Place, Landscape and Heritage – Glencairn by Trower Falvo Architects

Integrating heritage, landscape and a sense of place, Glencairn aims to bring disparate elements together across a shared site. Trower Falvo Architects creates an offering of balance to the existing heritage form in proposing new living pavilions, funnelling views out and reinforcing connections to the surrounding elements.

As one of the remaining historical homes in Coburg, Glencairn sees the preservation of a heritage bluestone residence, weaving together elements from the past and the contemporary present. Allowing the original form to sit as its own independent expression of time and craft, the modernist-inspired addition is formed under its own arrangement of materiality. Linear planes intersect to create funnelled views and pathways between the old and new, and the built and the natural. The interconnection between volume, light and form coalesce to become an integral part of the brief, ensuring Trower Falvo Architects creates a harmonious co-existence between the home’s architectural elements.

Linear planes intersect to create funnelled views and pathways between the old and new, and the built and the natural.

Originally built in 1910, the bluestone home has been with its most recent owners for the past 30 years. In both wanting to preserve the structure as an important part of history and to ensure a continued relevance, the site was considered holistically, both in reference to its past significance and in the potential to continue an engagement with the landscape. Following a rhythm outlined by the original dwelling, additional blockwork walls are introduced to the site, facing north and taking advantage of access to natural light. The U-shaped formations open to the surrounds whilst also ensuring a sense of privacy and enclosure is created, accommodating a living area in one opening and an open courtyard in the other.

Following the previously established language across the site, the additions are seen as extensions of rudiments already in place. Although the comprising materiality is varied and the detailing reflects a contemporary technology, an intended preservation of the past is evident. The site contains a number of heritage listed trees, which became a celebrated focal point of the landscape design. As an expression of the form, the exterior sees the consistent use of brickwork, painted steel and glass whilst a white palette is used internally. By engaging in a simplified approach to detailing and restraint, the new addition captures a contemporary approach in the same way that the bluestone reflects methodologies of its own time.

By engaging in a simplified approach to detailing and restraint, the new addition captures a contemporary approach in the same way that the bluestone reflects methodologies of its own time.

Through an emphasis on the linear, Glencairn encourages long connections between varying elements on the site. Trower Falvo Architects has crafted a beautifully detailed extension of the original that commemorates and observes place, landscape and heritage.