St Kilda Residence
ST KILDA RESIDENCE
Addarc
ARCHITECTS
Addarc
RAMMED EARTH CONTRACTOR
Olnee Constructions
CONTRACTOR
Lba Constructinon
PHOTOGRAPHS
Timothy Kaye
AREA
395 m²
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Melbourne, Australia
CATEGORY
Houses, Sustainability
English description provided by the architects.
Located on a prominent north-facing corner allotment, with frontage to a primary road with tramlines and a quiet cul-de-sac, this inner southeastern site required a considered balance between creating street presence and scale commensurate with its position, whilst also establishing internal amenity and privacy for its occupants.
Conceptually, the house is ordered around a series of enclosed or framed courtyards, each offering aspect and internal amenity.
Solidity and mass are carefully balanced against light and connection to the landscape.
A subliminal rhythm created by an overarching grid in the rammed earth structure is reflected through directional changes in timber flooring, articulation of joinery panelling, and textural and format changes to the stone flooring.
The brief called for a house designed for two, albeit with ample entertaining and living spaces capable of accommodating the extended family for weekly dinners and festivities.
It needed to address the site exposure, accommodate aging in place, and be flexible enough should they, or a new owner, wish to modify the layout in the future.
Key to the program was an open plan living, dining, and kitchen area with an adjacent study, which could double as a music conservatory. A separate, more intimate sitting room for watching TV or somewhere for the grandkids to play.
A master bedroom, with aspect and connection, albeit separate enough that one could be resting whilst the other is playing the piano without conflict.
One further bedroom for guests, bathroom, and ancillary BOH areas. Finally, a communal vegetable garden and fruit orchard shared with their immediate neighbours.
The resulting house plan envelopes a central courtyard, which provides secluded POS and encourages controlled view lines from all internal vantage points.
Strategically located built form gestures and landscape insertions limit and direct the aspect to enhance the feeling of seclusion and private oasis.
Robust and enduring materials are incorporated throughout, with rammed earth being the focal element. Depth and richness are created through texture and the play of light.
The natural colour palette is enhanced with pale, earthy tones and subtle format and directional changes, which enrich a minimalist aesthetic.
Internally, refined and highly detailed objects are sleeved into the organic rammed-earth walls, creating a strong juxtaposition. Inherent formwork alignments, often hidden or forgotten, set the datum for joinery throughout.
Upfront detailing, coordination, and prototyping with the builder, engineer, and rammed earth contractor allowed successful integration of minimalistic detailing in an unforgiving material.
The spaces and materiality are enlivened by the movement of light, where natural imperfections in the rammed earth become celebrated.
External operable venetians further enhance this play of light, allowing occupants to control both lighting conditions, privacy, and heat gains.
Optimising thermal performance, adopting sustainable construction methodologies, and taking advantage of current and emerging technologies, in combination with passive design measures [orientation, shading, overhangs, cross-flow ventilation, daylight penetration] were fundamental principles employed to reduce overall consumption.
