Tag Archives: Victoria

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos

Design Tours: A Courtyard Home, Victoria, Australia

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The Local Project (March 26, 2024) – Located in Box Hill, Victoria, Naples Street House is a tiny brick home. One of the owners is a keen dancer and consequently, the home sets the scene for a harmonious performance with rooms and outward connections to the landscape.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Tiny Brick Home 00:32 – The Location and The Brief 01:29 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:52 – Creating A Sanctuary 03:45 – The Conceptualisation Process 04:10 – A Focus on the Kitchen 05:17 – The Material Palette 05:59 – Exciting Aspects

The house tour illustrates how this tiny brick home occupies a small footprint on its site, embracing an intimate relationship with the landscape. In a suburb where interwar-era houses are slowly disappearing, the home, which sits alongside narrow townhouses, provides the street with an unconventional visual intervention – an outcome driven by the clients’ aspirations. For architect Kim Bridgland, director of Edition Office, this tiny brick home offers sanctuary. “The house is located within a dense suburban street and is designed to focus inwards, around an inner courtyard garden room,” he explains.

The courtyard house typology stemmed from the brief for a multigenerational home. Exploring the type of design, decor and floor plan suitable for such occupancy led the team to a design that separates the home’s spaces in a way that allows them to remain visually connected through an inner garden room yet hidden from public sight, as depicted in the house tour. An axial hallway connects sightlines from the front entry to the rear garden and splits the living areas from the bedrooms and bathrooms while leading to a north-facing living, kitchen and dining space. Further into the dwelling is the central garden room and a secluded lounge with fully glazed walls that open to the landscape.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos

Architecture: Peninsula House, Victoria, Australia

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The Local Project (December 26, 2023) – Nestled into the landscape of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and overlooking the ocean, Peninsula House by Carr is a hidden coastal home that inspires a sense of awe and immersion, all thanks to the encompassing landscape.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Hidden Coastal Home 01:34 – A Two Part Brief 02:28 – Experiencing The Layout of the Home 03:20 – An Expanding Floor Plan 04:12 – The Simplified Yet Rural Material Palette 05:39 – Seasonal Changes Influencing Feelings

Peninsula House has a dual purpose: to serve as a space for showcasing the client’s art collection and to become a home that would be both cosy for two occupants and able to welcome visiting guests and family with ease. Considering the placement of the hidden coastal home, with the site exposed to the challenging weather patterns of the Bass Strait, the architecture and intimate interior design were significantly influenced by the prevailing climate conditions. “We wanted to create cosy spaces that feel protected so inhabitants could retreat,” says Lucy Cuthbertson, Associate at Carr and project architect for Peninsula House.

To shield itself from powerful winds, the house nestles into the landscape, strategically incorporating outdoor spaces positioned to receive protection from the elements. Access to the hidden coastal home is through an undulating carriageway, guiding visitors to a picturesque courtyard. Continuing through a long hallway, one encounters a glass wall that frames breathtaking views of the natural surrounds. Peninsula House features a central spine that serves as an art gallery and a formal axis for the house. The public entry is through the art gallery, and this dual access is important for maintaining privacy and facilitating movement.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Mid-Century Modern: Merricks House Tour

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The Local Project (October 6, 2023) – Merricks House is a mid-century modern home that presents a bold response to a rural site in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula – a coastal, countryside oasis.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Mid-Century Modern House 00:45 – The Perks of Building Your Own Home 01:29 – A Rural Area 01:53 – A Simple Family Focused Brief 02:30 – A Walkthrough of the Home and the Elements 03:32 – Bringing the Outside In 04:04 – Compromising on Light 05:04 – Simple and Well-Thought Out Details 05:47 – Caring for the Landscape 06:39 – A Successful Outcome

Sitting on the edge of a forest, Aktis Architects works alongside the challenges presented by the site and a linear arrangement of spaces, creating an equally robust yet elegant farm home that connects and contrasts the quintessential Australian landscape it sits within. Built for the Director of Lexicon Constructions, the brief called for a mid-century modern family house that was linear in form and worked to encapsulate a strong sense of togetherness.

Approaching the mid-century modern home, one is met with a modest elevation composed of two raking roofs, each perched above a masonry box. A gravel driveway meanders through dense planting to arrive at a porte cochère lined with vertical timber cladding. The house tour reveals a linear arrangement of spaces inside, so the need for circulation areas and corridors is redundant. The concrete frame structure is defined by a geometric architecture, whilst circular windows contrast the geometry of the home and add a sense of playfulness.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Architecture: A Concrete Home Tour In Melbourne

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The Local Project (September 26, 2023) – Narrow sites and smaller residences tend to provide architects with an opportunity – one that inspires creativity and innovation. This is true of Concrete Curtain, an architect’s own home in inner-city Melbourne, where FGR Architects evocatively draws on materiality and natural light, imbuing the architecture of the family home with a sense of elegance and spaciousness.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Architect’s Own Home 01:29 – Designed for a Growing Family 01:39 – A Walkthrough of the Home 03:13 – Playful Additions 03:49 – The Use of Stone Throughout the Home 05:27 – The Calming Materials 05:46 – Proud Moments

Upon entering the architect’s own home, one is met with a garage that is flanked by an ensuite, study and laundry. The house tour then leads into the central foyer area – a core part of the dwelling that allows light to enter from the east and west. The lower part of the residence contains the kitchen, living and dining area that then naturally flows out towards the al fresco dining area.

