From the architect:

Park Orchards Place is a family home that embraces its clients’ often vibrant, but sometimes tranquil, social lifestyle.

The living space is central to this home; it is illuminated by a wall of timber-framed windows and sliding doors. These doors connect to a linear deck which steps down into a grassy garden. Inside the living room, a dry-stacked stone fireplace extends through a fluid concrete plinth, bringing warmth to the core.

Sensitive to people and place, this is an architecture that responds to its cultural, historical and climatic context, drawing upon the knowledge of local mid-century modernist designers that have come before.

The active, social space of the house forms a light-filled central core from which the more intimate and tranquil spaces radiate. Meticulously proportioned, the open plan ‘active’ core is designed to feel generous but not cavernous. This north-facing space blends kitchen, dining, living and garden areas.

The living space is bookended in an elemental way. Water (running hands under the island bench tap), looks towards the rugged, stony chimney (warming hands by the fireplace). Adjacent to both, pets and children play barefoot on the soft green grass outside. Free standing joinery and furniture enable direct or meandering movement through the space. Studies, smaller living areas and bedrooms stem from this central living core.

Material selection shapes the ambiance and tactility of this place. Timber mullions, ceiling and wall linings impart a sense of warmth, grounding the structure within its natural context. Stone accents, thoughtfully positioned, created a visual dialogue between the interior and the exterior, blurring the boundaries further.

Oiled concrete flooring, a pragmatic and visceral choice, traverses the entirety of the dwelling, facilitating uninterrupted movement while contributing to the overall spatial cohesiveness. Window mullions subtly infuse rooms with soft horizontal shadows and ever-fluid light, imbuing atmospheric qualities.

Low sheen finishes reduce reflection and concealed lighting is soft on the eyes. Acoustic-absorbing materials, in combination with raked ceilings, create a quiet and comfortable ambience.

The mid-century modern architecture of Melbourne as documented in the book ‘An Unfinished Experiment in Living’ (London, Goad and Hamaan, 2018) served as a gentle influence on the architectural style of the house. Buildings from this time utilise sensitivity and customisation to enhance amenity – high quality, humanistic design that has sometimes been ‘lost in translation’ in contemporary architecture.

Characteristics of the architecture of this era that are reflected in the project, include a mono-pitched roof, a carport instead of garage, split floor levels (with entry stepping down into living room), north-facing window-walls, an enhanced relationship between the building and surrounding garden with full height floor to ceiling windows, as well as, exposed internal ceiling beams.

The success of this project stems from a collaborative partnership between the client, architect and builder. The project team, a collaborative duo comprising an architect and a builder, approached the project with a deep understanding of the clients' unique requirements.

This highly personalized approach facilitated a symbiotic relationship, allowing the architectural vision to spring from (and then enhance) the clients' lifestyle preferences. A rigorous documentation process, marked by meticulous detailing, mitigated conflicts and ensured the creation of a home that is a joy to live in.

In essence, this project encapsulates a dialogue between client desires, architectural quality, and the craft of building. The dwelling integrates experiential and atmospheric qualities, with a sensitivity to people and context, as well as respect for its local mid-century modern predecessors. Offering inhabitants a unique spatial and living experience, the home encompasses an embedded place that will continue to flourish over time and with generations to come.

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