An adaptive family home in celebrates its locale’s legacy while extending a hand to the future.
Melbourne’s oldest colonial suburb , belonging to the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, is home to some of the oldest architecture in Victoria – most of it still intact or rehabilitated. were well acquainted with the area and its architectural significance before converting this heritage-listed terrace house. Their brief: an authentic and responsive edition to the original building – one that was both respectful of its past and representative of the family that lived there.
The open living space features the Jord sofa and .
The chosen palette for the kitchen integrates concrete, Nero Marquina marble, dark-stained timber veneer and Blackbutt timber flooring. and appliances were also selected, along with the .
The Location
Flanking , and the , Fitzroy has long been an integral part of Melbourne and its culture. Formed in the mid-1800s, its buildings and streets are reminiscent of the city’s bygone days, when the first tram tracks were laid on Brunswick and Smith Street. Many of the houses built during this period are today considered architecturally significant and heritage protected; Fitzroy Bridge House being one of them.
The Intent
As opposed to attaching an addition to the existing house (a typical heritage conversion approach), elected to design a series of semi-isolated pavilions spaced out by courtyards. This dynamic approach to the architecture, whereby three two-storey buildings are placed along a narrow site, prioritises the objectives of light, movement and airflow.
Douglas fir timber flooring imparts a light, organic feel to the dining space. Furniture selections include the Shima dining table in Douglas fir and (custom upholstered). Pendant by and artwork by Richard Dunlop. A steel staircase powder-coated in stands as a bespoke sculptural element.
Matching the home’s street-facing exterior, the formal living room is painted in Dulux ‘Dark Door’. Continuing the theme of rich, dark tones, the space features a pair of storm-blue and a striped Gervasoni Inout 44 side table. Objet d’art including feature on the back wall. Artwork by Euan Macleod.
A mirrored wall makes the basement-level wine cellar appear more elongated.
The , and in one of the bedrooms.
The Bridge
In keeping with the dynamic experience of the site, Matt Gibson Architecture & Design invite occupants to travel between the two main buildings via a glass-floored bridge. The gaps between the bridge’s timber trusses reveal a beautifully landscaped courtyard below, with zen-like design features inspired by the owner’s Asian heritage. To the right of this courtyard lies a corridor lined by glass sliding doors and timber beams, honing the theme of .
Connection to the Past
Being situated in a heritage overlay, one of the conditions of the conversion was preserving the street-facing facade. Matt Gibson Architecture & Design chose to restore it in a deep navy blue and paint the door a vibrant green, signalling to onlookers that the house has entered a new era. The rear ‘studio’ building backs onto a laneway; the white bricks were salvaged from the original and reused to ensure a natural progression from the old.
The in the study.
A hidden powder room features a custom concrete and brass basin. The walls are clad in Blackbutt venee,r and a custom pendant by hangs from the ceiling.
A courtyard designed by reflects the owner’s Asian heritage, creating a tranquil indoor-outdoor playground of sorts in the heart of Fitzroy.
A courtyard designed by reflects the owner’s Asian heritage, creating a tranquil indoor-outdoor playground of sorts in the heart of Fitzroy.
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