Tag Archives: Australia

Architecture, Design, Homes, Stories, Tours, Videos, Views

Australian Architecture: ‘Fitzroy Bridge House’

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A modern house, Fitzroy Bridge House is a work of collaboration led by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design. Featuring a glass bridge – from which the project receives its name – the home emerges as a considered and personal dwelling that celebrates its older architectural elements.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:20 – The Name Behind Fitzroy Bridge House 00:57 – South Fitzroy Heritage Precinct 01:36 – Moving Through the Home 01:53 – Dissolution of Interior and Exterior 02:16 – The Bridge 02:40 – The Rear Retreat 03:14 – Involvement of the Clients and Their Non-Negotiables 03:57 – Key Sustainable Moves 04:51 – The Cellar

Located in the southern Fitzroy heritage precinct, Fitzroy Bridge House sits an enviable two kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. The residence occupies a long, thin site and is comprised of distinct pavilions, encapsulating both the pre-existing architecture and the work of the modern house.

As Fitzroy Bridge House is situated in a heritage overlay, the exterior of the home could not be altered in relation to the front two rooms. Entering the home, residents move through the Victorian-style environments before reaching the rear architecture of the modern house that features a refined internal courtyard settled into the dining room interior design.

Connecting two pavilions, the glass bridge forms the focal point of the modern house. The bold feature provides a view down to the manicured garden in the Japanese-inspired courtyard – a fine work of landscape architecture requested by the client and executed by Robyn Barlow. A product of collaboration, Fitzroy Bridge House is closely connected to the client. Warm, inviting and personal, the modern house expresses its own built narrative, enabling the client to retell the story of its creation for years to come.

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Australian Architecture: A Tiny Home In Adelaide

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A sculptural tiny house enveloped by the garden, Plaster Fun House represents a light-hearted shift from the residential norm. Designed by Sans-Arc Studio, the extension of the tiny house sees the old and new united in a home defined by curves. Located in Torrensville, a western suburb of Adelaide, Plaster Fun House takes inspiration from its cultural surroundings.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:14 – Introduction to Plaster Fun House 00:50 – An Interesting Brief 01:15 – Integrating Old and New 01:41 – A Backyard Oasis 02:00 – Curves in all the Right Places 02:28 – Taking Inspiration from Migrant Housing 03:00 – Colour Splashing Throughout 03:50 – A Display of the Clients Personalities 04:32 – Interacting with the Surrounding Environment 05:45 – Subscribe to The Local Project’s Print Publication

Though, a house tour reveals that the primary architectural aspects of the tiny house contrast the immediate built landscape, testifying instead to an art deco style. Sans-Arc Studio introduces curves into the architecture, interior design and particularly the custom joinery of the tiny house.

As well as injecting a playful character into the home, the curves enable effortless movement through the compact space. Responding to the clients’ request for terrazzo to be used wherever possible, Sans-Arc Studio employs terrazzo benchtops. Stepping down into the extension of the home, the terrazzo material of the kitchen island benchtop unites the old and new aspects of the dwelling, a staggering from kitchen bench to dining surface marks the threshold between new and existing.

Across the façade of the tiny house, natural light plays across the stucco wall treatment; a crafted ode to the Mediterranean-inspired housing of the surrounds. The resulting home is peaceful, artistic and unique, providing the clients with a new and inviting extension.

