Seacombe Grove Residence, Brighton

The property at Seacombe Grove was positioned with a continuous green space surrounding the building rather than just a front or back garden. Surrounded on all sides with fencing, the interior spaces use floor to ceiling glazing to create picturesque planted views, bringing the outdoors in.

Located in a beach-side suburb, on a corner site, the house shies away from the main road. The dark stained fence integrated into exterior of the building forms a fortified boundary, walling out the noise and busy-ness of traffic.

Once inside, the house reveals itself in stark contrast. It’s bright and open, with natural light streaming into an eight-metre void greeting the entrance. The house is home to an object designer, hence, the vivid whiteness of the interior becomes a gallery to be filled with intricate objects. An internal garden below the glass-lined steel staircase introduces an intensely landscaped garden beyond, walled in by the boundary fence.

Essentially, the house is a box over a glass pavilion. While downstairs’ skin is light and open, the upstairs is clothed in bluestone panels and appears to be windowless from the street. Deep-set windows behind planter boxes create privacy whilst allowing floor-to ceiling windows to the upstairs room.