Openly Connected – Eton by Proske, AFD and Morgan Build
Stripped back to its original charm, Eton is restored and given a generously scaled addition that weaves itself amid the landscape. Proske, AFD and Morgan Build ensure each element has been considered and refined to result in an enduring home that marries the residence’s original character with the contemporary additions.
What was inherited as a worn relic has since been beautifully restored to its original Victorian-era beginnings. Through a contemporary lens, the Malvern residence was expanded to the rear and draws activity to the newly defined living spaces. A more deliberate utilisation of the site also sees the landscape become a key element that brings natural light and ventilation into the home. To link the new and existing portions of the house, two courtyard spaces are inserted, which also provide a balanced relief to the crisply enclosed architecture. One courtyard sits alongside the new kitchen, dining and living space, and the other acts as a sanctuary for the main bedroom suite.
As both the owner and the builder, Zane Morgan, founder of Morgan Build, says, “we acquired a property that might have deterred many due to its complete canopy coverage from aged trees, extensive cracking, and floors and walls that were noticeably uneven.” However, he adds, “with the enlisting of an equally impassioned team, we were able to turn a property that could have easily been demolished into something remarkable,” and retaining connections to the past were key to the continued legacy of the home. Then through the injection of a lightness throughout, Eton becomes an ideal place of recharge for the owners.
With architecture by Proske and interior design by AFD, the home is given a greater purpose and relevancy. Fortunately, the rear faces north, where extensive glazing facilitates a connection with the newly designed garden by Design by Dale, allowing sunlight to drench the interior. While a mostly muted palette of finishes unites the home’s old and new aspects, details in texture and the integration of natural materials in many places deepen the design story. Updating the plasterwork, flooring and the overall building integrity was crucial in extending the structure’s longevity. “To avoid the typical moody concrete tones,” Zane says, an entirely new colour was developed alongside the manufacturer, that also helped to “harmonise well with the white-framed windows and lighter palette (that the client sought),” he adds.
Intended to endure well into the future, Eton acknowledges its history and takes on a similar crafted approach in its new iteration. Proske, AFD and Morgan Build ensure each element was approached with refinement to ensure a resounding timelessness is felt.