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Design: Hidden Garden House, Sydney, Australia

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Imbued with a sense of tranquillity, Hidden Garden House is a minimalist residence with a restrained materiality. Designed by TRIAS in collaboration with the clients, the home emerges as a peaceful ode to simplicity.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:15 – Introduction to Hidden Garden House 00:40 – The Surrounding Neighbourhood 01:01 – A Walkthrough of the House 01:43 – Views from the Upper Level 01:54 – The Hidden Garden 02:13 – The Creative Clients 02:35 – Hand Made House Features from the Client 03:09 – Warmth Through Material Selections 04:17 – Taking Pride in the Project 05:09 – The Architects Favourite Features 05:38 – Subscribe to The Local Project’s Print Publication

Located in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst, Hidden Garden House celebrates small living on the fringe of the CBD. A house tour of the property elucidates its floor plan. Entering the home, the living room leads to an elevated dining room, which in turn flows to the kitchen space. The kitchen wraps around a courtyard garden and upstairs, the bedroom and bathroom are separated by blocks of joinery. As one of the occupants of Hidden Garden House is a ceramicist, their influence is apparent throughout the home. Terracotta floor tiles line the kitchen whilst white tiles in the lightwell bounce sunlight into the home. Brass hardware and elegant furniture also testify to the quality of the client’s work. TRIAS uses natural materials to establish a sense of warmth in Hidden Garden House. Bagged brickwork proposes a feeling of tactility, while timber floors and joinery visually soften the interior. Smaller details such as pendant lights and brass finishes speak endearingly to the idea of careful consideration. Refined and minimal, Hidden Garden House stands as a timeless residence; a ceramicist’s own home. Working closely with the clients and embracing their unique contributions, TRIAS translates a joint vision into an architectural success.

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Home Design: Crane Lodge In Palm Beach, Australia

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A luxury getaway home settled on a unique site, Crane Lodge immerses visitors in its natural context. Designed by Secret Gardens, the landscape architecture of the home enhances the sensory experience of the outdoors.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Crane Lodge as an Experience 00:44 – The Client’s Vision 01:05 – The Garden and The Setting 01:58 – Lodged Unusually High 02:21 – The Inclusion of Amenities 02:37 – The Team Involved 03:04 – Major Site Components 03:34 – A Strong Connection to The Outdoors 03:49 – A Natural Watering Hole 04:28 – Sympathetic Materials and Beautiful Features

Located in the Sydney suburb of Palm Beach, Crane Lodge sits on an elevated site. The design brief for the landscape of the luxury getaway home centred on creating a sense of arrival whilst allowing access to the house across the terrain. Employing an inclinator, Secret Gardens instils the arrival process with a sense of anticipation and discovery.

Many endangered species of plant are championed in the landscape design of the luxury getaway home and are designed to appear slightly unkempt. Secret Gardens also includes indigenous plants for cooking and educational purposes. A smattering of boulders surrounds the luxury getaway home, contributing to the impressive character of its external environment.

Secret Gardens purposefully positions the swimming pool adjacent to boulders, creating the impression that the amenity emerged naturally. The materials chosen for the landscape architecture of Crane Lodge express a sympathetic approach to nature. As a result, the luxury getaway home entirely embraces its context, with a landscape design that captures the essence of a bushwalk experience.

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Australian Architecture: Rose Park House, Adelaide

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Rose Park House is a luxury house designed to create a journey of discovery. Carefully crafted by studio gram, the robust residence represents a legacy project for the clients; a home to last a lifetime and house generations to come.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project Print Publication 00:16 – Introduction to Rose Park House 00:40 – A Legacy Project 01:06 – The History of The Queen Anne Villa 01:29 – Materials and Architecture That Leave a Legacy 02:26 – A Wine Room for the Ages 03:02 – Key Components of The Extension 03:40 – Practical and Fully Accessible 04:14 – Longevity & Long Lasting Relationships 04:53

Sitting at the fringe of the Adelaide Park Lands, Rose Park House is the final architectural project to be initiated by the clients. The design brief for the luxury house entailed a structure that could stand the test of time and was a reimagination of the existing residence which was originally built in the 1900s.

Studio gram selects durable materials for Rose Park House. Dark-toned limestone and American walnut speak to a sense of longevity and visually contrast the bright natural light that fills the internal spaces. An investigation of the pre-existing home revealed architecture comprised of off-form concrete. The modern extension of the luxury house continues the materiality of the original dwelling.

