Text description provided by the architects. Brickface is a compact building situated at the rear of an existing house in Richmond, Melbourne.

It consists of a garage at ground level, studio living/guest bedroom at first floor, and a roof deck.

A new pool and entertaining deck extends the home’s entertaining area, while the roof terrace becomes the missing productive garden.

The main living area of the existing house faces south and opens up onto the new terrace and pool. The backdrop to this view is the rising high wall of Brickface.

The red brick is interspersed with contrasting red and blue glazed bricks from the PGH Vibrant range (Rhapsody and Watermelon) to introduce light & shadow, pattern and colour.

The round windows of the building and the sculptural form of the parapet combine with the character of the recycled brick to soften the solid block. Brickface sits hard up to the laneway on two sides in a corner position.

The building terminates a row of garage doors and newer outbuildings that tumble down the hill. Built from recycled bricks, the structure is a solid and secure bookend, that presents a character that looks to have existed well before the other buildings along the lane.