Mess Hall
Evoking the spirit of a community centre, Mess Hall by Architecture Architecture strikes a harmonious balance between shared and private spaces.
Prior to renovation, the house was dimly lit and disordered. Although its 1870 single-front facade complemented its Carlton neighbourhood, beyond lay a dog-legged corridor servicing isolated living rooms that looked out onto dull courtyards. Additions to the backyard had done little to organise the home’s functional layout, and the levels were separated by a small landing with a split stair leading up to the bedrooms and bathroom.
To accommodate work and social gatherings, the design brief called for the removal of the 1920s extension, as well as internal walls throughout the ground floor and enough of the back wall to create a spacious living-kitchen area. It also involved extending the upstairs bathroom, adding a third bedroom and creating a separate pavilion to serve as a studio or study space.
Balancing quiet formality with a bright sense of togetherness, the communal hall draws the home’s varied rhythms into a single, flexible setting.
The reimagined building begins with an intimate parlour. Dark timber bookshelves and vintage furniture establish an atmosphere well-suited to evening conversation or practising music. Partly bordered by a fluted glass wall, it remains gently connected to the open-plan living area. The latter – dubbed the mess hall – is half lined in timber and half painted white, with its lighter section enhanced by a glass block wall, a floor-to-ceiling glass door and skylight. In the rear kitchen, a trestle table embodies values of movement and adaptability within the multi-functional space. Balancing quiet formality with a bright sense of togetherness, the communal hall draws the home’s varied rhythms into a single, flexible setting.
At the end of the garden, the new studio takes the form of a typical skillion shed, finding elegance in its pared-back geometry. A clerestory window on the rear wall extends the view through the pavilion and engages the back of the property. In the main house, the staircase is reduced to a single run to the first floor, allowing light from high windows to reach the level below. A similar strategy is employed in the third bedroom, where a high-angled window introduces natural light while framing a calming view of the treetops. The first floor is intentionally angled down to meet the extension in the courtyard, visually uniting the architectural elements.
In contrast to its previous condition, Mess Hall is defined by dynamic, welcoming spaces that support the rhythms of daily life. Through a considered demolition as well as carefully placed glazing, Architecture Architecture creates an uplifting environment that carries the spirit of a community centre.
