09: DESIGN RICHMOND HOUSE
LOCATION RICHMOND, MELBOURNE
The best houses are those that take cues from
the suburbs around them. Such is the case
with this family home, which refl ects all things
Richmond — cultural and historic with a dash
of eccentricity for good measure. Once a 1930s
brick home, architect Tony Vella elevated this
outdated dwelling to a home that would grow
and adapt with the young family that now
resides within. “The house required careful
design consideration when it came to the
clients’ brief, the inherited heritage overlay and
streetscape restrictions,” explains Tony. One
of the challenges lay in dismantling the poorly
built old additions to bring back the original
heritage house before moving forward with
new platforms required by the homeowners
for contemporary living. Roofl ines were used
to highlight the juxtaposition between the
old and the new, playing an important part
in showcasing the creative tension between
architectural styles. A new porch and timber
slat fence “allowed for some cohesion between
the new works and the refurbishment of the old
building, while important period details were
maintained internally and externally”, says Tony.
Architectural Design Rachoff Vella Architecture
(rachcoff vella.com.au)
Builder Markus Builders
Photography Tatjana Plitt10: DESIGN MOUNT LAWLEY HOUSE
LOCATION MOUNT LAWLEY, PERTH
Set on a neglected lot in Mount Lawley — a
trendy inner-Perth suburb — this unique property
demonstrates the true spirit of design. With
only a sparse 180 square metres to work with,
homeowner and architect Simone Robeson
set about fi nding a solution to the problematic
‘off cut’ parcel of land that was triangular in shape.
Informed by the surrounding culture and context
of the space, the new dwelling is a modern,
minimalist residence perfect for the professional
couple who claimed it. Low maintenance and
highly fl exible by design, the home refl ects the
lifestyle of the owners and contains offi ce space
that is deliberately segregated from the living
spaces. The diffi culty of the site forced Simone
to use the land in a resourceful and discerning
matter. “All superfl uous spaces needed to be
removed and effi cient circulation was key,”
she says. This approach allowed more room
to be given to areas that get used the most,
with working spaces at street level and living
spaces above to ensure maximum privacy in the
otherwise public and open location.
Architectural Design Robeson Architects
(robesonarchitects.com.au)
Photography Dion Photography09
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PROJECTS
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