The Design Strategy is a preliminary study before committing fully to a design. This is where we test whether your project is actually achievable, on your site, within your budget and against council requirements. We look at the site's constraints and opportunities, setbacks, slope, orientation, test what could realistically fit, and flag any planning or heritage issues early.

The result is a clear picture of what's possible before you invest in detailed design, giving you the confidence to proceed, or the chance to rethink direction, before real money's on the line.

Concept Planning

This is where your project takes shape. Working from the site, brief, and how you want to live, we explore layout, orientation, and overall form before committing to a direction.

Sketches, diagrams, and early 3D concepts give you something to react to, so we refine together before investing in the finer detail. By the end, you'll have a clear design direction that reflects your brief and budget and is ready for design development.

Design Development

This is where your initial concept starts becoming a real, buildable design. We work through the layout, materials, structure, and services in much greater detail, refining decisions on everything from window placement to finishes, so that by the end of this stage, the design is settled and coordinated before we move into detailed documentation.

Construction Documentation

Once the design is locked in, we prepare the detailed drawings and specifications needed to actually build it, the technical information builders, engineers, and certifiers rely on to price and construct the project accurately. Good documentation here reduces surprises (and costly variations) once building starts, so it's worth the time it takes.

Tendering

With documentation complete, we help you find the right builder for your project. This can mean approaching a shortlist of trusted builders or running a more formal tender process, either way, we prepare the tender package, answer builder queries, compare quotes, and help you make sense of what's being offered so you can choose with confidence rather than guesswork.

Contract Administration

We get you going with the builder on site, overseeing the contract, variations, builders payments and more. We have a detailed explanation covered in the next query.

It's the stage where good documentation really pays off, but having us on-site through the build means the design holds together right to the finish, not just on paper.

This service is vital for those too busy to deal with the added full time job of coordinating the project on site or those who want that continuity of service to ensure the design is completed as it was designed to be.

Our construction stage services include:

• Contract administration, acting as your representative between you and the builder, keeping the project running smoothly and protecting your interests.

• Site inspections, regular visits to check progress and quality against the drawings, catching issues before they become expensive problems.

• Answering site queries, builders inevitably have questions once work is underway; we're on hand to resolve them quickly so the job doesn't stall.

• Reviewing variations and costs, assessing any proposed changes to keep the design intent (and your budget) intact.

• Progress certificates, reviewing and certifying claims so payments align with work actually completed.

• Final inspection and handover, a thorough walk-through at completion, making sure everything's been delivered as intended before you get the keys.

Bringing interior design in alongside the architectural work from the outset is what tends to make a project feel truly finished rather than just built. The two disciplines work together rather than in parallel, so the result is more cohesive and the details land where they should.

It covers the things that turn a building into a home, lighting design, spatial planning, finishes & materials, and joinery design. By providing detailed drawings , specifications and schedules everything can be accurately priced and built by the builder.

The real benefit shows up during construction. Because all the design decisions have been made early and woven into the build, there are fewer surprises, no last-minute calls, and a lot less stress along the way.

Passivhaus is a high-performance building approach that focuses on comfort, health, and very low energy use.

It works by creating a well-insulated, airtight building with high-quality windows and continuous fresh air. The result is a home that stays comfortable with very little heating or cooling, has better air quality, and is cheaper to run.

Rather than adding technology to compensate for a poorly performing building, Passivhaus gets the building itself working properly first.

We are certified Passivhaus Designers with the Passivhaus Association of Australia and would be happy to work with you on your passivhaus home.

Heritage Projects have their own specific set of guidelines that vary depending upon the site. They will require a Town Planning approval that specifically addresses the site’s heritage requirements.

We have successfully obtained approvals for many heritage architectural projects and work closely with our clients to ensure their desired design is delicately balanced with council heritage requirements.

A heritage project isn't just a renovation of an old building. It's a careful, evidence-based process of understanding what makes the place special, then making changes that protect and reveal that significance while allowing it to keep being used.

We will always approach council for a pre-application meeting to ensure our proposed design is achievable.

Common constraints clients find surprising

• You can’t always demolish non-original fabric if it still contributes to significance or context.

• Internal spaces may be protected, not just the exterior.

• Paint colours and joinery profiles can be controlled.

• Windows are often a contested area, a replacement is rarely straightforward.

• Services upgrades (NCC compliance, accessibility, fire safety) usually need heritage-aware solutions, sometimes performance-based.

• Energy efficiency upgrades are constrained; standard retrofits can damage fabric or appearance.