The spiral staircase leads to the second level, which is split into two segments. On the northern side is the master suite, and on the southern end is the childrens’ bedrooms. This floor also features a playful, blue carpet, which adds vibrancy to the upstairs level. Perhaps the most prominent feature of the architect’s own home is the concrete curtain, which reveals FGR Architects’s intention to illuminate areas with natural light.

Wanting to create a sense of space, the architect leveraged the idea of a sheer curtain to allow for both privacy and openness. As such, the concrete ‘cylinders’ are spaced out in a way that emulates the fold of a curtain. The result is a remarkable feature with a gentle, pleated style that softens the residence and lets light pass through seamlessly. The interior design and materiality of the architect’s own home is vital to its overall effect.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Australia Design: Winter Creek House In Victoria

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The Local Project (September 22, 2023) – In a nuanced response to landscape, Winter Creek is a modern house in a hidden forest – a seamless reflection of the expansive farm in which the home resides.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Modern House 00:52 – The Location of the Home 01:11 – The Design Approach 01:44 – Rewarding Aspects of the Design 02:00 – History of the Land 02:25 – Format of the Home 02:45 – A Clean and Modern Design 03:28 – Creating A Mood with Materials 03:50 – The Laminex Process 04:08 – Favourite Aspects

SOS Architects draws on modernist design principles combined with subdued interiors by Studio Tom to create a dwelling that is clean, modern and considered so that it doesn’t compete with the site but, instead, harmonises with it. Located in Trentham, Victoria, Winter Creek is a single-storey, contemporary home that nestles into the site. SOS Architects deeply considered the placement of the house to ensure it both complemented and responded to the site.

The architectural approach used for the modern house in a hidden forest was grounded in a contemporary, sleek design. The form of Winter Creek consists of two distinct volumes – a floating roof that connects to the landscape, which encompasses the main living zones, and the ‘flat box’ section that is more private and introspective, housing the bedrooms and bathrooms. A key feature of the design is also the transparency of the dwelling. At many intersections, one can see through the house, further connecting the home to the landscape.

The interior design approach was very much an extension of the architectural design, with Studio Tom collaborating with SOS Architects to create a modern house in a hidden forest that feels seamless and cohesive. The palette is subdued, dominated by charcoal, neutral and grey tones, and furnishings are minimalist and refined. These choices mean the interior continues the theme of blending into the misty, grey, wintery scenes typical of the landscape beyond. Continuing the seamless aesthetic that defines this modern house in a hidden forest, the AbsoluteMatte range from Laminex was used throughout the interior.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Australian Architecture: Somers Beach House Tour

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The Local Project (August 11, 2023) – Following a brief that required a family beach house that was not only comfortable for two but could house visiting family members, Wellard Architects has delivered a house that flows over two levels. Located on the beachfront, Somers Beach House is formed from a holistic design approach that offers the owners a sense of oasis living.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to The Perfect Beach House 00:25 – Location of the House 00:42 – Brief for the Architect 01:17 – Walkthrough of the Home 02:20 – The Staircase 02:52 – Natural Elements of the House 03:23 – Material Palette 04:23 – Shadow Play in the House 04:54 – Holistic Design Approach

Connecting the house tour over the stacked living forms is the linking external staircase, which allows the two primary users to live independently, or shut down one half of the house when not in use. Furthermore, Somers Beach House is finished with an easy garden path that leads directly down to the sheltered rear yard by Fiona Brockhoff Design and then out further towards the beach.

Upon arrival to Somers Beach House, the house tour begins on the upper level, which contains the primary living, kitchen and dining zones, along with the main bedroom and bathroom. Centred around an established banksia tree, the lap pool allows for the owners to swim out and take in the surrounding views. Moreover, the linking staircase that connects the two levels also allows for easy access straight out to the beach and back through home without leaving sand in the internal spaces of the modern beachfront home.

