Responding with Relevance – Spring Street by Hecker Guthrie
Inspired by living well and responding to place and time, Spring Street emerges as a warm and enduring home. Known for integrating crafted methodologies and creating lasting resolves, Hecker Guthrie took on the mission of infusing both personality and relevance into the dwelling.
Tasked with revitalising Spring Street for a modern couple with a deep appreciation for history and the layered urban fabric of Melbourne, Hecker Guthrie overlays a clarity and simplicity through refinement. Drawing inspiration from the architectural details of the original architect, Joseph Reed, the team’s aim was to weave the past into the present. Acknowledging and reinterpreting are key to aligning the new with the old and respectfully allowing both to co-exist. Capturing both the bustle of the city and the stillness and calm of nature, long, interrupted sightlines ensure a connection to the surrounds.
Located in East Melbourne, Spring Street sits among homes important to the story of the city. Having transformed and worked within many of these typologies over the years, Hecker Guthrie has an appreciation and understanding of what works and how each story has its own way of needing to be told. What was once a townhouse of two levels was transformed into a contemporary yet responsive iteration. Central to the redesign was the concept of connectivity and a seamlessness between zones. The strategic removal of select vertical dividing elements made way for more expanded and generous living zones – reflecting how homes are occupied today.
While the original homes in the area were conceived in a time of limitations, the team wove references to the original architectural style in the new iteration. Dividers that have been handmade in glass and steel define rooms, yet there is a fineness to them that allows for visual access and transparency when needed. The internal volumes feel more expansive as a result, and the grey, custom, plastered wall finishes don’t overwhelm or reduce the feeling of scale within.
Elevated yet connected, Spring Street comes together through a considered and intentional series of approaches. By understanding and engaging with the existing architecture, Hecker Guthrie ensures the design bridges the gap in time, focusing on quality and acknowledging the importance of placemaking.
