Architect：Davidov Architects

Location：Melbourne, VIC, Australia; | ;

Project Year：2018

Category：Private Houses

A stark monolithic façade disguises a house abundant in natural light. 

The SLD Residence is located on a busy road in inner-Melbourne. Whilst the road is a prominent tree lined boulevard our clients wished to maintain a sense of privacy from the street in both a visual and acoustic sense. 

As such, the presentation of the house to the street takes the form of a pure unadorned mass on the first floor suspended over a recessed lower level. The span of which is interceded by a solitary concrete column, the only relief afforded to the facade. 

This creates a house which possess a presence within the streetscape that is comprised of an eclectic mix of bold mid-century housing and more traditional styles. Of particular interest is the iconic Leslie Perrott designed Troon (1964) which is located diagonally opposite the house and also presents as a sheer double storey wall to the street. 

Mass and depth are utilised in an abstraction and contrast to the faux period houses that are more ubiquitous with local trends and although simple in its execution the house still references notions of the piano nobile on the first-floor master windows which are located at the front of the house and offer views down the tree lined street.