MOA.studio

MOA.studio Melbourne architecture studio. Providing a full range of architectural services.

Planning permit just approved for this renovation in Newport.It’s in a heritage area, which made things more complex, es...
11/02/2026

Planning permit just approved for this renovation in Newport.

It’s in a heritage area, which made things more complex, especially when advocating for street-facing solar panels. The key was designing with street context in mind from the outset and being clear about how the panels would sit within it. With that approach, I was able to get it through council in about two months.

The new front verandah reads as a traditional element to the street, but includes a narrow strip of clear roofing at the rear so light can filter down onto the wall and deck. The entry is approached from the left of the site, so you turn and move along the verandah, looking out to the garden before arriving at the door.

A good outcome for a project balancing heritage and sustainability.

Just under two years ago, I decided to take my business full time. This meant putting myself out there in ways that, as ...
15/08/2025

Just under two years ago, I decided to take my business full time. This meant putting myself out there in ways that, as an introvert, feel uncomfortable. I’d much rather be in the shadows than in the spotlight. But I went into it with the determination that “if it makes me uncomfortable, I need to be doing it”. Applying for the Hobsons Bay Business Awards definitely ticked that box!

But when you do put yourself out there, good things like this happen. I’m happy to say I’ve been named a finalist in the category Excellence in Sustainability and Circular Economy.

A big thanks to and to my past and present clients for trusting me with your homes - and for letting me gently (ok, sometimes persistently) advocate for a future without gas emissions.

A big congratulations to the other finalists...


It’s Homelessness Week 2025 (Mon 4 August to Sun 10 August), coordinated by Homelessness Australia. This year’s theme is...
04/08/2025

It’s Homelessness Week 2025 (Mon 4 August to Sun 10 August), coordinated by Homelessness Australia. This year’s theme is Homelessness Action Now.

It’s a week to raise awareness about the impact of homelessness, highlight solutions, and call for action through community events, media, and local initiatives.

Over the past month, I’ve been folding one origami house for every dollar clients donated to Youth Projects. It’s part of the Houses at Parliament campaign, run by the Victorian Homelessness Network.

Some of the houses are now on display around Spotswood, thanks to the support of local traders:

Back It Up Osteopathy
Bath & Bone
Holland & Co
Hudsons Rd Wine Bar
IGA Spotswood
Little Bulla
Luminaire Dental
Mabel and Woods
Melbourne Vet Rehab
Mind In Mind Psychology
Oculus Dexter
Spotswood Hotel
Super Movement

and thanks to Industrial Sign Art Co for printing the signs!

Links to Homelessness Australia, the Victorian Homelessness Network, and Youth Projects are in my bio.

Further concept images for the Pascoe Vale extension. The project is starting to take shape now and will continue to be ...
07/11/2024

Further concept images for the Pascoe Vale extension. The project is starting to take shape now and will continue to be refined as we work through construction documentation and budget moving forward.

20/07/2024

Tracking the winter sun for our passive solar designed Pascoe Vale house. The open pergola will block the sun in summer but still allow it to pe*****te during winter and heat the internal concrete pavers.

In the northern suburbs of Melbourne, lies this family home. It’s a home that embodies the resilience and cultural richn...
27/02/2024

In the northern suburbs of Melbourne, lies this family home. It’s a home that embodies the resilience and cultural richness of our migrant heritage and typifies a building style succinct with the post-war period when Southern Europeans began to migrate and introduce their culture, food and of course coffee!

At any certain point of the last 60 years, this home has housed four different generations from one family: The Greatest Generation, The Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and Millennials. It’s a home to migrants from Sicily who every year* keep with tradition and make passata from scratch.

The style of housing is a blend of cultural elements and is often characterized with multiple kitchens (this passata was made in the garage kitchen), formal front gardens with productive fruit and vegetables in the rear, balconies with white balustrades (reminiscent of Venice), brick-veneer or weatherboard construction and large windows (often shuttered, acknowledging the similarities with the hot dry Australian sun to back home). Depending on the background of the migrant, throw in a few columns and lions too!

For many Australians, it may not be a style or culture you’re familiar with, but for those who grew up with it, it’s simply Nonna’s / Yia-Yia’s / Baba’s house. It’s a style that represents an important chapter in Melbourne’s cultural history, showcasing the contributions migrants have made to Melbourne.

In 2020, ABC news published a great article about this type of housing (link below). Furthermore, in 2019 Dr. Lozanovska published her book “Migrant Housing: Architecture, Dwelling, Migration” and “Ethno-Architecture and the Politics of Migration” in 2020. Dr. Lozanovska also gave an interesting interview which can be heard on the ABC website (link below).

*Note: Every year except for the great tomato drought of 2023!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-09/post-war-australian-housing-future-urbanism-southern-europe/11924116

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-09/post-war-australian-housing-future-urbanism-southern-europe/11924116

The one that got away…In early 2022, I began work on this project for a young family seeking to extend. Located in Ferny...
14/02/2024

The one that got away…

In early 2022, I began work on this project for a young family seeking to extend. Located in Ferny Creek, the site boasts breathtaking surroundings being wrapped in dense greenery and towering 35m tall Mountain Ash located in the rear Sherbrooke Forest (the site literally backs on to it).

The design response was an elongated addition positioned to one side of the property that would be flanked by the existing 12m screening trees. This placement ensured screening for one neighbour and maximised distance for the other. This also opened up more of the site to the sky.

We received planning permission in 2023 generally as depicted in these images. Despite the typical time delays from council, obtaining the permit was a remarkably smooth process. This success can be partly attributed to the considerate positioning in relation to the neighbours and existing site features.

For a number of reasons, the clients have since relocated closer to the CBD and the property sold. At this point, the project is unlikely to be built. However, planning permits do last for a number of years and can be extended! Fingers crossed for the future. Hopefully, the new owner will want to build some day.

The last render for our Hilltop project.Sited on a sloping block, this family home is designed to minimize its dominance...
01/11/2023

The last render for our Hilltop project.

Sited on a sloping block, this family home is designed to minimize its dominance within the landscape. The house is approached from the gully below, where a stone-clad garage and façade of rough-cut merbau timber battens create the entry. These battens serve a dual function, providing both privacy and shade while connecting the home to its surrounds.

Furthermore, the primary living spaces on the first floor have been set back to enhance the integration. This is further accentuated by the use of black roofing and cladding, allowing the house to meld with the dark underwood.

The covered entry walkway at our latest project over looking the valley. 
15/09/2023

The covered entry walkway at our latest project over looking the valley. 

During the early design stages at out Kensington project, we prepared 3D images so the client could visual the space and...
16/06/2023

During the early design stages at out Kensington project, we prepared 3D images so the client could visual the space and key elements could be communicated effectively. Rather than out-sourcing, we do this work in-house. This gives us the ability to quickly adapt as the design progressed and explore different materials in an efficient manner.

The new kitchen at our recently completed renovation project in Kensington. Complete with Italian tiles and floating sha...
24/04/2023

The new kitchen at our recently completed renovation project in Kensington. Complete with Italian tiles and floating shark nose edge benchtops.

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