location: Melbourne, Australia | architecture & interior design: Robson Rak Architects and Interior Designers |  photography: Brooke Holm

South Africa and Australia have many things in common – not least of which are climate and sporting prowess – but also an English colonial history and therefore certain similarities in architectural influence. The clement weather on the south-east coast encourages spatial flow, lofty volumes and easy access to the exterior. This pristine Melbourne revamp is a fine example of how best to capitalise on these advantages.

This was an existing 1983 Georgian style residence. The client entertained the idea of building a new home on the site, but decided to give the architectural / design team the challenge of inserting a fresh interior into the existing building. The brief was to correct the faux stylisation of the ‘80s whilst maintaining the restrained essence of the interior architecture and modernising where necessary to create a functional, dynamic home to see the clients well into the future.

Say the designers: ‘Our process involved stripping the building to its core with all finishes being removed including windows, doors and unnecessary stylised features. A new wing added modern amenities, including a three-car garage, laundry, butler’s pantry and lift.

Durable finishes and fixtures sought to create the ultimate entertainers home, which spills from room to room, and outside onto the garden terrace via a 7,5m bank of steel-framed pivot doors. The landscape is a compatible scale and proportion to connect to, and it complements the interior spaces.

For the full article see Habitat #256 November / December 2016