At softloud architects, we believe in architecture that works with people and planet, not against it. We believe that we have a moral obligation to preserve and build environments that facilitate growth, opportunities, health and happiness for generations to come. As such, we are not satisfied with doing half-hearted or performative attempts at sustainability. No matter the budget level, we approach every project with the same intensity to do better.

In Australia, many buildings are designed to last 50 years or less, and many incorporate design elements and materials that shorten their longevity. It wasn’t always like that, with many earlier Australian buildings still performing well after 100-200 years. At softloud architects, we believe that higher quality, longer-lasting buildings provide a better outcome for the environment and the wider community as well as the people who live in them. Also, adapting older buildings to improve energy efficiency and function can often be more affordable than starting from new.

The two main factors to take into consideration are embodied energy (how much energy it takes to manufacture a material) and transport distance (how much energy and carbon is involved getting materials onto the site). Additional factors include cost, speed of construction, durability, bushfire stability, carbon implications, environmental damage, social justice and longevity. At softloud architects, we take our research seriously, regularly assessing our recommended building materials and systems to ensure that we can give our clients the most appropriate advice for their personal environmental commitment. We typically come back to simple traditional building materials and systems, using materials like earth, stone, locally-grown timber and lime finishes, and promote the use of repurposed, recycled and salvaged materials where available and affordable.

We specialise in values-based architecture, basing the design on what is most important to you, rather than a building style. This individually tailored design specifically addresses your goals, needs, values and budget.  We particularly love working on environmentally and socially conscious buildings that support people to live well. The natural materials and construction systems we prefer to use often require specific ways of building to ensure their durability and longevity.

An experienced architect is fundamental to an effective, informed and cohesive design response. At Softloud Architects, our work goes far beyond drawing buildings. With over 25 years experience, we know how to efficiently analyse our client’s goals, values and budget against site and regulatory constraints. Through our creative design process, we can find the most suitable design for not only the client, but also the local community and the wider environment. We offer flexible pricing based on project type and complexity. After an initial conversation, we’ll provide a transparent quote with no hidden costs. You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.

Softloud Architects offer a wide range of architectural service.

Our core services include; design brief development, site and regulatory analysis, sketch design, budget advice and management, design development, planning and development applications, consultant coordination, construction documentation, design details, building permit applications, contract administration and construction management

Additional services we can provide include; site selection advice, grant applications and feasibility studies. We have a strong focus on sustainability, providing energy efficiency assessment, sustainable design advice, passive house PHPP assessments and thermal modelling. We have experience in heritage building applications, exemption applications and traditional construction materials and systems.

Softloud Architects provide full coordination, community engagement, design and presentation for masterplans and independent consultant certification for child care and educational projects, and have a deep understanding of Steiner school and community schools and classroom design.

Other services we provide include; landscape design, interior design, liquor licensing applications, architectural modelmaking, prototyping and materials and construction systems research. We collaborate on policy and standards for bio-based building materials, and provide workshops, talks, webinars and presentations.

If you are looking for architectural services that are not on this list, we would be happy to discuss.

Every new project starts with a no-fee conversation in order to get a basic understanding of your goals, needs, values and budget. From there, we will recommend a scope of services and provide a fee proposal. Upon proceeding, we will generally arrange a more in depth meeting (preferably on site) to gain a better understanding of any physical site characteristics or constraints, and to begin a design brief which will form the basis of our design direction. A client architect agreement is a mandatory requirement for working with an architect in Victoria.

Yes! In fact, we highly recommend discussing a potential property with an architect prior to your purchase, as potential problems can be identified before you are committed, or we can help you to filter the properties available to find the one that will best meet your needs. We regularly advise clients on solar orientation, flood and bushfire risk and other issues which could affect building cost and complexity of the planning and development approvals.

This will depend on the type of project you have in mind, and where you wish to build it. Generally speaking, most projects will require a building permit and many will need a planning permit. The simple difference between the two is that a planning permit will inform what you can build on a property, and a building permit will inform how it needs to be built. As experienced architects, we can often help clients find exceptions to permit requirements and simplify the planning and building process.

