In Praise of Shadows – Hutchinson Street by Kim Kneipp and ARKit
As a re-sculpting of an existing and established Victorian-era home, Hutchinson Street is expanded both upward and outward to ensure a continued relevance. Kim Kneipp and ARKit combine to propose a warm family home with nods to the familiar.
Whilst the path most travelled is good for some, it is not necessarily good for all. Defying the traditional contemporary approach to lighten and open volumes, Hutchinson Street instead defines its own path and looks inward. Inspired by the wabi-sabi Japanese design philosophy, the home chooses to express the creation of shadows over an expanse of incoming light, creating moodier moments and places to retreat. The expansion of the existing Victorian-era home is made possible via a prefabricated approach; as an expression of their eras, the old is crafted by hand on site, ornate and highly detailed, whilst the new is made in a factory and brought to site complete. Fusing these two approaches together, to ensure a flow and sense of connection, comes down to a shared philosophy of engagement with light.
Hutchinson Street is situated in Brunswick East amid an array of heritage homes; key to the brief was retaining this element whilst expanding the overall volume of the home. Tracking the sun’s movements throughout the day, Kim Kneipp and ARKit created a soft engagement with light. Reinforcing of an idea of enclosure, light was considered in detail – how and where it enters the interior and how the finishes and surfaces receive the light.
The addition is spread over two levels, opening the ground floor to create a shared living, kitchen, study and dining space. Upstairs, a dedicated master suite takes over the entire level, with an accompanying robe and ensuite. By electing to construct the addition in a prefabricated environment, the overall build time was reduced, as was waste and a reduction in transport to and from site. This shared consciousness is carried through into the sustainable systems and the select materiality of the home. Recycled timber flooring, cladding, battens and doors are used throughout, whilst solar systems and battery retain the energy captured and hydronic heating ensures that sense of warmth is felt beyond the home’s aesthetic.
Warm and textural, Hutchinson Street becomes an immersive escape from the outside world. In bringing together a lushly curated landscape with darker features and controlled incoming light, the home feels both protective and transportive.
