An Expression of Values – Otter Place by Milieu

Otter Place by Milieu – An Expression of Values

With an emphasis on the value of good design and amenity, Milieu’s ambition to cultivate an everyday culture of design has driven collaborations with respected architects and designers, creating place-specific developments that respectfully engage with context. For the latest project, Otter Place, Milieu partnered with Hassell and long-standing collaborator DesignOffice to consolidate and express principles of inner-suburban liveability.

The architecture of Otter Place responds to the suburban vernacular in scale and form, while turning its head to the city. Hassell has shrouded the podium levels in white glazed bricks in a tender reference to Collingwood’s gritty, post-industrial masonry.

Above, a glazed ‘box’ creates a sleek counterbalance that celebrates the site’s neighbourhood outlook and striking CBD views.

Driven by DesignOffice and Hassell’s expertise in human-centred design, the interiors of Otter Place are cleverly planned to optimise natural light, encourage adaptability and craft an atmosphere of joy and comfort.

A foundation of quality materials – including European oak, linished stainless steel, exposed concrete, stained timber, natural stone and granite – is designed for longevity, inviting occupants to layer and personalise their spaces to suit their individual needs.

COLLINGWOOD, VIC, AUSTRALIA

ARCHITECTURE: Hassell
INTERIOR DESIGN: DesignOffice
DEVELOPMENT: Milieu
WORDS: Hayley Curnow
IMAGES COURTESY OF: Milieu

written by : Hayley Curnow
14 Apr 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Gallery of Otter Place Project by Milieu

With an emphasis on the value of good design and amenity, Milieu’s ambition to cultivate an everyday culture of design has driven collaborations with respected architects and designers, creating place-specific developments that respectfully engage with context.

Bassano Residence by Tom Robertson Architects + Simone Haag

Bassano Residence by Tom Robertson Architects + Simone Haag

The project involves the reinvention of two existing cabins to create one single luxury private suite and artist studio. The suite itself has been boldly carved into two halves. The entry side contains a kitchen and breakfast nook, as well as a cozy lounge. The remaining side is more private and features a bedroom and striking ensuite.

The interior concept is intended to invoke a sense of relaxation, grounded in calming textures and tones. The main central steel spine strongly defines the identity of the space, with its refined industrial detailing. In response to the project brief, the interiors provide a private and intimate retreat away from the urban chaos.

Bassano is unique and full of unexpected experiences. In direct contrast with the soft rural exterior architecture, the interior delicately balances bold brutal ideas with delicate detail design. In particular, the featured concrete bath and basin are proudly centered in the space and are theatrically illuminated from above. The concrete texture compliments the travertine flooring and is both robust and permanent.
The innovation of Bassano is evident in the ability to transform the original building fabric into such an iconic space. In particular, the sequence and scale of the individual spaces, and their controlled connectivity to one another. The resulting interior architecture is an experience rich in textured materials and humbled luxury.

RED HILL, AUSTRALIA
Architects: Tom Robertson Architects
Interior Designers: Simone Haag
Area :112 m²
Year :2021
Photographs :Derek Swalwell
Manufacturers : Fisher & Paykel, Simone Haag
Interior Architecture : Tom Robertson Architects
Landscape Design : Blac Design
Furniture : Bieemele
Construction : Bieemele

written by : Hana Abdel
14 Aprl 2022
published in : archdaily.com

Gallery of Bassano Residence by Tom Robertson Architects + Simone Haag

Toorak Residence by ADDARC

A Refined Natural Curation – Toorak Residence by ADDARC

Addarc architects and Jack Merlo closely collaborate to propose a personally expressive home, one that celebrates the surrounding natural elements.

In its removed positioning at the end of a quiet street, Toorak Residence takes inspiration from its surrounds and internally emerges as its own place of respite. As the home of a landscape architect, it was expected that the garden became an important and integral part of the building’s narrative; formed from similar grounding principles, the relationship to the architecture is complementary, seeing the two work to balance one another. Behind the stark and encasing front fence, the upper level of the structure peeks up as an opaque glass and timber box, private in protecting its residents from the street whilst still allowing natural light into the spaces.

