Kassia by Robson Rak

Design studio Robson Rak took a ‘bilingual’ approach in renovating a Victorian home in Melbourne’s south-east, blending the distinct languages of the old and new.

Melbourne’s inner suburbs are filled with history, grand mansions and character-rich cottages that tell the city’s story. But while their charming facades and period details make them perpetually desirable, they can fall short in terms of liveability, with interiors designed for another era. This was the challenge faced by the owners of Kassia, who enlisted design studio Robson Rak to respectfully reinvent their heritage dwelling for modern living.

“It’s unashamedly contemporary,” says Robson of the extension, which features clean lines and angular details that run throughout.

The biggest challenge was overcoming wasted space. The original home was dominated by formal areas – a dining room, living room and office – that were largely ignored. With doors shut and these rooms seldom used, the family instead lived primarily in the home’s 1980s rear extension. “Our brief was to inject new purpose into those spaces and repurpose them for a modern, young family. They wanted every single part of their home to have a function and be used,” says principal architect Kathryn Robson. To balance functionality without losing any of the home’s grandeur, Robson Rak introduced an innovative architectural solution: a ‘pod’ to incorporate an ensuite into what was once the formal dining room. This pod serves as a room within a room and stops short of the four-metre ceilings, leaving the original ornate cornices intact, which remain visible and can still be admired.

The ‘80s extension was demolished to make way for a modern yet sympathetic new construction, which includes ground-level living spaces and a basement garage, rumpus room and gym. The owners wanted the transition between the old and new parts of the home to be clear and celebrated. Entering the extension, visitors step into an atrium-style space, passing through custom double doors with fluted glass panels layered in a cross-hatched pattern. Material differences further highlight the distinction – timber, plaster walls and ornate details in the old, and limestone-tiled walls, polished plaster ceilings and tiled floors in the new. “It’s unashamedly contemporary,” says Robson of the extension, which features clean lines and angular details that run throughout – from the roofline to the splayed benchtop edges and cabinetry profiles.

In essence, the difference between the two parts comes down to a light-loving, outdoors-celebrating Australian aesthetic versus the English aesthetic of the Victorian architecture.

In essence, the difference between the two parts comes down to a light-loving, outdoors-celebrating Australian aesthetic versus the English aesthetic of the Victorian architecture. “These old period homes do not embrace the landscape like we embrace it now,” says principal interior architect Chris Rak. He explains how this shift was achieved with a skillion roof, angled to capture light and offer vast views of the sky, along with broad expanses of glass that open fully to the outdoors.

This connection to the outdoors is a leitmotif throughout the addition. “We tend to incorporate a lot of light wells and atrium gardens within our architectural design. We did all of that with our space planning and worked out where lush green spaces would be seen from within the house,” says Robson. “We worked closely with Nathan [Burkett, landscape architect], who elevated it to the next level and created this amazing pool that’s a big feature from within the living spaces.” The colour scheme further reinforces this connection, with a mostly neutral palette punctuated by bold swathes of green Emerald Haze quartzite from CDK Stone in the kitchen. “There’s always a connection to nature throughout the entire new part of this house,” says Rak.

Architecture, interior design and furniture by Robson Rak. Build by DDB Design. Landscape design by Nathan Burkett Landscape Architecture.