Building a Legacy
Invest [in] Your Values
“The twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the most serious issue of our time. Globally, buildings and construction play a major part, accounting for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions whilst also having a significant impact on our natural habitats.” - Australian Architects Declare.
At Whisker Architecture, we believe great design should tread lightly. Every project is an opportunity to reduce waste, protect natural resources, and create homes and learning environments that stand the test of time.
We’re constantly improving our practice to design better for tomorrow — embedding sustainable architecture, passive design, and ethical decision-making into every stage of our work.
Our Growing Impact
Every home begins with a single idea – and every forest begins with a single tree.
For every Pre-Design Service booked through our website, a tree is planted in partnership with The GoodAPI to help restore global landscapes.
Your project doesn’t just create a better home – it contributes to a better planet.
Sustainable architecture for Melbourne homes
Sustainable choices for your home
Comfort and efficiency begin with the plan: orientation, shading, insulation, glazing, airtightness and intentional ventilation. We also test what can be retained and whether more floor area is needed.
See Beaconsfield Hillside Home, shaped by a passive-solar family-home brief, and Banksia Renewed in Wonga Park, where light and storage improved the existing footprint.
Planning a renovation or custom home? The Home Masterplan Report helps compare practical layout and budget pathways before detailed design.
We are a signatory of Architects Declare.
Passive House Design Experience
Drawing on past Passive House training, we consider insulation, glazing, airtightness and ventilation together to support comfort and lower energy demand.
Passive-solar design, Passive House principles and a certified Passive House are different things. Certification requires a defined performance standard, modelling and verification; past training does not establish current designer certification.
If certification is part of your brief, we can work with an accredited certifier to establish the appropriate pathway. Read the official Passive House explanation, or explore our approach to sustainable extensions.
Our Carbon Footprint
We are committed to keeping our footprint as small as possible. We purchase a GreenPower add-on, operate a paper-free office and reduce unnecessary travel wherever possible.
For travel we cannot reasonably avoid, we support revegetation through Greenfleet.
We continue to learn about reducing operational and embodied emissions through design. Any carbon-neutral claim needs a defined scope and evidence; we do not describe every sustainable project as carbon neutral.
Our Money Where Our Mouth Is
Second only to your home, the average Australian’s largest monetary investment is typically their Superannuation. Many see this as a ‘set and forget’ investment but at Whisker Architecture we believe we have a responsibility to invest it in accordance with our values. Whisker Architecture chooses to invest with Australian Ethical.
Whisker Architecture have chosen to bank with Bank Australia. As Australia's first customer-owned bank and a certified B Corp, they were a logical choice for our business banking.
We Choose
Greenfleet Australia - Carbon Offsetting
Bank Australia - Commercial Banking
Australian Ethical Super - Default Superannuation Fund
The following is a written copy of an architectural manifesto written by Audrey Whisker when she was a master’s student at Melbourne University. This was a very tactile and visual book which has been transcribed here as an interesting look back at the archives to understand the seeds of where we came from as a firm.