Skip to main content

Services

Residential

Every person and every site is different.

So we design homes accordingly taking into consideration factors such as the occupants’ personalities, living habits and social lives, rather than simply applying a cookie cutter methodology.

Some of our clients have asked us for inclusions that to many, would seem impossible. But we have steadfastly explored every avenue possible in order to bring their dream to life. If you are thinking of building or renovating your home, come and have a chat to us about what you are thinking.

Our Process

01 Discovery

Initial Meeting

This is the information gathering stage where we listen to your needs, dreams, wants and desires along with assessing technical information such as site surveys and plans. The more information you can provide at this stage, the better.

We will make suggestions and give you a copy of our terms and conditions before you decide to go ahead with a preliminary design. A successful project is often about the relationships between client, architect and builder. We work hard to build a relationship with our clients and establish trust. This meeting is just as much about allowing you to get to know us and determine if you think we are the right Architects for you and that we are worthy of your trust.

02 Design

Preliminary Design
(the Yellow Trace phase)

Once you’ve decided that we are the architects for you, we’ll organise a full site survey and take a detailed brief to start preparing the initial concept design. We draw on all of our experience as a team to prepare a preliminary sketch of a proposed design to present to you for feedback. This could take a number of attempts to get the right answer that can be developed further and generally fits the budget requirements. We don’t shy away from a challenge. During this stage we primarily work by hand, sketching solutions. We find that it provides us with more flexibility to consider the project as a whole rather than locking into the constraints and detail of common CAD software or letting the software generate a preprogrammed solution to a problem. Our clients feel less intimidated by sketches and more inclined to let the process evolve rather than the finality of CAD drawings. We feel that this achieves a better result.

Design Development

During this stage we continue to make refinements and changes and once you’re happy with the design, final sketch drawings are made. We explore the project in 3D to bring the building to life, both on the screen and also in Virtual Reality where you can walk through and around your project. We also find VR a handy tool for exploring our designs and the effect or impact they have and if we are achieving the desired results.

03 Approvals

Development Approval

Once you are happy with the final design, we will prepare and submit documents to the relevant authority for planning approval. We are having conversations with other consultants and incorporating their concepts into our documentation so that we are not making significant inefficient changes later. Our design is tested against the planning rules and often community opinion.

Building Approval

Building Approval is a higher level of documentation from DA. We are required to provide enough documentation to satisfy the Private Certifier that assessment can be made against the National Construction Code. This includes all consultant’s information incorporated and Certified. It includes specific construction details and product information and referral agency clearances. The outcome is clearance ready to build.

04 Tendering

The Tender Process

Option A – Half Tender

Rather than drawing up full documentation, which involves a significant number of billing hours, we can prepare documentation that includes the basics needed for construction including working drawings and a schedule of works in excess of the information required for BA. At this stage in particular we like to involve our clients as part of the team helping to make selections and exploring detail solutions.

Option B – Full Tender

Full documentation is prepared that includes details such as electrical drawings, heating, windows, joinery, finishes and fixtures in every room so that detailed quotations from tendering builders can be obtained. There should be minimal scope for variation as most decisions should be made and costed into the project.

Tender Negotiation and Contract Administration

We can take on this challenging part of your build by acting as your agent in dealing with the builder. This includes evaluating building tenders based on cost, time and quality. We can liaise with the builder and assist in managing deliverables and the various contractors and specialists to keep the project on schedule and to budget. We involve you in all the decision-making and keep you abreast of developments.

05 Construction Documentation

This stage is incorporated into Contract Administration but can also be an individual stage post Building Approval. It supports the builder with specific builder requested details or packages for trade tendering, setout, clarification and alterations. This documentation is over and above the basic level that would be required to confirm compliance with the National Construction Code.

06 Final Inspection

Final Inspection

We carry out all the final inspections to ensure the final build is everything you and we imagined it would be. We manage defect tolerances and negotiate these to resolution with the builder. This stage can be included as an add on to any level of service past Building Approval.

Completion

Over to you!

