CLAD - Architecture, considered. Designed with you, delivered with care.

is a regenerative architecture practice working on housing, community and research across Victoria and Tasmania. Founded in 2021 by , the practice builds on over a decade of delivering community and housing work across Australia; established with a particular ambition: to make architecture accessible, not just something reserved for those with the most means.

That ambition shapes everything we do. Whether the project is a careful retrofit or a new community facility, we design with our clients and users, not just for them, and the work that results aspires to be collaborative, regenerative and, above all, . Our follows naturally from this: listen carefully, ask the right questions, and bring the right people together from the start. We prefer a straightforward conversation to obscure architect-talk, and we won't pretend to know the answers to questions outside our . To keep things transparent, we also publish indicative fees, stages and , along with guides to help clients through the process of getting something designed and built.

Carey is registered in both Victoria and Tasmania and is a Living Future Oceania accredited designer, a designation within the world's most ambitious sustainability framework. , alongside practice, he teaches and lectures across design, theory and construction subjects at multiple Melbourne universities, and the practice's ongoing and advocacy work keeps us connected to the questions that matter today.

The result of all this?

Architecture that is considered. Designed with you. Delivered with

Recent Works

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Bangs Street Social Housing Residential · Bunurong (Boon Wurrung) · Prahran, VIC

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Sandringham Residences Residential · Bunurong (Boon Wurrung) · Sandringham, VIC

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Malwood Place Residential · Mumirimina – Palawa · Forcett, Luruwita

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Shand Road Townhouses Collaboration with Ys Housing · Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung · Reservoir, VIC

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Mt Atkinson Vision Centre Community · Wathaurong and Bunurong/Woi-wurrung · Truganina, VIC

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Not sure what an Architect does? Read our Working with an Architect guide, or get in touch.

An architect designs buildings and manages the process of getting them built. That covers a lot of ground: understanding how you live, reading your site, reading planning rules, drawing construction documents, selecting materials, coordinating engineers and consultants, and keeping an eye on quality during construction. The goal is a building that works well, lasts, and fits its context. Our Working with an Architect guide covers the full process in detail.

Probably not. We genuinely enjoy smaller projects. A single-room extension or a well-considered renovation can be some of the most rewarding work we do. As a rough guide, projects above $150,000 to $200,000 in construction cost typically benefit from full architectural services. Below that, a targeted engagement (concept design, a design review, or a pre-purchase site assessment) can still be worthwhile at a proportionate fee. Our indicative fees are published in full.

Fees for full services typically range from 8 to 15 per cent of construction cost. That’s a significant investment. The fee buys fewer surprises during construction (three cost-check milestones catch drift early), sharper builder pricing from well-documented tender packages, and a home designed to how you actually live. We’ll give you a detailed fee proposal before you commit to anything. See our fees in full.

Most residential projects run 18 to 36 months from first meeting to moving in. That’s a wide range, and the biggest variable is the planning permit process, which can take 4 to 7 months depending on your council. The design phases themselves typically take 3 to 6 months. We’ll map out a realistic timeline for your project at the outset, and we’ll be upfront about where the uncertainties sit. The eight stages set out what happens when.

Three things, in practice. We practise regenerative design — Living Future Institute accreditation shapes our process. We work across three sectors (residential, community housing, and research/teaching) so lessons from each area feed the others. And we run projects collaboratively: co-design sessions with the client and stakeholders at the brief stage, not finished concepts presented for approval. See our work to get a sense of what that looks like in practice.

Process and fees

Process and fees, in the open

Each stage has its own scope and its own fee, so you can engage us for exactly what you need.

01 Listen
02 Explore
03 Develop
04 Planning
05 Document
06 Permit
07 Tender
08 Build

$300k construction cost: $25k – $45k
$1M construction cost: $80k – $120k
Full service, concept to completion: 8 to 15 per cent of construction cost

Indicative ranges, concept to completion. Actual fees vary with scope and complexity.

See the eight stages See our fees in full Try the project planner

Naarm + Lutruwita

CLAD — Carey Landwehr Architecture & Design

Frequently asked questions

What does an architect do?

How do I get started?

I don’t have a clear idea yet. Can we still talk?

Is my project too small for an architect?

How much does an architect cost?

How long will it take?

Will you design what you want, or what I want?

What makes CLAD different from other architects?

Do you work in both Melbourne and Tasmania?

Process and fees, in the open

CLAD — get in touch