A Perfectly Imperfect Presence – Wabi-Sabi by Stuart Holmes Architect

Experiencing a place for a significant period of time before designing something anew can have a profound effect on the authenticity of a project. Architect Stuart Holmes channelled this experience with his own home in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn, waiting five years before breaking ground. As a result, Wabi-Sabi is a deeply meaningful response to site, influenced by both traditional Japanese and mid-century architecture.

Stuart and his wife purchased this unique block of land adjacent to the Yarra River in an area of Aboriginal cultural heritage sensitivity. While the existing house was “a decrepit remaining half of a circa-1930 duplex,” the site presented an opportunity for an inner-city home with a rare proximity to nature and open spaces. “We spent a generous amount of time getting to know the place with an intimacy that helped shape the early design as a series of experiential spaces, rather than as an object with a predetermined aesthetic,” Stuart explains. Views to the river, direct access to an off-lead dog park, afternoon light and a captivating Liquidambar tree in the backyard all dictated the design of their future home.

“We spent a generous amount of time getting to know the place with an intimacy that helped shape the early design as a series of experiential spaces, rather than as an object with a predetermined aesthetic,” says architect and owner Stuart Holmes.

While Stuart’s approach was driven first and foremost by creating exploratory and pragmatic spaces, the aesthetic – which he says came later – is equally as significant. “My wife and I share a passion for Japanese and mid-century architecture, and this drove the design,” he says. Though references to both can be found in abundance, the effect is gentle and balanced, not overdone. Stuart has incorporated structural and decorative concrete blockwork – “a very typical Japanese suburban detail” – at the front of the home and again in the kitchen; plantation shutters throughout, in acknowledgement of the couple’s affinity for Hawaiian mid-century architecture; and a subtle Japanese motif detail is referenced in the wallpaper pattern and bathroom tiling.

Perhaps the least tangible but most powerful reference to Japanese design is the influence of wabi-sabi. Not only is the project’s name a direct nod to the ancient Japanese philosophy but the core tenets have been wholly embraced. An endearing concept yet difficult to execute well, wabi-sabi encourages accepting and celebrating the beauty of imperfection. “This celebration of the beauty of transience and imperfection became the guiding narrative,” Stuart says. In this vein, inspiration was found in “the shedding bark of river red gums, rough and weathered outside and rich and warm inside.”

“The view didn’t really exist in the old house – it was one of those cases where there was no response to context,” Stuart explains. “We really wanted to capture it, and the sunken lounge means you can look out over the furniture, while getting an extra sense of height.”

The execution of a design informed by such a principle is key, and Stuart and his builder’s shared eye for detail played a major role in its success. Some of the finishes were selected for their robust and tactile nature, such as the shou sugi ban charred timber cladding. Not only does it champion the wabi-sabi aesthetic, but it is a maintenance-free timber cladding. Inside, there is a balanced use of spotted gum and form ply alongside concrete. “There is a really strong language between the two,” Stuart says. “It’s a continuous dance.” Both have been used generously but with consideration, found at every turn as skirtings, door pulls, robes, wall cladding and the staircase, where the relationship between the two is superbly illustrated with spotted gum treads and form ply rises, as well as a ply handrail. The effect is rich yet undoubtedly minimal, highlighting the natural qualities of each timber; a wonderful interpretation of wabi-sabi.

Tightly positioned between neighbouring houses to the north and south, the narrow block and west-facing backyard presented both constraints and opportunities. Due to the seven-degree slope, the house reads as two storeys from the street and three storeys from the backyard. “Volumetrically it was driven by the envelope that we could realistically achieve on the site,” Stuart says. “And that informed how the plan works as we built the information into a three-dimensional form.” Instead of building to the boundary on the southern side, there is a narrow courtyard. “It provides a buffer to next door and allows us to share the amenity of that space,” Stuart says. “It’s also a nice cool spot to sit in summer.” This could have easily been swallowed up as internal floor space, yet opting to create an intimate outdoor area is a neat example of Stuart’s understanding of the site and its opportunities.

Inside, the living area sits to the rear of the entry level, opening onto a compact balcony which, due to the slope of the site, is elevated above the backyard. The Liquidambar is perfectly framed and has at last become the hero of this space. “It’s an amazing tree, and it brought us so much joy even in the old house. It provides great summer shade and a beautiful outlook,” Stuart says. Sitting in the sunken lounge with vistas to the sky and treetops, it is as though one is nestled underneath the canopy, bathed in golden afternoon sun. “This view didn’t really exist in the old house – it was one of those cases where there was no response to context,” Stuart explains. “We really wanted to capture it, and the sunken lounge means you can look out over the furniture, while getting an extra sense of height.” The vantage point can be enjoyed from the open-plan kitchen and dining area. A strip skylight above the dining table brings welcomed natural light deep into the plan, and low windows facing the southern courtyard provide connection to landscape and context.

Upstairs houses a master suite with a north-facing terrace, a bedroom for their son and a guest bedroom and bathroom. Downstairs “can be relatively self-contained”; it includes a fourth bedroom, bathroom and a generous rumpus room that opens directly onto the backyard. Tucked deep into the plan on this lower level is one of the more curious additions to the home – a hot tub and sauna. Inspired by trips to Finland, this was one surviving item from Stuart’s initial “bucket list” and has been elegantly realised. The concrete blockwork makes another appearance alongside other robust, utilitarian materials offset by warm cedar detailing. Positioned below the driveway, a slatted grate above allows for gentle filtered light to penetrate this private outdoor sanctuary sitting deep in the building.

While this project gave Stuart a chance to design a home that caters beautifully to his family’s needs – as well as offer a few additional indulgences – the true success lies in his ability to identify and enhance the project’s most valued element: the site and its many existing joys. “Even in the old house, we considered ourselves so lucky and pinched ourselves every day,” Stuart says. “We’ll continue to do so for many years to come.”