Master Plan Session
A clear beginning for complex residential projects in Melbourne
For many Melbourne homeowners, the most difficult stage of an architectural project is not design, planning approval, or construction.
Long before drawings exist, important questions arise.
Long before drawings exist, important questions arise. Is renovation the most sensible pathway for the site and the brief? Would an extension resolve the spatial challenges, or could careful reconfiguration achieve the same outcome more intelligently? In some situations, more significant change may need to be considered.
Questions also emerge around investment, planning constraints, and performance. What level of budget is realistic? How might heritage controls or planning overlays shape what is possible? Could the project meaningfully improve comfort, energy performance, and long-term value?
Without early clarity, projects can lose direction — consuming time, energy, and resources before a clear strategy is established.
A Master Plan Session provides the opportunity to explore these questions carefully at the outset, allowing a clear and confident pathway to emerge before design work begins.
Why the earliest decisions matter
The earliest architectural decisions shape everything that follows.
They influence the scale of intervention, the likely cost of works, the planning pathway, and the consultants required to deliver the project. They also affect how successfully the finished home will respond to light, comfort, sustainability, and daily living.
When these decisions are deferred — or made without sufficient clarity — projects can lose momentum. Redesign becomes more likely, planning timeframes may extend, and costs can escalate unnecessarily.
At this stage, architecture is not yet about form.
It is about judgement.
What is a Master Plan Session?
A Master Plan Session is a focused professional consultation designed to establish clarity before significant time or cost is committed.
It is particularly valuable when clients are:
- unsure whether to renovate, extend, or undertake more significant change
- navigating heritage or planning constraints
- working with a constrained site or complex brief
- seeking improved comfort, sustainability, or Passive House–level performance
- concerned about scope, feasibility, or budget alignment
Rather than moving immediately into drawings, we take time to understand the site, its constraints, and the opportunities it presents. We also explore how the home needs to evolve and how the project might best respond to its context.
From this understanding we can begin to outline a practical pathway forward.
Preparation before the session
Preparation is what allows the session to be genuinely useful.
Before we meet, preliminary research may include:
- planning and heritage controls affecting the property
- zoning, overlays, and neighbourhood context
- site orientation and environmental conditions
- review of available drawings, documentation, or title information
- relevant council planning considerations
- early cost context drawn from comparable projects
This preparation ensures the conversation is not general in nature, but focused specifically on your property and its opportunities.
What happens during the session
The Master Plan Session is collaborative and exploratory.
During the meeting we typically:
- clarify and refine the project brief
- explore spatial and planning ideas through preliminary sketching
- test alternative layouts and opportunities
- discuss realistic scope and indicative cost ranges
- outline likely planning approvals and project timeframes
- identify constraints or risks early
- consider opportunities for sustainability and performance improvement
The session is deliberately thoughtful rather than rushed. It allows space to explore possibilities, ask questions, and test ideas before significant design work begins.
What the session provides
By the end of the session, clients typically leave with:
- clearer direction on the next steps for the project
- preliminary sketch ideas capturing viable pathways
- a practical understanding of feasibility and likely scope
- early insight into planning considerations and risk
- greater confidence about whether — and how — to proceed
Some clients move directly into full architectural services following the session. Others take time to reflect, stage the project over time, or decide not to proceed.
All outcomes are valid.
The purpose of the Master Plan is clarity, not commitment.
Choosing the right starting point
Not every project should begin in the same way.
Choosing the appropriate starting point helps reduce risk and avoid unnecessary redesign.
Master Plan Session: Clarifies direction, feasibility, and indicative cost before design begins. It is often the most appropriate first step for clients seeking confidence about how to proceed.
Feasibility Study: A more detailed analytical stage where planning risk, heritage constraints, subdivision potential, or cost uncertainty require careful testing before committing to full design.
Full Architectural Design: The complete design and documentation process once the strategic direction of the project has been established.
Beginning with the right step supports better decision-making — architecturally, financially, and environmentally.
Heritage and high-performance homes
Across Melbourne and regional Victoria, many residential projects involve existing homes that present multiple layers of complexity.
These may include:
- heritage homes subject to planning controls
- ageing housing with limited thermal performance
- ambitions for sustainability or Passive House–level comfort
- constrained sites or complex planning conditions
Addressing these factors early allows realistic expectations to be established around scope, cost, approvals, and performance potential.
The project begins on sound architectural footing.
Session details
Session fee: $1,270 (including GST)
The fee includes pre-session research into your property and a structured Master Plan consultation focused on feasibility, direction, and next steps.
Location: Sessions are typically held on site to allow direct engagement with the property and its constraints.
Zoom consultations are available for regional or remote projects.
Availability: Sessions are offered in limited numbers to allow careful preparation and considered advice.
“We had a Master Plan session with Jane. From the outset and initial contact with her we found she was incredibly responsive and personable. Jane was easy to talk with and genuine. Through the session Jane was able to advise us on rough estimate costs for our renovation and propose potential savings with alternate floor plans. Jane listened to what we wanted and discussed how best to utilise the space effectively.”
Client
Enquire about a Master Plan Session
Complete the contact form below and we will respond personally to:
- confirm whether a Master Plan Session is the appropriate first step
- discuss availability
- outline possible next steps
The initial conversation is straightforward — a calm beginning to understanding the possibilities for your project.
How can I book a Session?
You can book a session by completing the contact form below.
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Projects shaped by the Master Plan
Many projects begin with a Master Plan Session — particularly where heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, or deep retrofit requires careful strategic thinking before design begins.
You may wish to explore:
- Former Salter House, Toorak — conservation and repair
- Ivanhoe House — mid-century adaptive reuse
- Fitzroy House — deep retrofit targeting Passivhaus Classic
