Crafting Healthy, Beautiful & Sustainable Homes
Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and pay respect to their Elders - past, present and emerging.
We acknowledge and pay respect to their spiritual connection with Country and thank them for their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region on which we live.
We also acknowledge and pay respect to all the cultures that help shape our nation.
Sketch Design - Greensy Kitchen & Rear Living Renovation (2025)
Crafting Healthy, Beautiful & Sustainable Homes
At Fabric First Architecture Studio, we design thoughtful and healthy homes that balance innovation, comfort, and affordability.
Specialising in residential architecture and Passivhaus (Passive House) design, we prioritise practical, durable, smart, and energy-efficient design solutions that enhance everyday living.
Whether you are building new or transforming an existing space, our tailored approach will help bring your vision to life - beautifully and responsibly.
Explore our projects to see how we turn ideas into healthy, enduring, and livable spaces.
Our Services
Architectural Design & Consultancy Service
Passive Solar Design
Source: https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/7/20/passive-solar-design-retrofits
Whether you are after a full architectural design and consultancy service for your home, or a partial one, we are happy to assist.
The full scope of services we can offer includes:
- Schematic Design
- Design Development
- Town Planning / Development Application
- Building Permit / Construction Documentation
- Construction Tender / Quotation Management & Recommendation
- Construction Contract Administration (including regular site inspections)
- Defect Liability Period
Our architectural design will always be based on solid Passive Solar design principles - at a minimum. Passive Solar design is a building design approach that utilises the sun's energy for heating and cooling the home, without heavily relying on mechanical systems. By thoughtfully considering a home’s orientation, layout, and materials, we design spaces that stay warm in winter by capturing the sun’s heat, and remain cooler in summer by minimising unwanted heat gain.
Passivhaus (Passive House) Design
Passivhaus Principles
Source: Passivhaus Institut (Darmstadt, Germany)
In addition to traditional architectural design services, we also offer Passivhaus design.
Passivhaus (or Passive House) is a high-performance building standard that originated in Germany in the 1990s, focusing on comfort, health, and energy efficiency. Homes built to this standard undergo strict quality checks to ensure everything functions as intended. The approach is grounded in science and proven performance, delivering excellent temperature control, moisture management, and durable building materials. Unlike many modern homes, a Passivhaus is designed to provide clean, fresh air year-round, consistent indoor temperatures without excessively hot or cold spots, and virtually no mould. Best of all, it uses very little energy—meaning lower power bills and a smaller environmental footprint.
All these are achieved via 5 key design and construction principles, which must be undertaken as a system to be fully effective:
- Uninterrupted Thermal Insulation
- 'Thermal Bridge'-free Design
- High-performance Windows and Doors
- Airtight Design
- 24/7 continuous, balanced Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (using HRV/ERV systems).
The full life-cycle cost and health benefit of Passivhaus design and construction have long been proven overseas, and recently in Australia in the past 1-2 decades, and this design approach is gaining more awareness and momentum in Australia in recent years. Further information can be found on the Australian Passivhaus Association website (https://www.passivhausassociation.com.au/) and Your Home - Australia's Guide to Environmentally Sustainable Homes (https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/passive-house)
We can assist in designing your home towards a Passivhaus target, whether or not you aim at an actual Passivhaus certification.
Portfolio
Welcome to our works.
Explore projects to learn more
about what we do.
About
I am a Registered Architect in Victoria and Certified Passivhaus Designer, with over 15 years of experience in architectural design and planning.
I have previously worked in Vietnam, Singapore, and Melbourne.
I specialise in sustainable, high-performance residential design, with a strong focus on Passivhaus (Passive House) and passive solar architectural design principles.
I am passionate about helping families turn their vision of a healthy, comfortable, and truly sustainable home into reality.
- Duong [Zeng] Tran.