A Layered Elegance – Middle Park Residence by Conrad Architects

Words by Bronwyn Marshall
Architecture by Conrad Architects
Photography by Sharyn Cairns
Build by Cobild
Interior Design by Conrad Architects

As a contemporary reinvigoration of an existing Edwardian-era home, Middle Park Residence fuses the traditional with the contemporary in the form of crafted curves. Conrad Architects combines a celebration of the home’s interesting past with layers of restrained and considered elements to create a home of relevant elegance.

Set amongst homes of a similar architectural vintage, Middle Park Residence fuses its past with a considered and streamlined present. The renovation and extension work sees an all-encompassing reinvigoration of the existing home, reimagining it through a contemporary lens and with noted clarity. While the previous heritage elements remain, their modern counterparts are reinterpreted and expressed with a relevant sense of today as the home expands outward and upward. The resulting home becomes an open conversation between its past and its present, expressing junctions and movement through clean lines, a sense of cohesion and a deliberate use of curves. Conrad Architects combines a measured restraint with enduring and quality materiality to capture the home’s Edwardian crafted past.

Conrad Architects combines a measured restraint with enduring and quality materiality to capture the home’s Edwardian crafted past.

Built by Cobild, Middle Park Residence sees the expansion of its original elements to accommodate its growing family. While the formality of planning and generous volumes remains, a similar controlled linear approach creates opportunities for sightlines to connect internally and to the garden beyond, reinforcing a cohesive approach. As a celebration of the original archways and arched ceiling cornices, these features are used as cues for new insertions and create a balance between the rectilinear and a more sweeping motion throughout. While the original home is restored, a newly inserted sculptural stair stands at the meeting point where the new meets the old. As the stair ascends, it connects the ground and upper level, while also connecting outward and to the courtyard garden, bringing in natural light into the centre of the home.

A restrained palette of light greys, natural stones and muted timber is used throughout, bringing the eras together through a corroborated selection of finishes. Grey timber chevron flooring adds a nod to the previous crafted detail of the home’s original heritage, while connecting to the present through revised technology and precision. The rear garden offers a similar formality to that found internally and acts as an extension of space where the same values of refinement and elegance are extended to the landscaping and surface treatments. Each element has been considered for both its relevance as well as its longevity and suitability to transcend time, which is evident in the resulting selections.

While the formality of planning and generous volumes remains, a similar controlled linear approach creates opportunities for sightlines to connect internally and to the garden beyond, reinforcing a cohesive approach.

Middle Park Residence reflects a clear and definitive vision to bring the past and the present together with confidence. Conrad Architects has beautifully extended the life of an endearing home and its character and expressed and celebrated its crafted elements through a connection to its site, creating an idyllic escape.

A restrained palette of light greys, natural stones and muted timber is used throughout, bringing the eras together through a corroborated selection of finishes

As a celebration of the original archways and arched ceiling cornices, these features are used as cues for new insertions and create a balance between the rectilinear and a more sweeping motion throughout.