Connecting Old and New – Draper’s Hall by Proske Architects

Responding to the temperate climate of the Adelaide Hills locale, Draper’s Hall was expanded and reimagined to suitably align with its context. Proske Architects and interior designers CVL Studio conjure a home that connects the old with the new through refinement and thoughtful gestures.

As a new addition to an existing estate, Draper’s Hall is expanded and realigned better suit its generous site. Located in the Adelaide Hills overlooking the urban sprawl below, the original home was built in 1974 and was oriented to capture the abounding views to the south as a main priority, with all other elements radiating from this central focus. As a contemporary reimagining, the new works see a close collaboration between Proske Architects, CVL Studio and a passionate client, to ensure the resulting abode responds to the site, orienting openings to maximise passive climate control and access to natural light and ventilation. While the emphasis is on the performance of the addition from a sustainability perspective, the focus on maintaining previous access to established aspects and views also drove a number of resulting design principles.

Through the expression of materiality and use of matched finishes, the new captures the essence of the old, while also referencing the nods to handmade and crafted elements.

Built by Traegermunt, Draper’s Hall embraces the established gardens it is immersed within, celebrating the narrative of the previous site and its heritage. Through the expression of materiality and use of matched finishes, the new captures the essence of the old, while also referencing the nods to handmade and crafted elements from its past. Natural stone, terrazzo, mosaic tiles, brass and timber are used as the main comprising features and are reinterpreted in a crisply contemporary manner to imbed a time-wearing resonance. The resulting volumes of the new act as an addition to the original, matching it in detail and refinement but not in competition of grandeur.

With long-spanning vistas reaching out toward the Mount Lofty Ranges, Draper’s Hall takes form as its own pavilion that embraces its north and south-facing aspects and conjures a comfortable and responsive abode. The space repurposes stone reclaimed from existing elements on site, while imbedding a new life and offering a connection across the eras. While tonally and through proportion the new addresses and connects to the old, there is a distinct and defining difference between the two, connecting them to their differing time and shared place. From a formal perspective, a clean and linear approach connects the form and its interior spaces, where honest and textured materials emphasise spatial volumes and create a calm and restorative series of spaces.

With long-spanning vistas reaching out toward the Mount Lofty Ranges, Draper’s Hall takes form as its own pavilion that embraces its north and south-facing aspects and conjures a comfortable and responsive abode.

Proske Architects together with CVL Studio have created Draper’s Hall as a meaningful address of its past through a paying of respect to its beginnings. The resulting new design offers a balance to old, and together a deep connection to place is embedded.