Efficient Longevity – Argo Street by Megowan Architectural

Through a careful navigation of its limiting allotment, Argo Street emerges as an efficient and carefully programmed home that openly engages with its surrounds. Megowan Architectural combines a refined and highly detailed restraint to compose a home of lasting appeal, embedding a sense of longevity and continued relevance in the process.

Neatly inserted amongst an animated and diverse urban fabric in South Yarra, Argo Street becomes an interplay of form and light, carefully weaving its program amongst a contemporary landscape. Flanked on either side by heritage homes, the modern addition sits crisply in contrast to its neighbours, while also taking into account a modesty in proportion and scale. Narrowly accessed, each comprising element had to be carefully placed, with openings having deliberate connections to ensure a sense of privacy and enclosure for the residents while still allowing natural light and air to penetrate. Presenting as a restrained and monochromatic home, Megowan Architectural extends similar sensibilities internally.

A consistent sense of flow and calm is felt through each of the spaces internally, as an extension of the initial approach from the street.

Built by Kabsav Projects and with landscape by John Patrick Landscape, the home occupies a compressed 214 square metre site and incorporates a less-than-desired south-facing rear yard. In response to this suboptimal orientation, a north-east facing courtyard is created in the centre of the home, arranging the spaces around this as a key living and breathing element. The opening becomes the hero of the home and enables light to be brought down deep into the lower level, which would have been difficult to achieve from any of the outer edges due to its close proximity of neighbours. Throughout, four different outdoor dedicated rooms have been integrated into the planning to ensure a consistent access to landscape, air and light – the courtyard, front garden, rear garden and roof deck.

A consistent sense of flow and calm is felt through each of the spaces internally, as an extension of the initial approach from the street. A combination of a restrained palette and clean, minimal detailing ensures a continuous and linear approach, interrupted only by smooth and curved details. The selection of muted timber, laid in a herringbone pattern, further connects to the crafted focus of the home, while tiles, render, curved stone and painted plasterboard all sit in harmony with one another. Two curved stairs add another sculpted feature, hinting at vertical movement, while also inserting a nuanced gesture in the process.

The selection of muted timber, laid in a herringbone pattern, further connects to the crafted focus of the home, while tiles, render, curved stone and painted plasterboard all sit in harmony with one another.

Elevating the expected and familiar residential home, Argo Street forms as a considered resolve of linear and refined details. Megowan Architectural has cleverly traversed an otherwise troublesome series of site conditions to create a crisp, innovative home.