Architecture Republic is an award-winning architectural and interior design studio. We work in Canberra, Queanbeyan, Yass, the Snowy Mountains and South Coast NSW.
Architecture Republic Canberra
Live better with beautiful, sustainable architecture
If you are looking for a quality Canberra architect, Hello! Since 2012, we’ve worked with Canberrans on sustainable new homes and renovations.
From greenfields to govvies, we’ll be a good fit if you:
Love where you live, but your house just doesn’t work
Own an ‘ex-govvie’ & need more space
Want to reduce your eco-footprint & create a sustainable home
Need a Canberra architect who knows how to work with ACTPLA
Architecture Republic knows Canberra
Canberra is a vibrant city with so many exciting architectural challenges. We love early Federal style cottages, ex-govvies and midcentury-modern masterpieces. Our designers are passionate about the rich built heritage of the city. Equally exciting, we love our sustainable, contemporary Canberra style homes. We can achieve exemplary energy efficiency outcomes without sacrificing style. Our designers have over 75 completed projects across Canberra and the ACT region. We are experts at navigating the complexities of Canberra’s climate and bushfire regulations.
“Architecture Republic helped us think through two-stage plans for our house in Downer, ACT. Splitting out a much-needed interior renovation with minor structural changes to make our home more modern and comfortable within a limited budget. They made sure that initial design choices would be preserved when we do a more ambitious extension a few years down the road. They helped us explore several options, teasing out the pros and cons and working through complications given the awkward placement of our house on a corner block. It took time to work through these issues, but we’re very happy with the investment we’ve made in the planning. They were also able to connect us with great options for builders to manage our project.”
– Kirsten Donaldson
Meet our Canberra design team
We take a collaborative approach with every client. Our goal is to develop a design that truly works with your lifestyle, aesthetic, site and budget. Every project is unique, and benefits from our skilled designers. Our qualified team of 10 have together designed more than 130 projects. We work in and around Canberra, Queanbeyan, Yass, the Snowy Mountains and South Coast NSW.
Sarah Brown
Tristan Ryall
Jovana Pajkanovic
Olha Tryvailo
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a residential architecture firm in Canberra?
Yes. We started our practice in Canberra in 2012. We work in Canberra and across Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Braidwood, Yass, the Snowy Mountains and South Coast. Our team has a small office here, where Sarah and Nathan are generally based full-time.
Are you familiar with Canberra and Queanbeyan-Palerang's Regulations?
We have years of experience with ACTPLA’s Territory Plan and Queanbeyan-Palerang Council. The team has a great working history with planners and certifiers at both organisations. We have a comprehensive understanding of the goals of their regulatory frameworks. Our staff attend Canberra’s Building Regulatory Advisory Committee and Planning Reviews (now run by the EPSDD).
Our goal is to help guide the future of the city’s development. The team has experience working with TCCS, ACTEW and ICON Regulations. This includes working with regulated trees, paths and utility easements.
We have also navigated many projects through Queanbeyan-Palerang s complex planning rules and are familiar with all the councils in Southern NSW. We are experienced at managing heritage regulations, bushfire standards, RFI’s. Our team also regularly manages Sydney Water requirements.
What is Architecture Republic’s view on sustainability? Do you do solar passive and energy efficient homes?
Do you have experience working with younger clients and budget-conscious renovations?
Hello, yes! This describes more than half of our clients in Canberra. Every day, we work on simpler, more affordable renovations, particularly to ex-govvie homes. Unfortunately, renovating or building new is always an expensive undertaking. There are, however, ways to achieve the goals for your home that won t blow your budget. We use construction cost estimation software early in our design and documentation process. This will ensure sure we are on course and we’ll warn you if your vision is too far out of line. Have a read of our Renovating in Canberra article before you begin.
What is your Canberra Architectural Style?
Surprisingly, we don’t have one. A good architect will collaborate with you to develop your vision into the design for your home. Our team will help you put together a vision for your home with inspiration images. We’ll have detailed conversations with you about layout, style, functionality and performance. We want the finished design to work with your aesthetics and your lifestyle. We’ve worked on 1950’s and 60’s mid century-modern homes and minimalist sustainable designs. We’ve also worked on contemporary Canberra style homes and traditional architectural designs. The vision we put into your home will ultimately come from you.
My house has an unusual history. Do you have experience renovating mid century modern homes or other historic Canberra homes?
Canberra has a fascinating architectural history with so much character. We do have a bit of a hate-hate relationship with leaky, flat roofed 50’s and 60’s homes. Weirdly, these renovations are sme of the most challenging and fun.
Our process is to carefully research the home and the design of the original architect. This is an insightful process and often feels like we are meeting a new person, rather than researching a house. Then we work collaboratively with you to bring out the features that drew you to the house in the first place. We’ll also bring the layout and functionality into line with your needs.
Can you help advise on whether it would be more worthwhile to renovate or knockdown rebuild?
For so many projects, this is a critical first decision. We can give advice on where your structural walls are and if your home has asbestos (or other challenges). We can also tell you what issues you may have with your existing layout and how much you can expect to spend. From a sustainability perspective, it’s always best to work with what you have. Occasionally, however, this just isn’t workable. The best thing to do is to be clear about your budget and what you want from the finished project. We can help you get there.
How do I contact you?
You can call us (02) 6269 3372, email us (canberra@archrepublic.com.au) or submit an enquiry right here on our website. We’re excited to work with you on your project. If you have any questions, please contact us for a chat. We look forward to hearing from you.
