Tucked away from the Bridport Street shopping precinct, LSH Residence comprises the reinvigoration of a Victorian-era wedge-shaped shop house, as well as the replacement of a tired 1970s extension with a contemporary and sensitive addition.
The original shop house had numerous modifications over the years. Although small in footprint, the building contained 3 separate entries to the street and was riddled with dark and disjointed rooms. The principal strategy entailed the reinvigoration of the plan, including a study, bedrooms and bathrooms, around a central sky-lit stairwell in order to bring light into the depth of the home.
Beyond the shop house, the new addition required a simpler internal program. A generous living and meals area looks onto an intimate landscaped courtyard on the ground floor. Around the corner from the open plan area, the sunken reading nook accompanies a reflective pond, offering a chance for respite and quiet contemplation. An expansive master suite is located on the floor above.
The contemporary addition’s external expression takes cues from the existing shop-house’s architecture. Collectively, the single-hung windows, bluestone plinth and string course inform a new façade of deep reveals and crisp shadow lines. The site’s orientation enables the contemporary addition to face north east, framing views out over the courtyard to the established trees of the streetscape beyond.
The surrounding neighbourhood inspired the project’s richly nuanced material palette. The honesty of the rendered shop-house elevation is paired with the contemporary addition’s off-white natural cement render. Internally, the rendered walls complement an off-form concrete ceiling and raw metalwork. Feature stonework, stack bond oak parquetry flooring and natural oak veneer panels provide a warmth and finer grain detail, linking the home’s heritage rooms with the contemporary spaces.
The brief was to re-work an awkward wedge-shaped 1890s era two storey shop house (originally established as a wine merchant) into a contemporary home.As the property was covered by heritage protection the new works were externally limited to the rear of the site which was occupied by a 1970s era two storey extension. Internally the original rooms were repurposed on the first floor, the original triangular staircase was replaced and a lift added.
Our clients had been living in the home for several years and were able to identify a few fundamental aspects that they needed to address. Being a monumental stone mason, our client was also very interested in the building type and use of materials. This lead to the selection of natural materials, insitu concrete and raw metal finishes such as stainless steel all due to their longevity and durability.
Team:
Architecture & Interior Design: Davidov Architects
Architect: Robert Davidov
Artists: Hannah Nolan, Charlotte Swiden
Photographer: Yaroslav Zagaria
Materials used:
Insitu concrete (exposed for the ground floor ceiling)
Brushed Stainless Steel.
Anodised aluminium doors/windows
Limestone tiles/slabs internally
Granite tiles/slabs externally
Natural Cement Render (over brick/block veneer).