Rose Park House is also designed with a focus on accessibility. Accessible ramps, flush thresholds and wide apertures are featured in consideration of occupants who use wheelchairs. Smoothly integrated into the overall scheme, the features demonstrate that in a luxury house, form and function are not necessarily conceived as competing interests.

As a luxury house, Rose Park House is imbued with a feeling that is almost ineffable; a feeling of permeating goodness and rightful being. Achieving longevity and timelessness, studio gram crafts a luxury house with a growing legacy.

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Home Renovations: May House, Malvern, Australia

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When an architect designs a house with consideration and care, dwellings such as May House emerge. Taking a playful approach to colour and materiality, Neil Architecture reimagines a 1980s home as a relaxed, modern family residence.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the House 00:45 – Complementary Design 01:01 – Exterior Renovations 02:03 – 1980s Materiality 03:12 – Landscape Architecture 04:09 – A House Made for Entertaining 04:42 – Timeliness Rejuvenation 05:17 – Subscribe to The Local Project’s Print Publication

When an architect designs a house, the design brief can often stipulate a complete renovation. However, Neil Architecture recognised the value of the original 1980s construction – settled into the leafy suburb of Malvern – and decided instead to complement the home with architectural additions.

To maintain the strong and simple form of the original structure, Neil Architecture covers the pre-existing truss with a perforated screen. Off-form concrete is used to create the carport, whilst a roughcast concrete render is applied to the fence – in doing so, the architect designs a house that interacts with the local built environment. As an architect designs a house, the intent can be expressed through the finer details of the scheme.

In May House, rusty red and green tones appear in the material palette, paying homage to the colours present in 1980s interior design. May House sees a 1980s residence both celebrated and reimagined, embraced and rejuvenated. Managing the external architecture and interior detail, the architect designs a house that is imbued with a sense of warmth and continuity; a house for the future that is inspired by the past.

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Modern Architecture: Rose Bay Duet In Sydney

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Harmoniously engaged with its constituent parts and context, Rose Bay Duet is a residential work by Stafford Architecture. Utilizing the interior comforts of Poliform Australia, the two modern homes propose a lifestyle of relaxed family living.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Modern Homes 00:55 – The Client Brief 01:27 – Using Poliform Throughout the Home 03:13 – Materiality 04:40 – The Roof Terrace 05:06 – The Master Bedroom Area 05:35 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of

Named in reference to the Sydney Opera House, Rose Bay Duet is similarly settled on the eastern side of the city. Comprised of two modern homes, the project pays homage to the idea of lyrical, architectural narrative – in particular, the project celebrates the operatic relationship between the two modern homes, the sloping site, the Opera House and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Appointing a specific design team to each of the two modern homes, Stafford Architecture creates dual unique outcomes that share select character qualities. Whilst both houses maximise the incredible views available and feature an exterior of simple materiality, one house has feminine characteristics while the other projects a more masculine impression.

Collaborating with Poliform Australia, Stafford Architecture enjoyed a smooth creative process. With access to the entire Poliform range, seeing both modern homes benefit from elegant joinery, textures, finishes and soft furnishings. Rose Bay Duet is a well-considered and intuitive feat of interior design and architecture. Stafford Architecture applies the Poliform Australia collection with enthusiasm and intent, crafting modern homes that rejoice in a sense of connection.

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Design Tour: Queens Park House In Sydney, Australia

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Queens Park House is an architect’s own minimalist oasis. Designed by Kyra Thomas Architects, the calming suburban home strongly contrasts its previous iteration as a storage warehouse.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the Architect’s Own Home 00:49 – Warehouse Conversion 01:23 – The Brief 02:41 – Green Spaces 03:05 – Lighting 03:31 – Materiality 04:15 – The Architect’s Favourite Room 04:43 – The Finished Project 05:06 – Subscribe to The Local Project’s Print Publication

Located in Sydney, Queens Park House was originally a storage warehouse with brick walls built to the boundary of its site. Converting the commercial property into an architect’s own minimalist oasis required opening up the building and rewriting its internal character.

