A Treetop Haven – Levo’s House by Clinton Murray Architects

Set on a triangular block in Hawthorn, in Melbourne’s east, Levo’s House by Clinton Murray Architects takes a step away from the norm and creates an overt and angular treetop haven.

From the street, Levo’s House stretches along like a narrative playing out on site. A grand gum tree accents the verge in front of the dynamic spaces behind. Bold blocks of concrete thread the structure together, with movement between ground layers and a perforated frame. With a direct line of sight between the kitchen and the street, the home embraces a conspicuous and unabashed style of living.

The carport is a feature in itself, it greets you with wide interlacing steps down to the front door. Clinton Murray Architects encouraged the clients to resist the temptation to put their cars in the ubiquitous basement garage. Instead, after studying local carport solutions the architects decided on one with a roof garden, resolving the issue of off-street parking and extending the floating greenery.

The folded shelter is supported by poles and chains which almost give the sense of securing it down – keeping it from flying away on the breeze.

From here, the eye is guided up to a porous first floor living space. Common areas such as the kitchen and living room are displayed as if on a plinth, confidently asserted and perceptible through large walls of glass. The first floor is topped with an angular roof, like steel-folded origami. The folded shelter is supported by poles and chains which almost give the sense of securing it down – keeping it from flying away on the breeze.

By contrast, the ground level is set aside for private dwelling and spaces to sleep. The transparency of the first-floor dissolves as you descend the kitchen staircase. A cavern of concrete slabs and warm raw timbers now hem you in, endowing the corridors with a hush of somnolence. Windows carve out access to the gum trees from the safety of protective garden walls and thoughtfully position rooms. The light hits softer here.

For all the house’s playful discordance, its harmony is evident.

For all the house’s playful discordance, its harmony is evident. It speaks with the neighbouring green canopy of gumtrees in a familiar language. The exterior is wrapped in accoya timber cladding which has been hand-charred on site, pairing and contrasting with the raw timber interiors. The upstairs living room windows look onto an artwork of gumtrees. Their branches paint a pattern of light and flora onto the interior concrete walls and angular wooden cabinetry. The kitchen ceiling is carved into triangular moments of glass relief, through which the treetops can be viewed.

Through its balance between privacy and exposure, Levo’s House communes with the surroundings and offers a dynamic and distinctive haven. Embracing and encouraging engagement with its surrounding context – both social and environmental – Clinton Murray Architects has transformed the way the clients live on the site and in their community.