Australian studio Grant Maggs Architects has designed the Maribyrnong House, a three level contemporary home located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Maribyrnong House by Grant Maggs Architects:
“For our firm this commission represents the rare convergence of a beautiful site, an adventurous client and a generous budget.
The response is a dwelling which presents a zinc, and masonry two storey facade to the street. The reverse view from the river shows the zinc cladding peeled away to reveal a glazed curtain wall and protected balconies and terraces offering views up and downstream from each of the three levels.
This project embodies the practice of designing appropriately sized spaces and flexibility of planning, allowing the house to function equally well for a family of four or large gatherings.
The quality and practicality of materials were paramount to this project. The house is designed to be low maintenance through its use of high quality durable materials such as zinc, bluestone, recycled timber, off form concrete, polished concrete and stainless steel.
The design is driven by the available views from the site together with the client’s interest in a polished but livable product.
The design was the result of close collaboration with the client and reflects their fastidious interest in the craft and detail of the house. This is evident in the quality of the execution and elegant resolution of detail.
The client brief was for a large family home to accommodate an active and social lifestyle. The size of the house posed difficulties for the architects who continue to push against the prevailing culture of oversized homes. The outcome is the result of negotiation with the client demonstrating that homes providing high quality, flexible spaces can offer an exciting yet sustainable alternative.”
Photos by: Martin Saunders, James Vlahogiannis of Blackwood Studios