POWELL STREET HOUSE || This Home Artfully Guides an Interplay of Light and Shadow, Old and New
Powell Street House in South Yarra offers a quiet space where one can enjoy the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day.
The front of the home, which is blanketed in lush greenery and made with rustic red brick, tells a very different story than the modern, steel-clad posterior of the home, a new addition to the existing duplex structure.
A rustic red-brick exterior and lush greenery blanket the home from the outside
Originally built in the 1930s, the building had two floors, one residence on each floor, with separate entrances. Robert Simeoni Architects was tasked with combining the two homes into one space. The existing home had a quiet interior and muted light, and the team retained these characteristics of the home with the updates but gives natural light more freedom to play and explore in the new extension with new textures and layers. Attached to the rear of the home, the additional volume uses new materials to differentiate from the old building, using steel window frames and cladding.
The ground floor was transformed into a study and sitting area, and the kitchen plus dining area were moved into the new extension at the back of the home. A short corridor where stacks of reading material are piled high transitions from the old to the new.
Stacks of books in what appears to be an extensive collection piled high in the corridor contrasts against the sleek mysterious interior.
The windows and door, made of a combination of clear and opaque materials, allow soothing light to seep through and cast changing shadows throughout the day.
Whereas the existing residence is dimly lit with muted natural light, the windows and door along one side of the kitchen use a combination of clear and opaque glazing to curate views and allow natural light to seep in. Even before stepping into the space, you could see it is a bright spot in the home.
The door faces the backyard, and when it is closed, a soft, soothing glow washes over the flooring and floating kitchen counter. With the door open, an abundance of natural light would flood the dining area and bringing in a breath of fresh air. The homeowners can change the mood of the space in an instant by simply throwing open the door to the garden.
The kitchen island is perceived as solid and voluminous, yet is designed to appear suspended as if floating in above the ground - a unique ironic detail that grabs your attention.
Soothing shadows cast on the walls and ceiling volume. Art is strategically positioned away from the light both to establish asymmetry and extend the longevity of the artwork.
Instead of creating more living space from the extensions with a second-floor, the architects chose to feature a double-height ceiling in the ground-floor addition, with a carefully placed high-level window, where light can find its way into the home and reflect off of the walls to trade the direct glare of sunlight to a muted reflection.
We adore the interplay of light and shadow against the different textures and materials.
Robert Simeoni Architects has masterfully designed a modern update this South Yarra residence. The design stays true to the many characteristics of the 1930s home, especially in the way how the lighting is expertly toned down in the addition on the ground floor. The material selection utilizing a darker palette and voluminous materials also play a role in downplaying the harshness of bright sunlight. These considered details collectively ensure that the transition between the old and new space is a pleasant experience.
Soft beams of light create unique impermanent shapes and forms dancing on the walls, offering a different experience of the space throughout the day.
The bathrooms were designed with materials evocative of the 1930s era in which the house was built.
The interiors of Powell Street House is exactly what you wouldn’t expect, which makes it all the more intriguing.
PROJECT DETAILS
Project size: 190 m2
Site size: 234 m2
Completion date: 2018
Building levels: 2
Architects: Robert Simeoni Architects
Photography: Derek Swalwell