A Refined Natural Curation – Toorak Residence by ADDARC
Home to landscape architect Jack Merlo, Toorak Residence is the realisation of his own quiet and removed haven, expressed through a generous openness between the built and the natural. ADDARC proposes a modern formality that allows the garden to become part of the experience of the home, defined by a crisp refinement.
In its removed positioning at the end of a quiet street, Toorak Residence takes inspiration from its surrounds and internally emerges as its own place of respite. As the home of a landscape architect, it was expected that the garden became an important and integral part of the building’s narrative; formed from similar grounding principles, the relationship to the architecture is complementary, seeing the two work to balance one another. Behind the stark and encasing front fence, the upper level of the structure peeks up as an opaque glass and timber box, private in protecting its residents from the street whilst still allowing natural light into the spaces. ADDARC and Jack Merlo closely collaborate to propose a personally expressive home, one that celebrates the surrounding natural elements.
Toorak Residence is inspired by a modernist approach, with long and linear forms coming together across the site. Throughout, clear and uninterrupted vistas and sightlines bind the spaces, both hinting at movement and connecting beyond the built walls out into the landscape. There is a masculine edge felt throughout, through the combining of darker timber, steel and stone, which are then softened with layers of rich textures and textiles. An interesting collection of taxidermy, artwork and lighting is dotted amongst the rooms and the garden, further creating a sense of intrigue as one moves through the spaces.
The open and closed areas are balanced by one another, as a shared flexibility connects them. Although generous and connected living spaces flow generously into the next, more intimate spaces allow for retreat and a more passive stance. A sense of refinement and rigor ensures that the materials come together with purpose and fortitude, lasting well beyond their time. Whilst a sense of grandeur is presented from the initial entrance, dark and richly textural materials seem to welcome and warm the experience. The views beyond then bring a sense that the garden exists within the home while, at the same time, presented as its own artful feature.
Inserted as a moment of drama and boldness, ADDARC’s Toorak Residence refreshingly combines the contemporary with the natural and is a statement in and of itself.
