Home architecture for mind, body, and soul

Look beyond mere physical structures, and transcend to how a thoughtfully designed home can nurture the mind, body, and soul.

Crafting winter comfort: Sustainable home design for cosy living

Here’s how thoughtful architectural design can ensure your home is a warm, sustainable haven for comfort, well-being and conscientious living.

Design & building process: Architect's 7 principal stages

An explanation of the stages as your project progress from beginning through to completion, when you engage an architect for full services.

Going Urban: Reimagining Melbourne

800,000 new homes over the next decade; 70% to go into established areas; that is, one new home for every 5 existing. Density increases will be felt throughout, no one will be untouched. Our government is working on a range of initiatives to “reimagine the future of our cities, suburbs, towns and regions”.

Adding or renovating in North Fitzroy, North Carlton and other inner areas with a heritage overlay: Consider the policy issues

Yarra Council states “.. to keep a sense of history and place, as reflected by streetscapes, shops and houses, as well as how to pay tribute to the lived history and heritage, connecting with the stories and experiences of those who came before us and shaped the character of Yarra”.

Future homes: Filling up the Burbs

Housing density in suburban Melbourne is set to radically increase. Up to 4 storey “pre-approved” apartment buildings are to be located around railway stations and activity centres, in established areas of mostly 1 and 2 storey housing. Designs will be fast-tracked through the planning process.

Planning policy for building design

“To achieve building design and siting outcomes that contribute positively to the local context, enhance the public realm and support environmentally sustainable development.” - City of Yarra

Home building: What could go wrong?

Budget overruns, construction delays, quality issues, design changes, permit and regulatory issues, communication breakdowns, environmental factors, legal and insurance issues, post-completion snags. As a hopeful new home owner, add personal stress. Here’s how an architect helps.

Open Space: Essential for liveablilty

Thousands of new medium to high density apartments are earmarked for Melbourne’s middle suburbs. There’s been a lot of “red tape” cutting and making partnerships with developers, but little emphasis on creating liveable, quality places, and nothing about open space. Lots more open space will be needed, especially of the green type.

Home Office Design Tips

Feeling like you need to improve your home office? Here are some design tips to keep in mind for a productive, comfortable, and healthy work-at-home life.

Nimby Yimby: Building Vibrant Urban Communities

Urban areas worldwide are grappling with the pressing need for increased housing. While it may seem like a simple matter of building more homes, the reality is far more nuanced. Enter the terms "Nimby" and "Yimby," two sides of the same coin in the housing debate.

Sense of place: How an apartment design was changed for better heritage response

These contrasting designs are for a proposed development in North Fitzroy. It’s for a site encompassed by heritage low-rise Victorian and Edwardian period dwellings, a tactile place where people walk, ride bicycles and catch public transport.

How well do they respond to the heritage character, and is it important?