Claude Street by Setsquare Studio and Moby Architecture & Interiors

Behind an unassuming Victorian facade in Northcote lies a home reborn. A collaboration between Setsquare Studio and Moby Architecture & Interiors, the project uncovers layers of history to reveal a contemporary addition that defies expectations.

Retaining the original double-fronted facade, the addition beyond is designed as a minimalist pavilion that prioritises natural light and access to the garden, increasing engagement with the surrounding landscape. This not only opens up views to a vibrant garden but also establishes a longer perspective of the inner suburban skyline, featuring industrial red brick warehouses and neighbouring rooflines. Driven by a vision of the home as a green retreat, the exterior is simple and pared back. The clean, crisp forms align with the principles of pavilion architecture, while light, bright colours create a backdrop for both the surrounding garden and the interior. Over time, the structure will serve as a framework for the landscape, allowing climbing vines and groundcovers to envelop it.

Instead of comprising bold forms and materials, the internal spaces embrace the established architectural language, serving as a subtle backdrop to daily life.

Oversized sliding doors create a glazed back wall, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces and establishing zones that feel both open and protected. The flexibility allows the home to adapt with the seasons, inviting warmth into the interior while providing shade from the harsh summer sun.

Instead of comprising bold forms and materials, the internal spaces embrace the established architectural language, serving as a subtle backdrop to daily life. Light plays a vital role in the design, reflecting off textured finishes in unexpected ways to create movement in these understated areas, with the aim of showcasing artwork and sculptures collected over years of travel. In the kitchen, the island bench appears to float on legs, designed more like a piece of furniture to enhance the sense of spaciousness. A double-sided bookshelf separates the dining area from the corridor without reaching full height, casting playful shadows on the ceiling throughout the day. Additionally, small details from the heritage structure have been integrated into the new addition, maintaining consistent heights, datums and materials to create a sense of continuity despite the contemporary intervention.

The palette emphasises honest materials, featuring soft natural hues in the joinery, warm timber and highly textured, imperfect finishes that create a calming atmosphere throughout both the existing and new spaces.

The palette emphasises honest materials, featuring soft natural hues in the joinery, warm timber and highly textured, imperfect finishes that create a calming atmosphere throughout both the existing and new spaces. The bathroom is simple yet refined, showcasing a subtle splash of colour in the tiled finishes while maintaining tonal consistency with the timber, all illuminated by light from the skylight above.

Through a successful collaboration, Claude Street exemplifies a thoughtful approach to urban living, resulting in a home that is both private and open. By embracing the surrounding environment and allowing it to influence the living experience, Setsquare Studio and Moby Architecture & Interiors have created a dwelling that is subtle, genuine and connected to its site.

Architecture by Moby Architecture & Interiors. Interior design by Setsquare Studio.