Toorak Residence is inspired by a modernist approach, with long and linear forms coming together across the site. Throughout, clear and uninterrupted vistas and sightlines bind the spaces, both hinting at movement and connecting beyond the built walls out into the landscape. There is a masculine edge felt throughout, through the combining of darker timber, steel and stone, which are then softened with layers of rich textures and textiles. An interesting collection of taxidermy, artwork and lighting is dotted amongst the rooms and the garden, further creating a sense of intrigue as one moves through the spaces.

The open and closed areas are balanced by one another, as a shared flexibility connects them. Although generous and connected living spaces flow generously into the next, more intimate spaces allow for retreat and a more passive stance. A sense of refinement and rigor ensures that the materials come together with purpose and fortitude, lasting well beyond their time. Whilst a sense of grandeur is presented from the initial entrance, dark and richly textural materials seem to welcome and warm the experience. The views beyond then bring a sense that the garden exists within the home while, at the same time, presented as its own artful feature.
Inserted as a moment of drama and boldness, ADDARC architects’s Toorak Residence refreshingly combines the contemporary with the natural and is a statement in and of itself.

TOORAK, VIC, AUSTRALIA

PHOTOGRAPHY
Shannon McGrath & Timothy Kaye

STYLING
Swee Design

ARCHITECTURE
ADDARC

INTERIOR DESIGN
ADDARC Architects

BUILD
Lang Construction

WORDS
Bronwyn Marshall

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Jack Merlo

written by : Bronwyn Marshall
11 Apr 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

A Refined Natural Curation – Toorak Residence by ADDARC

In its removed positioning at the end of a quiet street, Toorak Residence takes inspiration from its surrounds and internally emerges as its own place of respite.

Futures Collective presented by Spence & Lyda

The exhibition features work from award-winning local designers Jon Goulder, Broached Commissions, Fiona Lynch Office, and Authentic Design Alliance, alongside acclaimed international designers Álvaro Catalán de Ocón and Lucy Kurrein, and more. Visitors will also find works by Australian digital printmaking artist Sophia Szilagyi, multidisciplinary artist and sculptor Greg Penn, and contemporary landscape artist Eduardo Santos, presented by Melbourne based art gallery Otomys. Taking over the heritage-listed mansion, the exhibition presents a series of unfolding experiences; each space features a curated body of work guided by the Melbourne Design Week theme, Design the World You Want.

In collaboration with Jon Goulder, Fiona Lyda and the Spence & Lyda team launch Innate 2.0 – a collection of furniture crafted from Tasmanian oak and blackwood, finely honed dark stone and black powder coated steel with punctuations of brass. The design language is inherently minimal and elegant, with a distinct lightness achieved through a lean use of materials and desirable proportions. These pieces appear throughout Villa Alba as various iterations of the same concept – a console at the entrance sets the tone for the exhibition; a side table highlights the brilliant circular drawer detail; and a desk anchors the collection.
Broached Commissions presents the second edition of Broached Recall – a collection of tables and monoliths in heritage timber veneers from Elton Group’s archive. Linear and geometric, the intricacies of these pieces are easily perceptible upon interaction; detachable, magnetic handles reveal hidden storage compartments, and interesting timber grains incite curiosity. The richness of these sculptural and functional pieces is amplified against the decorative architecture of Villa Alba. The same room features one of Álvaro Catalán de Ocón’s sustainably made rugs from his collection Plastic Rivers, produced in collaboration with ACdO and GAN Rugs. Hand-tufted and crafted without knots from recycled plastic debris, each rug depicts an aerial image of the planet’s most polluted rivers.

