The Houses Awards have just revealed the shortlisted entries for 2018. We are thrilled to have the James Street Residence and the St Vincents Place Residence included in this year’s shortlist. Both projects have been selected in two categories – House Alteration & Addition over 200m2 and Heritage. The winners will be announced at an event in July.

Elevated three levels above Albert Park, the rooftop terrace at the St Vincents Place Residence overlooks views to the Melbourne city skyline. Tucked inconspicuously onto the roof is a feature spa, custom designed in bluestone. The initial drawings for the design were deceptively simple, but the execution proved to be more than a little challenging. The spa itself was constructed off-site and craned onto the roof. Complex curves were carved from solid pieces of stone in order to create the continuous form in bluestone. The steps leading into the spa are formed by three overlapping cylinders of solid bluestone. The spa is positioned to make use of the city views and is surrounded by a landscaped terrace with a BBQ and refrigerator to create a self-contained entertainment area.

We would like to introduce our latest project we are currently designing in Sydney. We have been producing projects in Sydney for more than 15 years and it’s an area we always enjoy working in. The city’s topology and climate encourages different conversations and ultimately requires a distinctive architectural response. The design for the Balgowlah Heights Residence has now moved from a concept stage to a defined plan and form. It has been a pleasure developing the ideas for the project with our clients who are enthusiastic and open to new ideas and willing to push the boundaries to create their family home. The proposed design is a series of stepped terraces that traverse the steeply sloping site and opens directly onto the foreshore of Reef Bay.

We are delighted to share completed images of the James Street Residence which is a family home perched on a hill in Richmond. The building is made from two distinct parts – a restoration of the existing home which revitalises one of the first examples of a kit home in Australia and a modern extension as a distinct point of difference. Together the two create a cross section through architectural history along James Street. Each component creates its own distinct vernacular.

Vogue Living’s Melbourne Editor, Annemarie Kiely referred to the custom-designed patchwork leather bedhead as “deserving of Abba’s Agnetha Faltskog, circa the 1970’s”. Her observations are in line with the original design intent, which is a reference to the patchwork style clothing popular in the 70’s. The idea was sparked on a routine visit to the Arthur G factory, when our Design Director, Broderick Ely came across the mountains of leather off-cuts. He was naturally inclined to imagine the opportunities to design upholstered furniture that could make use of this resource.

The Australian Interior Design Awards have recently announced their list of shortlisted projects for 2018. We are honoured to have the St Vincents Place Residence included in the running for the “Residential Design” category. We are especially excited because this is our first-ever project to be shortlisted in the Australian Interior Design Awards program! See more of the interiors imagery from the St Vincents Place Residence.

The St Vincents Place Residence is featured in the February 2018 issue of Interior Design Magazine Homes. The publication is on stands throughout the United States.

The Mermaid Beach Residence is a new family home positioned along a surf beach in Queensland. Working with clients with an appreciation of concrete, the building was designed primarily of exposed concrete internally, as well as externally, with the addition of timber shutters on the external windows to protect against the sun and weather conditions. The new renderings show the building’s design which positions the entry along the side of the building, opening into the “heart” of the house, with immediate views of the pool and graduated views to the beach.

In wanting the furnishings to add something new, we sometimes look for something with interesting, inherent qualities that can lead to a piece that has a strong narrative of its own. The Elm Slab Table is one such creation. The piece was not so much a design to be drawn and then built but a process between the material itself and a series of slow interventions by talented tradesmen to bring the idea to life. Through that process, the table itself is an exploration of that particular tree and a celebration of the craft required to fashion that story into a dining table. It is a substantial and essential component that sits comfortably within the context of the room and provides a meaningful point to gather around.

You may be familiar with the architecture for the Armadale Residence but you may not be aware that B.E Architecture has also completed the interior design for the new home. We like to approach each architectural project as an individual response to our clients, and as we extend into the interiors that is an even more important consideration. Within the lightly coloured granite structure, the interiors of the Armadale Residence have an unmistakable sense of fun which comes directly from the clients’ personalities.