Recognition

Winner

2024

HIA – Apartment of the Year
HIA – Residential Design

2023

MBA – Custom Built home $1 million to $2 million
MBA – Best use of Material in a Residential project

2022

MBA – Best use of Material
MBA – Best Custom Built Home
MBA – House of the Year

HIA – House of the Year
HIA – Custom Built Home
HIA – Residential Design

Awards

2024

MBA – Winner, Medium Density Townhouses and Villas
MBA – Judges Commendation, Custom Built/Project Home $1.5m – $2m

HIA – Apartment of the Year
HIA – Apartment Complex
HIA – Residential Design
HIA – Townhouse Villa Development

HIA National – Townhouse Villa Development of the Year

2023

MBA – Winner, Custom Built Home $1m – $2m
MBA – Winner, Best use of Material in a Residential Project
MBA – Judges Commendation, Custom Built $2m – $4m

HIA – Townhouse/Villa of the Year

2022

MBA – Best use of Material
MBA – Best Custom-Built Home
MBA – House of the Year

HIA – House of the Year
HIA – Custom Built Home
HIA – Residential Design

Press

DNA Architects reimagines Braddon in this Riotact article: Riotact

Check out our story on the potential new Canberra Stadium. Read the article on: The Canberra Times

The verdict is in: Does a new Acton Waterfront stadium actually fit? Read the article on: The Canberra Times

The Local Project featured Wallaroo Residence, crafted by DNA Architects: The Local Project

Related Projects

Meet the team

Part of our success is due to the fact that we have created a work culture that attracts and retains like-minded professionals who are not only extremely talented in their craft, but passionate about achieving the best results for our clients.

Glen Dowse

Glen Dowse

Director

B.App.Sci., B Arch, AIA, HIA (President 2015 – 2018), MBA, Architects Registration 966

Born in 1967, in Canberra. Graduated from the University of Canberra in 1991. While there he was awarded in 1989 “The Northrop Award” and in 1989 Second Prize “Marion Mahony Griffin Measured Drawing Competition”. Architectural experience gained in Canberra includes the firms of CG Cummings and Associates, Lester Firth and Associates and Phil McMaster Pty Ltd, TT Architecture, and overseas with the Southampton firm of MWT Architects.

AJ Bala

Aj Bala

Director

B.Arch BaSc (Environmental Design), Architects Registration 2336

Aj is a Graduate of the University of Canberra and brings over 10 years of architecture & construction knowledge to the DNA team. His keen interest in development & property provides him with a balanced view of the commercial viability of architectural projects. Having a range of experience at various local & International practices, Aj has worked on a wide variety of projects including Master planning, Multi-unit/Mixed use, commercial, high-end residential and industrial work. His project experience ranges from concept and design work, right through to project delivery. His project experience both nationally and internationally coupled with his passion for building the local Canberra community and education, having taught a number of tertiary accredited design courses, brings an added dimension to the DNA practice.

Mick Sergi

Mick Sergi

Director

Diploma of Building Design

Mick joined DNA architects in 2014 and brought an energy and enthusiasm for design & people which has been contagious! His continued passion for architecture and business has seen him take on a leadership role within the studio, completing many successful projects, creating lasting relationships with clients & consultants alike.

Ross Norwood

Ross Norwood

Director

B.App.Sci., B Arch (Honours), AIA, HIA, MBA, Architects Registration 973

Ross is a local Honours graduate from the University of Canberra. Prior to establishing DNAA Ross gained valuable local experience with Geoff Buttterworth and Partners, Renfree Hanrahan and Bligh Voller Neild, with overseas experience at Fitch RS in London. With 30 years’ experience under his belt Ross has a broad range of completed projects from small renovations to large multi-million dollar mixed use buildings.

Rob Henry

Rob Henry

Director

Director

B.Arch (Hons), Fellow RAIA, Architects Registration 2461

Rob is a graduate of the University of Canberra and has worked in architectural practice for over 20 years. Rob holds a strong passion for enhancing the quality of housing by promoting alternative housing types through his ongoing research, his competition winning New Experimental Architectural Typologies (NEAT) Housing scheme, his successful submissions to the 2018 ACT Demonstration Housing Project, his collaborative work to develop innovative prefabricated accessible housing solutions for people living with disabilities, and his involvement in the Low Carbon Housing project.

Steve Andrea

Steve Andrea

Associate

B.Arch, B.App.Sci., B.A, NSW ARBN#6954

Krystal Fraser

Krystal Fraser

Associate

B Arch Advanced Diploma of Building Design, Masters of Architecture

Sehrish Sheharyar

Sehirsh Sheharyar

B. Arts in Architecture; Adv. Dip Building Design

B. Arts in Architecture; Adv. Dip Building Design

Mark Loncar

Mark Loncar

Diploma of Building Design

Diploma of Building Design

Contact us

Let's start a conversation

02 6230 4688

Unit 10, 14 Lonsdale St Braddon ACT 2612

Primary Nominated Architect | Glen Dowse | ACT 966 | NSW 11425 |

Get in touch