Before any design, there is the conversation.

A full one-hour session with Barbara Yerondais, FRAIA, in person or on Zoom. You'll talk through your site, budget and planning timelines, and leave knowing what's realistic and what your next step is, before you commit.

Not sure yet? Start with a free, no-obligation call. Barbara rings you herself to talk it through.

Talk to Barbara →

400+

Projects delivered across Victoria

59

Heritage approvals. 98% success rate.

35

Years of Heritage Overlay navigation

FRAIA

Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects

WHAT THIS SESSION ACTUALLY IS

A proper conversation, not a sales call.

Most first meetings with an architect feel like a pitch. This one doesn't. Barbara listens as you describe what you're hoping for: your wishlist, your concerns, the way you want to live in the space. By the time you've finished talking, you know what's realistic.

Alongside that, we look honestly at what your site will and won't do. Heritage overlays, council requirements, structural realities: translated into plain language, so you know where you have room to move and where you don't.

01

Your vision, drawn out

You describe the dream scenario. Barbara listens and asks the questions that matter. It's the fastest way to find out whether what you're imagining is possible, and what the version you can actually build looks like.

02

The site's honest potential

Heritage overlays, thermal performance, structural logic. We look at all of it together so you understand what shapes the project before a dollar goes into design.

03

Something to take home

A clear picture of what's achievable and what your next step is. No obligation to go further.

IS THIS SESSION RIGHT FOR YOU?

A long project
with many moving parts —
and a real human at the table.

Architecture projects, especially heritage ones, take time. Barbara has spent 35 years guiding clients through the long stretch — through council, through structural surprises, through the months where it feels like nothing is happening. She's good at the complexity, and she's a genuinely lovely human to do it with.

This is for you if...

- You want a home that works for life — designed around how you actually live, not a floor plan template

- You want fixed pricing so you can plan your budget with confidence and not dread the next invoice

- You want someone who's done this hundreds of times and can hold your hand through the parts that get complicated

- You own or are purchasing a home with a Heritage Overlay and need an architect who speaks council fluently

- You value an intimate, artisan process over a corporate firm — and an architect who thinks it through with you, not just for you

- You're planning a rear extension, second storey, or full restoration and want to start it the right way

This is probably not for you if...

x You want the cheapest drafting-only service available

x You prefer a sterile, faceless firm over an architect's studio

x You want a cookie-cutter floor plan without site-specific consideration

x You're not ready to engage with the realities of council, heritage, or building science

COMMON QUESTIONS

What you'll want to know
before you book.

What do I actually walk away with?

A clear-eyed view of your site's planning constraints and realistic scope, and a next step you can act on. This isn't a generic overview. It's 35 years of expertise applied to your specific address, with you.

Is there any obligation to engage BY Projects after the session?

None. The roadmap is yours. If we're the right fit to take it further together, we'll talk about what that looks like. If you need more time or want to take it somewhere else, that's exactly what the session was designed to give you — clarity, not commitment.

How is this different from the free consultations other firms offer?

The thinking happens during your session, not after it. You're not waiting for a report or a follow-up proposal; Barbara works through your questions live, with you. Most clients find the conversation answers questions they didn't know how to ask.

We're not in Melbourne — can we still do this?

Yes. We work regularly with clients in Bendigo, Shepparton, Geelong and the Surf Coast via video session. The conversation works just as well on Zoom.

What does a session like this typically cost at other firms?

At standard consultancy rates, a strategic site audit at this depth is valued above $1,000. We offer this because a well-prepared client is the foundation of a good project — and because the alternative is expensive surprises six months into a design contract.

BY

"I've spent 35 years teaching that the technical foundation of a project matters as much as the aesthetic vision. The session is how I make sure we begin that way — with your home, your constraints, and an honest pencil."

BARBARA YERONDAIS, FRAIA · PRINCIPAL, BY PROJECTS ARCHITECTURE

START THE CONVERSATION

Tell us about your site.

The more context you can share, the more useful the session will be.
Takes about two minutes.


Start the Conversation

Every project begins with a deep inquiry into site, heritage, and vision. Let’s discuss the strategic potential of your next work.

SCHEDULE A FEASIBILITY SESSION →

A PRELIMINARY CONSULTATION TO EVALUATE HERITAGE CONSTRAINTS, SITE POTENTIAL, AND PROJECT FEASIBILITY.