The house is located within the Studley Park precinct, which is renowned for its undulating landforms and proximity to the Yarra River. The streetscape features a dense combination of both exotic and native vegetation and gives the locality such a feeling of tranquillity that it is difficult to perceive its close proximity to Melbourne’s CBD.
We had always admired the modernist style houses seen in the Hollywood Hills and Palm Springs which were geared around open plan living and entertaining with an abundance of natural light. Vibe Design Group’s portfolio embodied the mood and feel we hoped to create.
The architecture of the area is diverse, encompassing classic Edwardian, Victorian, Post-War and Modernist styles, and often an eclectic combination of more than one style in a small area. As a result of steeply sloping sites, many homes span over multiple levels and integrate with the landform to take advantage of the spectacular vistas. Kew’s proximity to the city, natural stunning landscape and sophisticated architecture ultimately enticed the owners to purchase in this locality.
The owners, David & Karine, recall that the subject site offered a real challenge, explaining “The land was barren without the adornment of leafy gum trees or significant vegetation which is so admired and prevalent in the Studley Park area. A deep cover of weed and unmanaged vegetation covered the rear third of the block making it appear much smaller than its generous 694 sqm land size.”
In relation to the style of the house the owners ultimately envisaged for the project, they explain: “We had always admired the modernist style houses seen in the Hollywood Hills and Palm Springs which were geared around open plan living and entertaining with an abundance of natural light”. In their search for a designer they discovered Vibe Design Group. They say that “Vibe Design Group’s portfolio embodied the mood and feel we hoped to create, and we commissioned their services to design a unique residence with the right balance of openness and privacy”. In addition, Vibe Design Group had completed a number of stunning residences in the immediate area, one of which was awarded ‘Design of the Year’ in 2008.
Given the absence of established trees, design inspiration was taken from the surrounding environs and terrain for the specification of materials. Silvertop Ash timber adorns the front façade in a combination of vertical and horizontal applications with battens over to create visual diversity with the one material. Over time the Silvertop Ash will naturally grey and be reminiscent of the surrounding gum trees.
Vibe Design Group’s managing director Michael O’Sullivan explained “We wanted the house to express itself in a new way, adding to the beauty of the landscape with a dynamic composition”.
The form and shape of the front façade took inspiration from the classic modernist style. A veneer wall appears behind the façade’s expansive glass window as if it were a tree trunk piercing the body of the building. With a significant slope from east to west, the middle and upper storeys are given the appearance of being anchored to the high side of the land, before branching out and resting gently on angled legs to the lower western side of the property. Vehicle access is accessed beneath the floating element to the garage cut-in beneath.
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