. Here we bring together disparate industries and skill-sets to design and build amazing products.

We continue to develop new products and skill-sets. We travel often to source new materials and reach out to expand our techniques and processes. From imperfect materials, we work hard to achieve perfection. Everything we do is driven by passion and meticulous attention and we hope this is translated into each product.