About The Studio:
We are a residential architecture studio dedicated to creating thoughtful, well-crafted homes that respond holistically to people and place with a responsibility to our environment at the forefront.
We believe the client–architect relationship is central to every successful project. Our approach is built on trust, open dialogue, and genuine collaboration. We work closely with clients to understand how they live, what they value, and how their home can enrich their everyday experience.
Our homes have personality. They look beautiful, feel good to be in, and elevate daily living. Above all, they are enduring—well-considered, finely crafted, and made to last.
meet Karen:
Karen is a registered architect in NSW and Victoria, working across Sydney, Melbourne, and regional areas. She has extensive experience delivering residential architecture projects from concept to completion, bringing technical expertise, design sensitivity, and a highly considered approach to every brief.
Karen has worked with acclaimed studios including Renato D’Ettorre Architects and Sam Crawford Architects, where she served as Senior Project Architect. Several projects she led received state and national awards from the Australian Institute of Architects, recognising excellence in residential design.
She teaches architecture at RMIT and previously at UNSW, contributing to the development of emerging practitioners. Karen also serves as a board member of ArchiTeam Cooperative—an Australian membership organisation supporting architects in small, medium, and emerging practices.
Alongside her architectural work, Karen is a practicing fine artist and was a founding board member of Pocket City Farms, a not-for-profit promoting urban and rooftop agriculture. Her multidisciplinary background enriches her practice, informing a design approach grounded in creativity, materiality, and a deep sensitivity to how spaces are lived in.
Our Process:
Our design philosophy centres on thoughtful refinement. Great architecture is not rushed; it evolves through exploration, development, and review. Each concept is carefully tested and strengthened to achieve clarity and purpose.
From the earliest stages, we work closely with clients to explore ideas, assess opportunities, and understand the practical realities of a project. We engage with real-world constraints—budget, buildability, timelines, and planning regulations—to ensure the design progresses with confidence and transparency.
Your budget is taken seriously. Feasibility and cost planning are integrated from day one, helping clients make informed decisions that support long-term value and authentic sustainability.
We specialise in low-embodied-energy design, healthy materials, and Passive House principles. Passive House is a voluntary certification and the most rigorous energy-efficiency standard in the world, built around a highly insulated, thermally broken, and airtight building envelope.
This approach creates a home that is exceptionally comfortable, healthy, and quiet while dramatically reducing carbon emissions and ongoing energy costs. Passive House is true sustainable design
You can read more about Passive House here .
Passive House: High Performance,
Low Carbon, Healthy Homes:
some kind words from past clients:
“Every half an hour, we feel like calling someone to say:
we love our house
we love not having to turn on a light til 6.30, even when it’s overcast
we love the kitchen
we love the screen reflected in the windows at night
we love the crazy low-hung lights
we love our brick walls
did I mention I love the kitchen?
Jasper loves the acoustics for his violin and piano
we love the reading nook on the concrete ledge at the back of the house
we love the maple tree in the courtyard”