While most architects optimise for design awards, we optimise for your bottom line. For 15+ years, Melbourne developers have trusted us to pursue better yields, navigate council, and help protect their margins — with a 98% approval rate across 210+ projects.
Free 30-minute strategy session · No obligation
Most developers spend weeks choosing a site and days choosing their architect. That's backwards. Your architect's approach to yield, council strategy, and design economics directly impacts whether your project hits its margin targets—or falls short.
Optimises for aesthetics and design awards
Treats council as an obstacle to work around
Hourly rates — costs escalate unpredictably
Limited understanding of development margins
Treats every project the same, regardless of type
Speaks in architectural jargon, not ROI
Optimises for yield per sqm and ROI
Aligns with council as a stakeholder from day one
Fixed fees — your quoted price is your final price
Every design decision filters through commercial viability
Specialises in developer projects: dual occ, townhouse, apartments
Speaks developer: GDV, margins, feasibility, yields
Find out what your block could become — dwelling capacity, council requirements, and whether the numbers stack up.
Check Your Site's Potential →Free instant result — no sign-up required
You know you need an architect. See why Melbourne's smartest developers choose us for yield-optimised designs and 98% approval rates.
Book a Strategy Call →Free 30-minute consultation
SQM Architects is a Melbourne-based architectural practice specialising in property development projects across the eastern suburbs. Since 2009, our ARBV-registered team has delivered over 210 development projects—including dual occupancies, townhouses, and apartment buildings—with a 98% planning approval rate. Our clients have achieved a 67% repeat client rate. We operate under Victorian planning regulations including Clauses 54, 55, and 56 of the Victoria Planning Provisions.
We built this tool so you’d never have to pay for a basic feasibility check. Powered by Victorian Government data — results in 60 seconds.
Each Melbourne council has different requirements and approval processes. Working with someone who knows your council can save significant time.
Many sites have more development potential than owners realise. The right zoning analysis can reveal opportunities that significantly improve your returns.
Projects designed with council requirements in mind from day one face fewer delays and amendments. Strategy matters more than luck.
Curious about your specific site? Talk to an architect
From feasibility to permit-ready projects. Architecture designed to support your development goals across all project types.
Custom homes, architectural renovations and extensions. Thoughtful design that enhances how you live.
End-to-end project support from council strategy to construction. Expert guidance at every stage of development.
After years of watching Melbourne developers pay for beautiful designs that didn’t stack up financially, our founder Sammi built a practice around one idea: your architect should be your most profitable hire — not your most expensive.
While other architects discuss form and materiality, we discuss GRV, yield-focused design, and approval strategy. Our practice was built specifically for developers who measure success in returns—not design awards.
Every design decision filters through a commercial lens. We’ve walked away from projects that don’t stack up financially, and we’ll tell you honestly if yours won’t either.
Zoning, overlays, and profit potential assessed
Maximum yield within planning constraints
Council-specific approach and lodgement
Cost optimisation without compromising value
Documentation and builder coordination
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Every commitment below is contractual, not marketing. If we fall short, there are consequences — and you’ll see them in writing before you sign.
If your site doesn’t stack up commercially, we’ll tell you before you spend a cent on design. We’ve turned away $200K+ in potential fees because the projects didn’t work for our clients. Your interests come first — even when it costs us.
Book a strategy call and walk away with actionable clarity about your site’s potential — whether you hire us or not. No sales pitch. No ‘we need to scope this first.’ You’ll know your site’s development capacity, likely council issues, and ballpark feasibility within 30 minutes.
Your quoted fee is your final fee, confirmed in a written agreement before any work begins. No hourly creep. No ‘additional scope’ surprises. If anything falls outside the agreed scope, we discuss and quote it separately — before we touch it.
Our pre-purchase feasibility assessment starts from $1,500. The wrong site choice costs $100,000+. For a fraction of a typical project budget, you’ll know exactly what’s buildable, what council will require, and whether the numbers work — before you commit.
98% planning approval rate across 210+ Melbourne projects. We design with council requirements built into every decision from day one. If a design issue causes a refusal, we redesign at no additional cost.
Your core developer strengths
End-to-end project delivery
Free Strategy Call
You’ve seen the numbers. Now get the strategy. A 30-minute session with our Principal Architect to map your project’s profit potential and approval pathway.
210+ developers have started here. We’ll tell you honestly if we’re the right fit.
Property development success in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs starts with understanding both the planning system and the developer’s financial goals. We design for returns, not awards.
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A free strategy session with our Principal Architect — your site’s dwelling capacity, estimated margin, and approval pathway. Yours whether you hire us or not.
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