Futures Collective also sees Fiona Lynch Office launch its first capsule collection. Expanding on the studio’s commitment to sustainability, the pieces use raw building materials such as reclaimed timber, hand-worked aluminium, and slumped glass from offcuts, with a custom pigment splattered onto fabric reminiscent of artists’ drop sheets. Comprising low-set tables and stools as well as armchairs and a daybed, this collection is inspired by the office’s work on Ace Hotel in Sydney, and is presented alongside lighting by Volker Haug Studio. Upstairs, Marlo Lyda’s Remnants – a capsule collection of coffee and side tables conceived from stone offcuts and steel frames – is an elegant example of discarded materials with newfound purpose and aesthetic value. And Lucy Kurrein’s Bibendum modular sofa and Compagna lounge chair, which both launched at Milan’s Super Salone 2021, are strong additions.
As a culmination of important and thought-provoking design, Futures Collective is a compelling presentation of local and international work, strengthened by the aesthetic, historical and cultural value of the building in which it sits. Futures Collective will exhibit as part of Melbourne Design Week from March 17 – 26 at Villa Alba Museum in Kew.

KEW, VIC, AUSTRALIA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sean Fennessy

WORDS
Millie Thwaites

written by : Millie Thwaites
7 Apr 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Futures Collective presented by Spence & Lyda

The exhibition features work from award-winning local designers Jon Goulder, Broached Commissions, Fiona Lynch Office, and Authentic Design Alliance, alongside acclaimed international designers Álvaro Catalán de Ocón and Lucy Kurrein, and more.

Viminalus House by Not All Architecture

Viminalus House by Not All Architecture

Whilst the tendency to demolish and rebuild can have its appeal, the retention of an existing dwelling and its appropriate alterations can significantly reduce a structure’s carbon footprint and avoid unnecessary waste.

After a thorough and rigorous process between architect and client, Viminalus House emerges as the considered result of such balancing between old and new.

Based on the idea of maintaining the scale and proportion of the original, parts were selectively retained and replaced as needed, opening up the volumes and connecting both outward and upward.

Not All Architecture focuses on the experience of the home and continues its previous warmth into the new whilst retaining the original footprint.

Engaging with the surrounding landscape and optimising orientation and aspect, the home becomes more passively cooled and comfortable.

Together with Simon Taylor Landscape Design, Viminalus House was built by CJ Henderson Builders and combines a thoroughly investigative examination of the constraints of the site. Originally built in the 1980s, the red brick veneer home is opened up with the addition of upper-level clerestory windows inserted in place, allowing airflow and light to flood the newly formed volumes and escape as needed.

The façade was replaced with operable elements that allow a visual connection to the curated garden setting whilst also ensuring natural light fills the interior.

Integral to the brief was the retention of a sense of self and a connection to context. Located near Torquay in Jan Juc, the coastal home needed to embody ideas of shelter from the elements while also feeling open and casual, flowing between inside and out.

As a coastal home, a low level of maintenance was also crucial; materials and systems were embedded to allow for a level of passivity and lower reliance on outside energy throughout the year.

A warm palette connects back to the home’s original brick origins and encases the interiors, seeing timber mixed with polished concrete flooring and painted plaster elements that create a crisp balance.

Through careful investigation, Viminalus House combines differing eras and styles, reducing the overall environmental impact in the process. Not All Architecture firmly anchors the home with purpose for its coming chapters.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Willem-Dirk du Toit

STYLING
Daisy Eckersley

ARCHITECTURE
Not All Architecture

INTERIOR DESIGN
Daisy Eckersley

BUILD
CJ Henderson Builders

WORDS
Bronwyn Marshall

LANDSCAPE
Simon Taylor Landscape Design

written by : Bronwyn Marshall
4 Apr 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Gallery of Viminalus House Project by Not All Architecture

Terrace House by Austin Maynard Architects

Austin Maynard Architects never viewed this project as a collection of apartments, rather as terrace houses stacked six storeys high. Situated on a long, thin block, there are 20 residences across a mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes, the largest sitting at 130 square metres. Instead of generating an endless maze of tightly packed apartments with little outlook and natural light, the architects emulated the layout of traditional terrace homes. Each dwelling is significant but not excessively so, and all residents enjoy great outlooks, a front verandah, a study and a big shared ‘backyard’ on the roof. These highly sustainable dwellings echo the experience of a terrace house, doing away with the maintenance demands and often poor thermal performance of a heritage building.