To complement the home, the existing boatshed that was built in the 1950s was rebuilt and remodeled to the same footprint and dimensions of the original structure. Serving as a miniature version of the main home, the boatshed is filled with minimal furniture and gives the owners a space to find respite as they look over the ocean. As the house is located on the steepest part of the site, the architect has designed the home to cantilever at the southern end to both take advantage of views and connect to the landscape.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Design Tour: Bass Coast Farmhouse In Australia

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The Local Project (June 9, 2023) – Positioned on a piece of land with rich history, Bass Coast Farmhouse by Wardle overlooks an expansive coastline that reaches out to Bass Strait. Inside the ultimate farm house, where an internal courtyard is hidden, the home offers its owners thoughtful connections to their natural surrounds.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro to the Ultimate Farm House 00:37 – The Original Idea 00:57 – The Second Primary Strategy 01:03 – Revegetation of Indigenous Planting 01:36 – A Walkthrough of the Farm House 02:51 – The Two Living Zones 03:24 – The Integration of Primal Activities 04:00 – Illumination Throughout the Home 04:17 – The Materials Used 04:55 – Neutral Palettes and Other Aspects 06:13 – The Intimate Requirements of a Home

Throughout the reformation of the old farm, the architect has worked with a deep sensibility to rehabilitate the home, as well as the land on which it sits, by both re-using materials and employing new environmentally kind ones. When tasked with Bass Coast Farmhouse, Wardle began the process of rejuvenating the home by reducing its plan down to three simple elements – a steel roof, timber walls and a single chimney.

This idea naturally flowed into the the ide of designing the home to not only sit upon the land but to interact with it. Upon arrival, Bass Coast Farmhouse appears almost cartoon-like with its rectangular form and minimal materials. Surrounding the home is a rolling garden. Designed by Jo Henry Landscape Design, each plant has been finished with plastic containers that will nurture the growth of the indigenous plantings until they reach maturity. Furthermore, the home’s form has been designed to sway with the typography of the land.

Previously cleared as farmland, the entire 300 acres have also been reworked to encourage and inspire the growth of vegetation around the home and across the entire site. The single front door opens to welcome the owners and guests inside the ultimate farm house, where Wardle has placed a mud, boot and cloak room at the entrance of the home.

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Travel: An Aerial Tour Of Victoria, Australia (2023)

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STREAMSTAR VIDEOS (May 10, 2023) – Victoria is a state in southeast Australia. It encompasses mountains, national parks, wineries and surfing beaches. Melbourne, the state capital, has a warren of 19th-century ‘laneways’, and a central arts precinct. The Great Ocean Road follows the coast west to Port Campbell National Park, where the Twelve Apostles are limestone stacks on the edge of the ocean.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Melbourne Architecture: A Tour Of ‘Somers House’

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The Local Project – (March 17, 2023) – Located on the Mornington Peninsula, Somers House is a dream home that enjoys close proximity to the beach and the native coastal landscape. Crafted by Kennedy Nolan, the house presents both sustainability and accessibility as a design priority, embodying the concept of a coastal retreat and playing into the experience of the unique Australian biome.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Coastal Retreat 00:37 – The Importance of Accessibility and Sustainability 01:12 – A Weather Responsive Home 01:34 – A Private and Hidden Retreat 01:59 – Abstract and Composed Facade 02:24 – Easy and Hidden Accessibility 02:58 – Amanda Oliver – Long-Term Collaborator 03:38 – The Details and Materials 04:10 – Proud Moments

Responding to its beachfront location, Somers House provides residents with a sense of protection from the strong, salty winds, creating opportunities for them to comfortably watch changing weather roll in from multiple vistas. The design brief detailed a dream home in which architecture and interior design work in unison to embrace the changing seasons, welcoming in the warm weather and sealing off from the cold.

Externally, Somers House engages the imagination of onlookers whilst revealing little of the true nature of its interiority. A large, shallow arch forms a cave into which cars can be parked and the abstract architecture of the dream home enhances the sense of privacy afforded to its residents. The red ochre colour of the exterior is intended to reference the colours of the earth and both grounds the home and allows it stand out among the colours of the surrounding flora.

A house tour of the dream home instantly reveals the ways in which accessibility has been considered. Wheelchair access is ensured across all three levels and the bathrooms are especially designed in order to establish maximum levels of comfort. Sliding doors allow residents access to the fresh coastal air and draw the sound of the sea into the home. Precise detailing solidifies the status of Somers House as a dream home.

The presentation of each fireplace is refined and sophisticated, reflecting the client’s interest in craftmanship. A sustainable material palette of concrete, steel, timber, stone and brass allows for a multi-faceted tactile experience to take place across the home. Representing the complete realisation of an idea, Somers House forms a compelling response to its beachfront location. An accessible coastal retreat, the dream home is a testament to the ability of Kennedy Nolan to be led by both client and site.

Home Design, Homes, Tourism, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

Tiny Home Tourism: Stella The Stargazer, The Bay Of Islands Near Melbourne

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Visit Melbourne (March 9, 2023) – Step outside the city and spend a night or two with Stella the Stargazer, Victoria’s newest limited-edition off-grid accommodation experience.

Stella is a uniquely Victorian tiny home, paying homage to the Aussie shed, crafted with repurposed timber and steel salvaged from a historical farming shed.

Stella is fitted with everything a hotel guest needs, and nothing they don’t. She’s all about quality over quantity, exuding authenticity and craftsmanship not before seen in a tiny home. With a focus on low environmental impact, the materials provide an aesthetic which is sustainable and distinctively Victorian.

Guests will truly be able to get back to nature and embrace the elements during their stay – enjoying a bespoke roll-out sleeping platform for stargazing.

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