Structurally, turning the warehouse into an architect’s own minimalist oasis involved removing the pre-existing roof and inserting walls into the interior of the building. The brick boundary walls are retained, enabling a sense of privacy within the suburban setting and paying homage to the history of the building. As an architect’s own minimalist oasis, Queens Park House embraces natural light and fresh air.

Four courtyards punctate the spatial plan, creating green space for different aspects of the house to relate to, as well as facilitating internal lighting and ventilation. Responding to the residential needs of the client, Queens Park House stands as an architect’s own minimalist oasis. Custom and considered, the home testifies to the skill of Kyra Thomas Architects in transforming a commercial space.

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Architecture: La Casa Rosa, Randwick, Australia

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A modern house designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects, La Casa Rosa is the romantic reimagination of a heritage property. Combining architecture from the late 19th century with contemporary additions, the renovated home forms a considered and contemporary home.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the Modern House 00:58 – Entering the House 01:57 – Maintaining the Existing Home 02:53 – Utilising Fluid Lines 03:25 – The Pool 04:18 – Selecting the House Colour 05:02 – What the Architect is Most Proud Of 05:41 – The Local Project Print Publication Subscription

Settled on an escarpment overlooking the Pacific Ocean, La Casa Rosa is accompanied by many other Victorian buildings. The steep roof of the modern house testifies to its roots, obviously referring to the architecture of its time. In materiality, La Casa Rosa pays homage to its past. Bricks, timber and sandstone reference the palette of the built surrounds, whilst some of the original roof tiles are used to make a tile screen.

To the rear, the tile screen breaks the western sun, but is also used in connected the original and modern roof structures. Entering through the front of the modern house, the small, original rooms are immediately revealed as the children’s bedrooms. The back of the modern house represents the contemporary addition. An open-plan living space encapsulates the kitchen, dining and sitting area, with a staircase that leads to the first floor.

Outdoors, Luigi Rosselli Architects also retains the pre-existing pool, a peanut-shaped feature that complements the landscaping concept. Incorporating the fluid lines that have become synonymous with the work of Luigi Rosselli Architects, La Casa Rosa is undoubtedly a modern house. However, the completed project sees historic architectural elements subtly blended with the latest features, establishing a cohesive dwelling that proudly represents its past.

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Australia Architecture: House Bondi Beach Tour

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House Bondi Beach accurately represents an original design by Carla Middleton Architecture. Inside a home featuring saw-toothed geometry, the interior design is effortlessly unique, incorporating the challenges of distinct, angular architecture.

Video timeline: 00:00 – A Private Retreat in the City 00:21 – Introduction to the Home 00:44 – Entering the Home 01:11 – Bringing the Vision to Life 01:54 – The Concept 02:39 – Creating a Happy Space 03:08 – External Finishes 03:54 – European Oak in the Home 04:14 – Bathroom Tiles 04:34 – What the Architect is Most Proud of

Constructed by M&G Building, House Bondi Beach is a modern suburban home. The design emerges from a rigorous analysis of the brief, which detailed the clients’ desired experience for inside a home, focusing on work, entertainment and retreat.

The design of House Bondi Beach was influenced by its gently sloping site. The bedroom, bathroom and living room – key amenities inside a home – are placed in a specific layout, defined by the act of stepping down into the rear of the property. Stairs delineate the more private areas of the family home. Carla Middleton Architecture manages the interior experience inside a home by using carefully chosen furniture and comforting materials.

In House Bondi Beach, a natural materiality creates the relaxing environment associated within a coastal setting. European oak features in the floor, timber staircase and refined balustrades, forming a point of material consistency throughout the home. To enter House Bondi Beach is to venture inside a home that is conceptually pure. Thoroughly expressing the vision of Carla Middleton Architecture, the residence is a rare feat of residential design.