The design of the exterior borrows from the characterful façades along Sydney Road as well as the solid Mediterranean history of Brunswick and its neighbouring suburbs, yet it is confidently contemporary. The architects have reinterpreted the heavy masonry arches typical to the area in the light metal mesh with coloured outdoor blinds. Not only does this contribute to the project’s slightly playful identity, but it ensures maximum access to natural light from within. It also acts as a framework for vegetation and greenery to grow upon, softening the street’s form and providing lush surroundings for residents.
This fossil-fuel-free building fills a much-needed gap in the housing market for family homes that offer the sense of community and shared resources of apartment-style living. Difficulties in finding and securing cost-effective yet liveable homes in the inner suburbs are forcing many first-time buyers into the outer suburbs. Terrace House aims to provide its residents with access to economically and socially sustainable housing located in a desirable, bustling and connected pocket of Melbourne.

Austin Maynard Architects has considered what living in a terrace house means, extracted many of those highly appealing elements, and wielded them to drive this design. This is a project that invites intrigue and encourages conversation in its mission to contribute to Brunswick with gusto.

BRUNSWICK, VIC, AUSTRALIA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Derek Swalwell

ARCHITECTURE
Austin Maynard Architects

INTERIOR DESIGN
Austin Maynard Architects

DEVELOPMENT
Austin Maynard Architects

BUILD
Kapitol Group

WORDS
Millie Thwaites

LANDSCAPE
Openwork

written by : Millie Thwaites
3 April 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Terrace House by Austin Maynard Architects

Sorrento Beach House by Pandolfini Architects

Sorrento Beach House by Pandolfini Architects

Text description provided by Pandolfini Architects. Nestled amongst holiday homes on the edge of Port Phillip Bay, the Sorrento Beach House has been conceived with a nostalgia for the simple forms and materials of holiday homes of the past. Composed of five separate pavilions arranged around a central outdoor living space, the house eschews the competition for water views and focuses inwards, placing the theatre of holiday life centre stage.

Designed for a young family with historical ties to the area, a series of private and communal spaces have been created which can be adapted as the family grows. The distributed plan and use of external shutters allow for visual solid connections between the spaces or autonomy as the need arises.

The single level pavilions present an instantly recognisable silhouette, with dispersal across the site allowing for extensive landscaping, ensuring the house sits comfortably in its coastal setting. A reductive palette of weathered timber, bagged brickwork and corrugated roofing reinforces the simple gable roof forms. At the same time, finely detailed glass bridges link the pavilions, accentuating the sense of transition and creating a strong connection with the outdoors.

Design of the landscape was instrumental in the project’s conception, and while the primary focus of the house is the central communal garden, the plan creates a series of discreet outdoor spaces, each with their own audience and program.

Each pavilion maintains a compact footprint that is defined by generous pitched ceilings and cropped openings to curate the views. External materials flow inside where muted tones and textured finishes combine to create a relaxed and serene environment. Within each pavilion are smaller spaces of seclusion and retreat, often concealed behind timber panelled doors and with views to their own private garden.

Shallow floorplates provide for excellent cross ventilation and access to natural light, while the careful siting of the pavilions protect the central space from the coastal winds. Extensive onsite rainwater retention, a large array of solar panels and the use of the external shutters and ceiling fans minimise consumption.

