Innovative Solutions – Bentleigh East Townhouses by Studio Martin

Designed to feel bespoke, Bentleigh East Townhouses mark a creative break from the other dual-occupancy residences of south-east Melbourne. Studio Martin injects ingenuity with a deft touch into a project expertly refined to meet the requirements of its locality and budget.

Bentleigh East Townhouses consists of two three-bedroom dwellings of north-facing frontage. Studio Martin put the limited construction budget to good use, crafting homes that will accommodate a range of individual tastes and lifestyles so that prospective buyers may easily envision inhabiting the property. Balancing this need for flexibility, the client’s desire to use one of the houses as their own place of residence sees focus set on character and liveability, establishing

Externally, the Bentleigh East Townhouses express an artistic response to the challenges of their build.

Externally, the Bentleigh East Townhouses express an architectural response to the challenges of their build. Tackling the issue of cost effectiveness, Studio Martin presents the homes as twins with the same rectilinear structure, with the first floor set back from the ground floor volume. While the adjoining homes are twins, they are non-identical, with the height difference between the volumes together creating an asymmetrical composition that is visually dynamic, naturally shifting the eye from one home to the other. This façade also illustrates how Studio Martin has fulfilled the client’s wish for two expansive double garages whilst adhering to council regulations, which preclude opaque garage doors from overcrowding the street front. The solution sees a moment of inspired design, as custom perforated panels blend smoothly into the surrounding Barestone, providing a stylish and understated answer to the transparency required.

Studio Martin shifts focus away from the garage doors, complying with the council’s stipulation of an unimposing street front. Instead, the eye is drawn towards the primary suites by extending the panelling to the top floor, breaking up the solid mass of the buildings and emphasising their verticality. In comparison to the flat, grey surface of the ground floor exterior, the fine timber panels and recessed structure of the first-floor command attention, both painted in a matte black. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer glimpses of a serene room within. Upon approach, the experience of the home transforms. As a large metal canopy – upheld by a steel column – gives way to birch plywood doors of a regular scale, an initial feeling of grandeur compresses into the comforting sense of being cocooned, hinting at the restful nature of the interior.

The inside of the Bentleigh East Townhouses speaks to a comfortable way of living.

The inside of Bentleigh East Townhouses speaks to a comfortable way of living. Studio Martin pays close attention to orientation, using skylights and well-positioned windows to ensure that, despite the homes’ north-facing frontage and consequent south-facing backyard, light spills into each townhouse and reaches the main living area at the back of the site. On the ground floor, a series of open-plan spaces create an effortless means of moving through the home whilst the staircase – a stark-white feature with a sawtooth profile – acts as bold focal point, endowing the house with character. Alongside the kitchen and living area, the ground floor contains a study nook and concealed pantry.

Studio Martin takes a considered approach to the interiors, opting for a muted and natural material palette that will enable the future occupier to introduce colour through their own furnishings. Whilst the main bedroom suite exudes contemporary elegance, with its lightweight fabrics, statement furniture and a dresser which leads to the ensuite, the room is constructed from cost-effective materials and the décor chosen with the budget in mind. The bathroom sees the classic colour-combination of black and white modernised, with homogenous white tile laid in a grid pattern and accented by features such as a black ceiling. The result is as clean, textural and attractive as the remainder of the home.

Facing a speculative project, Studio Martin produces an adaptable and inventive design that has the needs of the future occupier at its core.