House for a Landscape Designer by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design

Envisioned as a private verdant sanctuary, House for a Landscape Designer by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design embraces the natural surrounds and is a seamless blend of heritage elements and modern functionality.

When Ben Scott, a landscape architect, and his partner, Emily, decided to transform their dilapidated Victorian villa in Melbourne’s Hawthorn into a sanctuary for their growing family, they envisioned a space where architecture and landscape would exist harmoniously. The couple enlisted Matt Gibson Architecture + Design to assist, and the result is one that blurs boundaries between the built form and natural environment while ensuring the primary objective of family and connection remained. The garden becomes a collection of living elements, serving as an extension of the home itself.

The couple enlisted Matt Gibson Architecture + Design to assist, and the result is one that blurs boundaries between the built form and natural environment while ensuring the primary objective of family and connection remained.

Although on a limited budget, instilling a feeling of immersion and disconnection from the streetscape became an important undercurrent, leading to the creation of moments of intimacy and privacy. The architectural strategy was both elegant and pragmatic. By positioning a new east-west wing along the southern boundary, the architects maximised solar exposure and shielded the interior spaces from the prying eyes of adjacent buildings. This extension not only carved out the additional family space needed but also established a direct connection to a secluded laneway, with delineated access to a rear garage and a dedicated play area. The lush and layered approach to the landscape then blurs the lines between the home, landscape and neighbouring foliage.

The exterior of the home is intentionally understated, darkened to recede into the landscape. Black-painted fences contrast the vibrant greens of the garden, a point of visual interest from both the street and within the home. Considering the interplay between light, space and nature, every architectural element serves to enhance the experience of the garden and its connection to the interior. Virginia creeper drapes gracefully over a dark-painted pergola form and works with an off-form chimney to instil a rustic charm. The use of black glass surfaces adds depth, creating a continuity between interior and exterior, while metalwork provides the framework for further greenery to blur the lines of the structure.

Although on a limited budget, instilling a feeling of immersion and disconnection from the streetscape became an important undercurrent, leading to the creation of moments of intimacy and privacy.

Celebrating contrast, House for a Landscape Designer sees Matt Gibson Architecture + Design unleash the potential of the site, transforming it into a unique and immersive destination. Ben Scott Landscape Garden weaves the landscape into the experience of the home while retaining its existing character.

Architecture and interior design by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design. Build by Hawthorn Projects. Landscape design by Ben Scott Garden Design. Landscape construction by Greener Visions Landscapes. Engineering by Clive Steele Partners.