Sorrento Beach House Project Details

SORRENTO, AUSTRALIA

Architects: Pandolfini Architects
Area: 530 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: Rory Gardiner
Manufacturers: Porters Paints, Joe Colombo, Joe Tuckey, MCM House, PET lamp
Landscape: Fiona Brockhoff Design
Construction: CP Beckingsale Constructions
Structural Engineers: OPS Engineers

written by :Hana abdel
31 Mar 2022
published in : archdaily.com

Gallery of Sorrento Beach House by Pandolfini Architects

Tactile and Tonal – Biànca by Richards & Spence

Biànca by Richards & Spence - Tactile and Tonal

The work of Richards and Spence is driven by a desire to elevate the life of inner-city Brisbane. The studio’s design of the greater James Street precinct – comprising the awarded Calile Hotel and a collection of hospitality spaces – is a significant step towards this goal. Occupying a quaint corner tenancy on Ada Lane, Biànca is a welcome addition to James Street – a homage to Italian dining traditions, thoughtfully reinterpreted for its context.

Owners and operators Tyron Simon, Ben Williamson, Frank Li and Italian-born Bianca Marchi (the project’s namesake) have instilled the restaurant with an authentic culinary approach. Pasta and bread are made in-house, while ingredients are sourced locally.

Richards & Spence sought to mirror these authentic qualities in the interior, embracing form and materiality to celebrate and enhance Biànca’s charming, community-minded ethos.

With food designed to share, the 70-patron venue emphasises communal dining set against a broad antipasti kitchen. Diners are invited to delight in the bustling theatre of aperitivo and pizza making, while the open-air frontage draws in Brisbane’s balmy breezes.

Ascending to the upper level, a 36-seat private dining space creates a quiet oasis suspended above Ada Lane, crafting a diverse landscape of dining settings that bring people together.

Perhaps Biànca’s true hallmark is the saturated, terracotta-hued interior, playfully inspired by a set of orange Sabre Paris cutlery. Burnished terracotta tiles drench floors, walls, stairs and benchtops, creating a tactile and nuanced backdrop that speaks to the restaurant’s Italian traditions.

A gridded peach-toned ceiling is contrasted by concrete, plywood and brick accents, creating a harmonic contrast of lightly framed and robust elements. The result is a tonal exploration of peach, terracotta and nude shades that unify Biànca’s interior with a glowing warmth and cheeky sense of personality.

Richards and Spence’s reductive approach balances timelessness and long-term serviceability, applying restraint and design rigour down to the restaurant’s finest details – from handrails to cutlery, monogrammed plates and signature curled graphics.

As a concept restaurant predicated on fun, Biànca honours the buzz of much-loved Italian trattorias brimming with wine, warmth and good company – what’s not to love?

PHOTOGRAPHY: Cieran Murphy
ARCHITECTURE: Richards & Spence
INTERIOR DESIGN: Richards & Spence
BUILD: Lamberts

written by :Hayley Curnow
30 Mar 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Gallery of Biànca Project by Richards and Spence

The work of Richards & Spence is driven by a desire to elevate the life of inner-city Brisbane. The studio’s design of the greater James Street precinct – comprising the awarded Calile Hotel and a collection of hospitality spaces – is a significant step towards this goal. Occupying a quaint corner tenancy on Ada Lane, Biànca is a welcome addition to James Street – a homage to Italian dining traditions, thoughtfully reinterpreted for its context.

Harbord Hotel by Alexander &CO.

A Lasting and Effortless Energy – Harbord Hotel by Alexander and CO.

Alexander &CO. has distilled the laid-back surf culture of Sydney’s northern beaches into the design of the Harbord Hotel. This multi-level venue, in what was a tired art deco building in Freshwater, is as much a nod to the long-term locals and their way of life as it is a contribution to the area’s lasting and effortless energy.

Entering through the restored heritage façade, you’ll find Balsa restaurant to the left and the front bar to your right with event spaces upstairs. Surf shack elegance encapsulates much of this project’s newfound identity. It’s easy and fluid, with an abundance of natural light and the knowing feeling that the ocean isn’t too far away. Exposed spotted gum ceilings, green marble and stone flagged floors under amber lighting give way to a sophisticated yet unstuffy vibe.

