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Balaclava Residence by ADDARC
With respect to its heritage legacy, Balaclava Residence fluently expresses the rhetoric of both traditional and streamlined architecture as conceived by ADDARC.
The evolution of Balaclava Residence sees a 1920s bungalow unfurl and expand, allowing modern context to inform a fresh persona. Shaped ultimately by its existing anatomy, the home presents a journey across time, with distinct volumes that are defined by their respective eras. The layout guides residents and guests to venture through and engage with a curated experience of form, detail and light.
Immediately apparent is Balaclava Residence’s commanding presence within its surroundings. The frontage is not shy, with jubilant red brick and a welcoming archway. From decorative roof tiling to a leadlight-embedded bay window, each detail has been thoughtfully preserved to retain the home’s timeless character. Nestled in a Melbourne locality replete with other bungalow-style dwellings, Balaclava Residence maintains its standing among its peers. The neighbourhood’s history is catalogued by brick facades, terracotta gabled roofs and generous front verandahs. These defining elements remain a focal feature of the abode, allowing it to assuredly sit in harmony with its setting.
Solidly anchored, both by its masonry and century-long occupancy of the land, Balaclava Residence presented an ideal foundation for revitalisation. Deriving inspiration from the home’s bones, ADDARC set about crafting a contemporary retreat that would enliven existing attributes and cultivate innovation. Restoration of the facade and original dwelling, along with a modern addition to extend the home’s footprint, contributed to the dwelling’s emergence as a grand adaptation to its owners’ lifestyle.
Of the transformation, architect Rohan Appel explains that orchestrating coherence between old and new began with examining fundamental features. “The existing building and internal ornamentation were catalogued prior to commencement,” he says. “Where possible, the existing building fabric was retained and repurposed to facilitate contemporary family values. Where compromised or lacking structural integrity, it was restored or rebuilt to manage the exacting standards of the client and their aspirations for longevity.”
Potent hallmarks of the original architecture have been restored with meticulous care. Intricate ceiling mouldings have been preserved, with matching period replacements sourced for what wasn’t salvageable. Specially milled architraves and skirtings were custom-made to replicate existing profiles, and each leadlight on the property was carefully salvaged for reuse. By a process of lamination, the texture and beautiful hues of the glass were encapsulated to produce double glazing to match original timber window sashes. In addition, French doors were fabricated with repurposed leadlights as a charming feature. Tuckpointing revived the facade, while red brick was continued within to demarcate the threshold between old and new volumes. “Bringing this brickwork into the new entry provided a way to visually envelop or terminate the existing building,” says Appel.
A consequence of reimagining the embellished heritage home and its minimalist contemporary extension is the ability for each space to be distinctive. “The house provides two arrival experiences,” says Appel. “The first involves ascending gentle steps to the tessellated tiled verandah, passing through an ornate arch and doorway with original leadlight into a wide entry where the scale and generosity imbues a gallery-like quality. “Hanging from the picture rail, below a period cornice, the client’s whimsical art collection adorns the walls. Sculptural furniture objects add to this curated collection. This journey aimed to create a feeling of nostalgia and highlight the strength and character of the existing built form.”
This emotive and exacting approach is realised just as beautifully in the new pavilion. “The second arrival bypasses the existing entry, directing guests across a cobblestone car court to a new external path where feathered edges of paving stitch into pockets of lush planting,” details Appel. “This landscaped pathway leads to a transparent glazed link, which provides a gentle connection between the existing dwelling and the contemporary addition. Delineating public and private, this new entry establishes a logical transition between levels, materials and detailing.”
Within the extension, a theatre of light, shadow and scale is activated by virtue of sweeping glazing that forms a sawtooth roofline. Inspired by Balaclava Residence’s existing gabled profile, the undulating geometry’s “rhythm and grandeur of scale draws parallel to the proportion of the original fabric”, says Appel.
Through these lofty repeating apertures, a view of the verdant garden and pools of light are welcomed inside, lending a sense of serenity and connection to nature. Sunshine passes across the pavilion’s metal cladding, exposed aggregate, polished plaster and warm timbers, spotlighting rich materiality and pared-back styling.
The shifting palette from warm red brick to tranquil grey planes narrates the journey through eras while remaining synergistic. “In much the same way as the period detailing sits harmoniously alongside minimalistic and contemporary joinery, balancing the original warm brickwork with a complementary, albeit muted palette allowed the expressive forms of the new pavilion to be enriched by shadow play rather than competing for dominance.”
Grounded by its “enduring and timeless materials” and enlivened by a melding of period and current details, Balaclava Residence emphatically presents a sanctuary of striking proportion and form. Coalescing the emblems of its defining eras, the home’s legacy has been skilfully renewed, ready for its next chapter.
Architecture and interior design by ADDARC. Build by LBA Construction Group.