Depending on the scale and complexity of the project, early design phases can generally take between 1-2 months with construction documentation taking around 2-4 months. Including the time council take to assess planning applications, it can be up to 12 months before you start building.

There are three main ways an architect’s fees are usually set;

Hourly based fees are our most common fee basis, and are estimated based on the typical amount of time to provide architectural services. Fees will increase or decrease in proportion to the actual scope of services provided. Hourly fees provide clients with the most flexibility in managing consultants costs and are suited for clients who do not have a fixed project budget at the outset or who may require architectural services outside a typical scope. Hourly-based fees also suit projects where clients intend to carry out some of the works themselves with minor guidance to save costs.

Percentage fees are based on an agreed percentage of the total construction cost of the building, with architectural fees as approximately 10-15% of the proposed construction cost. Typically if the estimated cost rises during the design or construction period, so does the percentage fee, with a final calculation at the time of completion. 

Fixed fees are a safer avenue for clients who have a set budget and want the risk of cost and time overruns to be carried by others. They are typically based on percentage hourly calculations plus a safety factor.

Working with another architect’s design can be complex and risky. It requires the original architect’s permission, as well as a clear separation of legal responsibility for works carried out between architects. Many architects also have different styles and standards, requiring consideration as to whether this is a project we could morally and ethically support.

Our preference would be to use the existing design as a point of reference only – asking what you like and dislike about the design and where we could contribute our own creative license and expertise. This way, we can ensure the design meets not only our own high standards, but all regulatory requirements as well as your goals and aspirations for the project.

softloud architects are proud members of a number of Australian institutions:

• Architects Registration Board, Victoria

• Australian Institute of Architects

• Australian PassivHaus Association

• Earth Building Association of Australia

Yes, we have completed many small to medium scale commercial and educational projects, including health clinics, schools, retreats and workspaces.

We believe that successfully completed projects come from early builder involvement. This allows the architectural design to be informed by costs and building methods that are efficient and readily available, and design changes made early to keep to the budget. If you have a preferred builder that you’d like to work with, we are always happy for you to bring them to the table. Otherwise, we can help you find a builder that’s right for you and your project.

Australian houses are notorious for being poorly insulated, draughty and mouldy. Softloud Architects can design you a home that not only meets modern day energy standards, but far exceeds them. Improving the thermal envelope of the house is generally the first step. Simple passive design techniques such as building orientation and thermal mass also play a huge role. Our philosophy towards energy efficient design is guided by PassivHaus principles, which originated in Germany in the 1990’s as a measurable method to significantly reduce the amount energy a building must consume to stay comfortable. A strong factor in this approach is the use of thermal modelling to determine the performance of a building during the design stage. We can implement these techniques in a new build but also as a retrofit to your existing home, reducing energy consumption by up to 90%.

Passive Houses can cost between 10% to 20% more than a comparable standard home. However, this larger upfront cost is offset by significantly lower running costs. Softloud Architects work with clients to find the right balance between house size and smaller but more efficient homes. We understand that building or renovating a home can be expensive and daunting, and we are happy to work with any budget to help improve the thermal performance of your home, no matter how great or small and can help you achieve this in a series of small stages if necessary.

A common misconception about Passive Houses is that they are poorly ventilated because they have an airtight membrane. The truth is opposite, with a key component being a Heat Recovery Ventilation [HRV] unit to bring constant fresh air from outside while removing stale and humid air from inside. This allows for temperature-controlled, filtered ventilation instead of cold leaks through gaps in the building skin. Heat recovery ventilation is a great way to keep the air quality in your home high without losing heat. Some HRV models have high level filtration, and remove smoke and pollen particles from inside the home.

As we’ve seen over the last few years, climate change has significantly increased the risk of devastating fires in Australia, with the risks to only get worse. While we absolutely can and frequently design homes in bushfire prone areas, we have seen the stress and heartbreak that this can bring to home owners and their families when caught in or near a bushfire. With this in mind, we would love to have a conversation with you about your situation and what level of risk and anxiety are acceptable for you and your family.