An Opportunity To Innovate:
IMSU x James Hardie Partnership
Project Overview
Working together since 2021, IMSU and James Hardie are both renowned as market-leading innovators. With a strong and collaborative relationship already established, IMSU and James Hardie saw an opportunity to design a selection of exclusive facades designed to captivate, inspire, and push the boundaries of contemporary home aesthetics.
Working together since 2021, IMSU and James Hardie are both renowned as market-leading innovators.
With a strong and collaborative relationship already established, IMSU and James Hardie saw an opportunity to design a selection of exclusive facades designed to captivate, inspire, and push the boundaries of contemporary home aesthetics.
"James Hardie’s reputation as a market leader in building design and consumer-led product development made them an exciting partner for this project.”
- Michael Zomaya, IMSU.

The Partnership
IMSU has swiftly emerged as Australia’s most daring and innovative homebuilding brand. Known for its fearless approach to design, IMSU creates homes that break conventions, delivering striking architectural statements with lasting impact.
James Hardie is driven by a purpose to build a better future for all by understanding how people want to live. Anticipating the future needs of their customers is an integral part of James Hardie’s reputation as a trusted innovator and industry leader in the markets where they operate.
“IMSU’s design philosophy embraces individuality, crafting unique facades that stand apart from the mainstream. We build for those who value distinctiveness and dare to go beyond convention.”
“IMSU’s design philosophy embraces individuality, crafting unique facades that stand apart from the mainstream.
We build for those who value distinctiveness and dare to go beyond convention.”
- Michael Zomaya, IMSU.
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
Sourcing Inspiration
Our range of inspired designs are renowned for their bold aesthetics and thoughtful planning.
Having recently commissioned a comprehensive consumer insights project through a leading research expert, James Hardie is uniquely positioned to deliver expert advice on design trends and provide data-backed recommendations for emerging architectural styles. This inspired our new architecturally designed facades to be not only artistically satisfying but also equipped to meet the needs of emerging markets in the coming years.
“Through this extensive research piece combining advanced AI-driven technology, desktop research, and interviews with architects, designers, and key industry professionals, James Hardie decoded the current and future trajectory of home design. This research effort prompted our collaboration with IMSU and has helped them design homes that homeowners are looking for without compromise.”
“Through this extensive research piece combining advanced AI-driven technology, desktop research, and interviews with architects, designers, and key industry professionals, James Hardie decoded the current and future trajectory of home design.
This research effort prompted our collaboration with IMSU and has helped them design homes that homeowners are looking for without compromise.”
- Natalie Jarrah, James Hardie.
Philosophy
In the analysis of commonality between James Hardie’s extensive customer-focused research outcomes and IMSU’s unapologetic design philosophy, it was agreed that the collaborative facade selection should feature a nature-inspired, minimalist aesthetic that values both form and function.
INTRODUCING THE
Japandi Style

One aesthetic style favored these criteria above all others: the emerging “Japandi,” a hybrid architectural style combining Scandinavian functionality with Japanese minimalism to simple and elegant effect.
INTRODUCING THE
Japandi Style
The Process
IMSU and James Hardie elected to partner with leading Sydney architect Joseph Mammone to help realize striking facades in the Japandi style.
Two pillars of design were identified for our partnered facade selection:
IMSU and James Hardie elected to partner with leading Sydney architect Joseph Mammone to help realize striking facades in the Japandi style.
Two pillars of design were identified for our partnered facade selection:

Brutalist Japandi;
1. Brutalist Japandi;
Combining Japanese influences of tranquillity and simplicity with a Brutalist influence of solidarity and raw beauty to create artistic duality.
a) Clean lines with strong form
b) Neutral colours
c) Simplistic forms
d) Raw materials
e) Few ornate features
Naturalist Japandi;
2. Naturalist Japandi;
Focusing on the celebration of natural materials featuring colours and materials from the natural environment to create a lightweight feeling.
a) Clean lines with strong form
b) Neutral colours
c) Simplistic forms
d) Raw materials
e) Few ornate features
Virkana
Virke (Noun) • “Work” or “Timber” (Swedish)
Kana (Adj) • “Powerful” (Japanese)
A triumph of robust functionality and commanding design
Virke (Noun)
“Work” or “Timber” (Swedish)
Kana (Adj)
“Powerful” (Japanese)
A triumph of robust functionality and commanding design
Nordashi
Nord (Noun) • “North” (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian)
Tashi (Adj) • “Propserity” (Japanese)
Evoking a sense of direction, stability, and prosperity.
Virke (Noun)
“Work” or “Timber” (Swedish)
Kana (Adj)
“Powerful” (Japanese)
A triumph of robust functionality and commanding design
“The beautiful, embedded texture of Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding and Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding complement Japandi-inspired architecture and evoke a sense of tranquillity and connection with nature. Paired with striking vertical grooves of Hardie™ Oblique™ Cladding, this combination creates distinct variation and a clear separation between key design features of the home.”
- Natalie Jarrah, James Hardie.
A New Benchmark
For IMSU, collaborating with James Hardie offered a chance to partner with a trusted industry leader whose consumer insights and expertise complemented IMSU’s bold vision for design innovation.

“Our partnership with James Hardie has deepened our understanding of future client needs, inspiring us to push creative boundaries. It has led to our first Japandi-style facade selection, and inspired an exciting new upcoming product in the Japandi style.”
- Michael Zomaya, IMSU.

For James Hardie, this partnership represented the opportunity to exercise their capability and agility in anticipating emerging building trends and provide building material solutions perfectly suited to these applications.
“This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to delivering homes that stand the test of time, resonate deeply, and offer more appealing exteriors that make a lasting impression from the street.”
- Natalie Jarrah, James Hardie.
Continue Reading
Article • November 18, 2024
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