Across the way, the front bar is both a space to traverse and pause. It’s lively and connected, with views to the beer garden below and an upbeat energy. With a steady flow of people, the feeling is relaxed, guided by the laid-back aesthetic and lightly layered design.

Each pocket exudes its own charm, creating inviting nooks and open spaces designed for people and conversation. Warm, earthy tones coat the interiors alongside tactile materials such as painted brick, timber and stone, and a mix of contemporary and vintage furniture and lighting adds depth.

Retro-inspired pieces including ceramic wall lights and cork and concrete tables enhance this language. You’ll also spy vintage surfboards and retro surf magazines throughout the space – a personal contribution from the owners that adds familiarity and authenticity.

While a contemporary design approach takes precedence, the character of this magnificent 1950s pre-war pavilion triumphs. Masonry wall detailing and original archways celebrate its history while curved windows and the refurbished original staircase recall the art deco heritage at almost every turn.

Harbord Hotel by Alexander and CO. is an expression of the Freshwater area; a reflection of the community and the easy-going culture that so readily defines it. And the design suggests there’s a spot for everyone – whether you’re still salty from the beach or settling in for an indulgent afternoon against a backdrop of uplifting, coastal textures and tones.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

PHOTOGRAPHY Anson Smart
STYLING Claire Delmar
ARCHITECTURE Alexander &CO.
INTERIOR DESIGN Alexander &CO.
BUILD Constructive Building Projects

written by : Millie Thwaites
16 Mar 2022
published in : thelocalproject.com.au

Gallery of Harbord Hotel Project by Alexander and CO.

Flinders Residence by Abe McCarthy Architects

Flinders Residence by Abe McCarthy Architects

Text description provided by the architects. A study in modern country-style living, manifesting as an enclave of barn-like forms which speak to the land, the earth, and the interplay between texture, light, and space. Gabled roofs and carved openings open out to the landscape from every angle, creating a continuous dialogue of sun and shadow.

The design is premised on creating a romantic evocation of farm-style living, whilst being underpinned by pragmatic and highly resolved episodic space. As the site was at inception open paddock, the design response needed to engage with views in all directions. The building is zoned as three interconnected pavilions to allow light and air, framed views, and discrete spaces that operate as a whole and independently.

The barn forms allow significant opportunity to engage with the landscape in an expansive way at ground-level, then transition to more intimate and cozy experiences on the upper “loft” levels. This allowed the design to employ dramatic double-height spaces whilst maintaining a sense of engaging warmth and homeliness.
In terms of sustainable initiatives, the project employs several key strategies to allow it to perform in an off-grid context:

Biomass boiler fuelling heating and hot water.
Solar array providing base power.
Rainwater storage to fulfill domestic water, irrigation, and fire-fighting reserves.
Substantial thermal mass designed to absorb low summer sun for passive solar heating.
Louvered and operable glazing including operable skylights to allow the building to breathe and cool naturally, or close-off to deal with seasonal extremes.

Our Clients sought a design that captured that feeling of warmth and comfort in Chalet-type projects they have experienced in mountainous regions across the Globe. The interior expression of a timber-lined dwelling imbues the home with this warmth and depth of natural charm.

“The result is incredible as it’s everything we wanted in terms of the way we live in the home, and the warmth and closeness the original brief sought, yet there is a modern architectural edge to the entire home that makes it extraordinary to live in.” JNS – Client.

Our client drew stylistic inspiration from non-contemporary buildings including rural vernacular types of European and American heritage.

Architects: Abe McCarthy Architects
Area: 921 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Shannon McGrath
Manufacturers: AGA, CDK stone, Eco Outdoor, GUBI, Miele, AV-ID & Abe McCarthy Architects, Abelwood, Bruhn Limestone, Colorbond & Lysaght, Leibherr, Sikkens, WOCA Wood Finishing products, Woodsmith
Lead Architect: Abe McCarthy
Landscape Design: Barber
Interior Design: AV-ID, Abe McCarthy Architects
Main Contractor: GStruct Group
Consultants: Don Moore & Associates, KWA Building Permits