Seymour
Rekindling the essence of a humble Victorian, Seymour by Architecture Works and Andrew McLeod is a calm entertainer’s retreat, devised to expand and contract with the rhythms of its occupants.
Located in the picturesque, characterful Elsternwick, this traditional Victorian villa offers an idyllic framework for an effervescent way of life. Here, new and old coexist, where the elaborate splendour of a double-brick frontage gives way to a thoughtful, pared-back addition.
Conceived through a collaboration between architect and interior designer, Seymour establishes a harmonious visual identity that moves effortlessly from room to room, guided by a continuity of material and form. “Although not heritage-graded, it was our client’s strong preference to retain the existing facade of the home,” explains Steven Kyzintas, director and architect at Architecture Works. “Another requirement from our client was to ensure that they were able to look out to a well-landscaped garden, no matter their position within the house.” A staggered rear extension dissolves the residence into bite-sized volumes, each orientated to invite moments of pause against the garden backdrop.
From the street, the northern frontage is reworked to bathe the home in all-day sun. “The sculptural stairwell, crowned by a large, circular skylight, was strategically positioned immediately adjacent to the existing structure, allowing sunlight to filter deep into the centre of the house – an area that is typically poorly lit in traditional Victorian homes,” says Kyzintas. This curved aperture marks a pivotal threshold between the original and new, where the interior is given room to breathe. Toward the rear, the ground floor opens into a plan conducive to larger gatherings, flanked by sheltered outdoor zones that let guests spill freely into the natural surrounds.
Selected for its ability to transcend eras, the overall palette is subdued, tactile and familiar. Gentle beige brickwork draws inspiration from artful embellishments found in the original exterior, while slender vertical screens reference the fine fenestration of the front verandah. Inside, polished plaster surfaces lend a lived-in softness, enhanced by diffused daylight that traces the rounded contours of walls, balustrades, ceilings and archways. “By adding warmth with timbers, natural stones and aged brass, large spaces are further softened to help create personable and comfortable internal environments,” notes Kyzintas of Andrew McLeod’s carefully distilled assemblage.
Woven into the outdoor sphere, a collection of open-air moments explores ideas of compression and release. “A key driver of the landscape strategy was the way the architecture unfolds across the site,” explains Kyzintas. Steppers and floating planes carve a meandering ascent to the private backyard, with pockets for pause along the way. Below, a subterranean garage, gym and cinema tuck beneath a low-lying garden of sprawling ground cover, while more structured species sharpen the composition, complementing the rigour of the contemporary setting. “Movement, pause and transition – themes central to the architecture – are echoed in these natural elements, sitting comfortably across old and new without privileging one over the other,” says Kyzintas.
Emerging from the bones of a humble Victorian, Seymour stands as an architecture for connection and coming together, expanding and contracting to suit the changing rhythms of its residents. Earthen hues and subtle texture imbue the home with a calm that lingers – warm, enveloping tranquillity, concisely understated and quietly uplifting.
Architecture by Architecture Works. Interior design by Andrew McLeod. Landscape design by Formation Landscapes. Stone by CDK Stone. Finishes by Bishop Master Finishes. Timber flooring by Made by Storey. Bricks by Krause Bricks.
