The first step is to submit a project inquiry through our website.

We review the information provided to understand the project type, scope, timeline, and fit. For most residential and commercial projects, the next step is a scoping consultation to clarify the site, goals, complexity, and level of design support required before preparing a proposal.

This structure helps us give thoughtful guidance early and identify important considerations before design decisions become costly or difficult to change.

The earlier, the better.

The ideal time to engage STUDIO309 is when you first begin thinking about a project — before the scope, layout, budget, or design direction has been fully defined. This may be when you are considering a property, planning an addition, preparing for a renovation, exploring a new build, or rethinking how an existing space could better support the people using it.

Early involvement allows S309 to help understand the site, existing conditions, natural light, spatial relationships, project goals, constraints, and human needs before solutions are assumed. This is where biophilic design and environmental psychology can most meaningfully inform the direction of the project — not as an aesthetic layer later on, but as part of how the project is understood from the beginning.

Many clients reach out when they are ready to choose materials, finishes, fixtures, or furnishings. Those decisions matter, but they are most successful when they are guided by earlier thinking: what the space needs to do, how people will move through it, what is creating friction, and which decisions will have the greatest impact on budget, timeline, comfort, and daily use.

The sooner S309 is involved, the more opportunity there is to clarify the right scope, avoid unnecessary work, and make decisions in the right order.

Yes. Depending on the project stage and the decisions that remain open, STUDIO309 may be able to support an active project through a focused consultation, strategic review, broader design engagement, or ongoing advisory services.

If the project is still in the planning or design stage, there may be more opportunity to clarify the scope, review layouts, resolve priorities, and shape the overall design direction. Once construction has begun, support becomes more targeted and must respond to what has already been built, ordered, priced, permitted, or scheduled.

A focused consultation may be appropriate for one specific decision. Several connected concerns may require a strategic consultation, while projects needing continued guidance may be better suited to an advisory engagement.

To help determine the most appropriate next step, share the project’s current stage, location, key concerns, and any decisions that need to be made.

If you are unsure, reach out with a few details about your project and we can help determine the best next step.

Yes.

STUDIO309 offers design consultations for clients who need clarity, direction, or expert guidance without entering a full-service design process.

A consultation may be focused on one specific decision, such as a layout concern, material direction, finish selection, lighting issue, or construction-stage question. It may also be used more strategically to review several connected questions, assess a renovation or commercial space, clarify project direction, or identify risks before construction, purchasing, leasing, or major decisions begin.

For larger or more complex projects, a consultation may also be the first step in understanding scope, priorities, constraints, and the most appropriate next phase of work.

A consultation is not casual advice. It is focused design judgment intended to help you move forward with more clarity.

Yes.

STUDIO309 is based in British Columbia and works with clients beyond the province, including select national and international locations.

Virtual consultations are available for clients in any location. In-person consultations may also be available outside our region when the project scope and budget support travel.

Full-service projects outside British Columbia are considered when the project is aligned with the studio’s approach and the scope, timeline, travel requirements, budget, and coordination needs can properly support the work.

Yes.

We collaborate with architects, builders, contractors, developers, and professional teams when a project would benefit from spatial design thinking, biophilic strategy, environmental psychology, material direction, or advisory support within a larger project framework.

Our role is defined based on the project, team structure, scope, and stage of work. The goal is to add clarity and design intelligence at the right point in the process, while respecting the roles already in place.

Timelines vary depending on project size, site complexity, decision-making, consultant involvement, permitting requirements, contractor availability, and the level of documentation required.

A focused consultation can often happen within a shorter timeframe. Full residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, or wellness projects follow a more structured process, moving from project understanding and spatial strategy into concept design, design development, documentation, and construction support where appropriate.

Once the scope, constraints, and required level of involvement are understood, the timeline becomes clearer. Early planning helps protect the quality of the outcome, support better decision-making, and reduce costly corrections later.

For a closer look at how projects move through the studio, visit our Process page.

Yes!
But only on Projects we have designed.

STUDIO309 does not provide technical drawing packages, permit drawings, construction documentation, or detailed drawing sets for projects we did not design.

If your project requires design development, documentation, or technical coordination, S309 needs to be engaged early enough for the work to move through the appropriate design phases.

Consultations can often be scheduled right away, depending on availability and the type of support needed.

Larger project engagements require more planning before active design work begins. STUDIO309 works through a phased process, beginning with project understanding, scope review, scheduling, and alignment before moving into design. This allows the work to be properly considered, coordinated, and supported alongside the studio’s existing project commitments.

For this reason, full-service projects do not typically begin immediately after an inquiry. The earlier you reach out, the more opportunity there is to confirm fit, understand the scope, plan the appropriate pathway, and reserve space in the studio calendar.

After you submit an inquiry, STUDIO309 will review the details you share, including the type of project, location, current stage, goals, timeline, and the level of support you may need.

From there, we will determine the most appropriate next step. This may be a focused consultation, a strategic consultation, an initial project discussion, or a diagnostic scoping process for larger projects.

If the project appears aligned, we may ask for additional information such as photos, plans, site details, budget context, or key priorities so we can better understand the scope before recommending a pathway.

Submitting an inquiry does not automatically begin a project. It begins the process of understanding fit, scope, timing, and the right level of support.