Founder of Gorilla Construction, Joshua Vassallo blends craftsmanship with creativity to deliver fitouts that leave
a lasting impact. In just over a year, his design-driven, people-first approach has earned national recognition and set the foundation for a bold future.
From Melbourne to Perth with no network or roadmap, Joshua Vassallo didn’t just build a business, he built a future he’d been dreaming about long before he realised he was ready for it.
Starting at 15 as a labourer and working his way through carpentry and complex commercial projects, Joshua built a dense career long before he turned 30.
In 2021, life forced Joshua to make a decision he hadn’t prepared for after his partner was involved in an accident while pregnant, and uncertainty surrounded both her health and their baby’s. The stable life Joshua had built in Melbourne dissolved overnight, and the pair relocated to Perth for family support.
“I was comfortable back home in Melbourne,” Joshua says. “I don’t know if I would’ve taken the leap on my own, but the universe had other plans. Our lives got flipped upside down overnight and I had to make it work.”
With no network and no safety net, Joshua registered a business, grabbed his tools the next morning and started calling anyone who might give him a chance, and Gorilla Construction was born. “Having my own business was always the goal, I was just made to take the leap.”
Joshua landed project opportunities almost immediately, leveraging his diverse trade background and relentless work ethic. Within 18 months, he moved off the tools and into building a small, tight-knit team. “My employees and subcontractors are everything. We don’t just grab random numbers off the internet. Every person we work with comes through relationships and shared values. That’s our foundation.”
This people-first philosophy is at the centre of Gorilla Construction’s culture. Joshua works closely with young business owners and ambitious trades who are, just like him, trying to carve out their space in the industry.
“It’s important to me that the people around me feel valued. Being ethical isn’t optional, it’s the baseline. If you’re good to people and you do the right thing consistently, it comes back.”
Before Perth, Gorilla Constructions, and parenthood Joshua lived and travelled throughout Europe, absorbing the architecture and emotional power of place.
“When you walk into a space and feel your energy shift, that’s when design becomes something deeper. I felt that a lot in Europe. That feeling is what drives me and that’s what I want to build here.”
Joshua’s creativity extends beyond construction as he also paints and makes music in his spare time. Gorilla Construction isn’t just a construction company, it is an outlet for Joshua’s creative ambition.
“I love pushing boundaries. I love progressive design. We want to build spaces that don’t just look good but feel incredible.”
Among Gorilla Construction’s early successes, the standout moment was winning the Interior Fitout Association Award for Best Retail Interior (under $250k) for the Frankii project, just over a year after launching. Joshua still sounds humbled when he talks about it. “The competition was fierce. I had been into some of the other stores that were nominated and they were all incredible. Winning was a really special moment.”
The project demanded research, experimentation, and solving problems like ultra-tight radiuses, material restrictions, and a compressed delivery program. But they nailed it through planning and collaboration. “It wasn’t just me. It was a group of passionate people doing the best work they could. Everyone pushed themselves.”
Joshua teaches the younger trades and contractors around him the same philosophy he grew up on: “Develop positive habits, do hard things, build trust, be ethical and over time everything compounds. That’s how you grow.”
Joshua’s vision for Gorilla Constructions is unapologetically big. “We want to be nationwide, industry leaders. The go-to guys. The company people choose when they want the most progressive work executed to the highest standard.”
When asked what will help him achieve his vision, Joshua keeps the focus simple. “Do exceptional work, build relationships, execute the vision, push boundaries. That’s how we get there – slowly, intentionally, day by day. Gorilla Built.”
