Park Street Residence, South Yarra

The Park Street Residence is a house that creates a narrative revealing a layered history. More than just a reconstruction, the design uncovers a new life for the traditional Victorian house, creating a distinguished home for three generations of inhabitants.

Neither a replica of the past nor a total elimination of the original character, the house has been reimagined to create its own language that embraces the legacy of time in a renvisioned way. The façade, traditionally painted, is uncovered to expose the original ornate concrete and brick work. Through the process of restoration, patching is clearly evident adding to the character of the building.

The interiors are characterised by a clean-lined ornamentation, referencing the grandiose qualities of the previous house. Many of the surfaces are treated with an upgraded materials, including floor to ceiling bookshelves, wood panelling, grooved panelling on ceilings as well as tile and marble in the kitchen and bathrooms. Customised details, such as coved cornices and a reduced version of skirtings and architraves, give the renewed interiors a sense of history. Honest materiality and quality craftsmanship contribute to telling a story of the past whilst supporting the modern purpose.

Photography Peter Clarke