A collision of midcentury and 1990s references is an unexpected pairing, but it’s at the very heart of a new home in Australia, LDS II Residence. Located in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield North, and built on the lands of the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, the residence is the result of two adjacent, existing residential structures being blended into a single, cohesive home for a family of six.
Tour this Australian house, born of two styles
Davidov Architects worked with its long-term clients on the commission's key parameters: ‘The brief was shaped by the rhythms of a large, active household, with a strong emphasis on creating spaces to support informal living and the demands of hosting significant social events,’ says founder and director Robert Davidov.
The project started with two buildings – a midcentury house and a boutique 1990s development comprising two interlocked, single-level apartments. ‘The buildings themselves became our primary source of inspiration,’ says Davidov. ‘We set out to retain as much as possible while bringing cohesion and continuity to the whole. We strengthened the underlying qualities of the midcentury house and carefully reworked the smaller building so that the two could operate as one seamless family home.’
The project became an example of utilising restraint, connection and continuity. Says Davidov, ‘It required a robust conversation with the existing buildings, understanding what should remain, what needed to be removed and where a small number of strategic interventions could have the greatest effect.’
According to Davidov, the greatest challenge was making two buildings from different periods, and their distinct floorplans, feel like a single house. ‘Two new links and a central courtyard became the key interventions. While relatively modest in scale, they reorganise the entire house, allowing the connection between the buildings to feel natural and intentional,’ he tells Wallpaper*.
This central courtyard is a defining element of the new building – creating space for connection. It used to feature a fence that separated two properties. Now it draws in light which filters throughout the home. Says the architect, ‘It expresses the central idea of the project: that a restrained intervention, carefully placed, can redefine the experience of a home.’
Inside, details nod to the home's midcentury heritage. There is an oak portcullis screen, blended pink marble Palladiana floors, and repaired original oak parquetry floors.
The architects designed the space to enhance a sense of arrival and then unfold gradually. ‘The house does not reveal itself immediately; arrival unfolds through a sequence of compressed thresholds, filtered views and moments of release. The experience is calm, grounded and slightly unexpected.’
Adds Davidov, 'Although the house has a generous floor plan and contains many individual spaces, it was important that each room retain an intimate scale and proportion. We wanted the house to feel generous without feeling vast, and composed without becoming formal.’
