Meet Our Victorian Architects
Experienced, approachable, in your home or online.
We want to help you get most out of your project now, to build your investment well, and to make life delightful.
Sarah Hobday-North
FOUNDER OF ARCHITECT GP
Service Area: Melbourne Inner North
I’m a registered architect in Victoria and the founder of Architect GP and Value Architects Group. I am a sessional academic at Monash University and The University of Melbourne, and a qualified high-school teacher.
My strength lies in dialogue. I love to combine my technical expertise with a deep understanding of homeowners’ needs, motivations, and boundaries. Whether I’m discussing solar hot water systems or helping manage a renovation around a neurodivergent child, my approach is always people-first.
Architect GP grew out of a lifetime of both joy and frustration with architecture. The joy comes from watching clients see their ideas take shape during the design process — and again when the finished building genuinely improves their lives. The frustration comes from a profession that has allowed itself to be seen as a luxury service for “expensive” houses. I question that idea and have created a different kind of architectural service — one grounded in approachability, clarity, and effective communication. Architecture is for everyone.
My journey through the profession began by making coffee in my parents’ practice and later managing projects in a multinational design firm in London. Along the way, I realised that architecture, for me, has always been a people-first profession.
Outside of architecture I sing in choirs, am the mother of two wonderful boys, a wife to Stefan, and a daughter to my loving architect parents, Judith and Neville. Through Architect GP, I bring together this mix of professional experience and lived understanding to support people navigating their own design journeys.
Karen Erdos
Service Area: Melbourne South & East
I’m the Principal Architect of Karen Erdos Architecture, a boutique practice focused on creating high-performance, energy-efficient residential projects. I’m passionate about designing spaces that are bright, happy, and healthy, while also feeling warm, inviting, and beautiful to live in.
I’m a hands-on architect and stay closely involved in every detail of my projects. My design approach embraces recycled materials, abundant natural light, and a careful balance between function and form. I’m qualified in Passive House design and have studied one of the world’s most rigorous energy-efficiency standards, applying that knowledge to every project — from modest renovations and alterations through to more complex homes.
I’m a registered architect in both NSW and Victoria and also contribute to architectural education as a tutor at RMIT and UNSW. My career has included collaborations with respected architects such as Renato D’Ettorre and Sam Crawford, with projects recognised by the Australian Institute of Architects.
Outside of practice, I’m a fine artist and a founding board member of Pocket City Farms, a not-for-profit organisation championing urban farming and rooftop agriculture. For me, architecture is an artful blend of sustainability, innovation, and community engagement.
Ketsa Jerome
Service Area : Melbourne North-West
It is important to me that I give my clients a safe, fun space to explore their ideas and turn them into tangible, actionable solutions. My goal is for you to walk away with spaces that are functional, practical, and genuinely bring you joy.
I’ve worked in residential design for the past eight years on projects of varying scale and complexity, including new builds, heritage conservation, renovations, and extensions. I’m particularly skilled at adapting existing spaces so they function beautifully for the way you live.
Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with builders and trades across the North West, along with a solid understanding of local lifestyles, budgets, and housing patterns. This local insight helps me tailor solutions that truly fit. For example, in areas like Essendon and Brunswick, I often work with 40–70 year olds looking to make their forever home more functional. In Ardeer and Kealba, I support first-home buyers aged 25–40 who are renovating in the short term as they move up the property ladder. In Altona and Williamstown, I regularly assist older homeowners renovating established homes to improve functionality.
Outside of work, I play soccer, spend time with family and friends, walk my dog Harry, and enjoy trying new places to eat. I’m also restoring a late-1800s miner’s cottage in Ballarat with my husband, where we will raise our new baby.
Jake Nancarrow
Service Area : Melbourne Outer East, Dandenongs and Yarra Valley
I founded ERA Studio after a decade of experience working with award-winning Melbourne practices. I’m a compassionate and skilled architect with practical, hands-on knowledge of building and trade craft, which strongly informs how I approach design.
Good design must improve improve both comfort and performance. I’m experienced at identifying issues within existing floor plans and concept designs before they turn into issues later. Design work is about answering questions and exploring options that create a clear path forward to a better, healthier home.
I work closely with my clients to ensure their needs are genuinely understood and thoughtfully integrated with passive solar design principles and a high-performing building envelope. Comfort saves energy and money too!
Alongside practice, I teach architecture and construction at the University of Melbourne and enjoy spending time with my young family.
Brad Hooper
Service Area: Regional Victoria, Central-West
I’ve been the go-to architect on the main street of Maldon for….don’t ask! Recently I’ve moved back to where it all started for me in South Melbourne, but I still serve on country in regional Vic.
My focus has always been making architecture accessible to a broader audience. That’s why I got on board with Architect GP. In a profession that can sometimes feel exclusive or luxurious, I make it a priority to ensure my expertise is available to everyone.
I work on everything from small alterations and new builds to providing guidance on heritage overlays and building approvals. I enjoy communicating with clients, sharing stories and practical advice, and making sure everyone fully understands the design process and the choices available to them.
For me, design is always about the client and the context — not glossy photographs or awards. I deliver services in manageable portions tailored to each client’s brief and circumstances, ensuring clarity, progress, and confidence at every stage.