Grounded Charm – Park House by Pleysier Perkins and Mim Design

Formed from a place of balance, Park House combines a raw and robust materiality with elements of softness and subtlety as a bridging between heritage and a contemporary resolve. Pleysier Perkins and Mimi Design combine to carefully craft a home that respects its origins, while extruding the essence of the home into a new addition, binding through a consistent and encasing approach.

Originally built in 1856, Park House is one of the earliest remaining homes in both Melbourne and of its origin. Uniquely, the home is reflective of its connections to the Presbyterian community and the grouping of homes of a similar style at the time, further reinforcing a sense of belonging and context. While the initial works involved a restoration only, after beginning the process, an expanded brief saw plans to grow the footprint of the home proper, pushing the form out into the rear landscape. Encouraging a more engaged interaction with the living elements on site, the new elements sit more open and embracing of the surrounds, balancing the original and more enclosed forms, with an outward focus. With architecture by Pleysier Perkins and interior design by Mim Design, Park House overlays a relevancy that ensures its history continues.

While the initial works involved a restoration only, after beginning the process, an expanded brief saw plans to grow the footprint of the home proper, pushing the form out into the rear landscape.

Once the original home was restored, as a nod to its important contribution to the historical vernacular of the area, the new works see the reinstating of character and detail. The enlargement of the home acts to embed the home amongst its unique botanical parkland setting, with increased openings and glazing that encourages more of an interaction between the built and the natural. Drawing from the distinctive bluestone materiality of the original home, the addition and an internal approach is formed from the coming together of robust and grounded features, reinterpreted through a more contemporary and, at times, refined lens. As a balancing of these stouter elements, an intentional lightening is also then introduced as a moderating gesture throughout, through textures and tactility.

The rough and rawness of the original bluestone is combined with a more streamlined approach, as both act to counter one another throughout. The use of steel and concrete in the new addition adds a crispness to the home, while continuing the story of the weighted grounding of the original, and darker tones create moments of intimacy and enclosure as an openness connects in other areas. The idea of balance is used to curate both a sense of opulence and one of restraint, creating a sort of tension between the two throughout. Larger forms such as the island bench in the kitchen and the double-height fireplace play a sculptural role, where the solidity and weight of its materiality connects to the history of the home yet is conceived through a more modern lens.

As a balancing of these stouter elements, an intentional lightening is also then introduced as a moderating gesture throughout.

As a layering of warm and cool tones, Park House extends the essence of the original home out into a series of connected spaces that reflect a binding philosophy. Pleysier Perkins and Mim Design further anchor the historic home in place, while the additions ensure a heightened experience from within.