Brighton Residence II

by Studio Tate & Tecture

From the Architect

What defines Melbourne’s bayside residential aesthetic? From this question unfolds Brighton Residence II by Studio Tate and Tecture. Driven by the client’s desire for a characterful home unfamiliar to the sweeping streets of one of Melbourne’s most desirable suburbs, the two practices came together to conceive a family home of both function and flare.

Defining Melbourne’s bayside aesthetic as largely traditional and conservative, architecture practice Tecture imagined an external form that is bold and textured, brought to life with a breadth of timber, brick and glass.

The result is a generous family home comprising three-bedrooms, private guest suite, dual living zones, family rumpus, study, outdoor dining, pool and pool house. A high functioning home for a high functioning family – comprehensive back-of-house services allow the family to thrive and include laundry, scullery, additional study nook, and children’s entry ‘drop zone’.

Studio Tate’s interior intelligently echoes the exterior, finding inspiration in simple but effective forms that balance pragmatism with personality, and ensure connection, inside and out. The exterior brickwork is mirrored in the living room hearth, calling on the same material, while additional architectural finishes such as textured wall tiles and graphic terrazzo enhance the sense of harmony.

Conceived as a house fuelled by family life, penetration of natural light was essential. Expansive glazing and large, strategically placed windows offer connection to the exterior landscape and fill the open plan living, dining and kitchen with vast swathes of light. Skylights and an immense void above the dining area enhance a connection to the elements, further blurring the line between the interior and exterior, and allowing the residents to bask in the luxury of space.

With two adjacent living zones on the ground floor, a sunken lounge in the secondary space encourages intimacy, distinguishing its function from the primary open plan space. Navy carpet, soft grey paint and bold furniture and artwork complete the sense of a subterranean cocoon. Steel-framed fluted glass doors separate the two spaces; a contemporary interpretation of traditional glazed internal passages, and a nod to the recurring themes of pattern and texture.

Nearby the open plan kitchen is anchored by a large island bench formed from reconstituted stone – practicality for a family of serious cooks, and ideal for casual midweek dinners propped up at the bar. A slimline pendant balances effortless overhead, subtly reinforcing the rhythm of straight lines and restraint established by custom joinery and timber flooring.

The home is unified by this controlled architectural approach, further explored by Tecture in the interplay and expression of different brick laying techniques. The idea of merging coastal materiality with the urban nature of bricks became a design ideology, showcased in pattern and repetition. The bathrooms too are geometric wonders – a repetitive grid is an alluring backdrop to one’s personal needs, be it in the master ensuite or shared family bathroom.

Outside the pool house speaks to endless summers in the sun, however with a budding florist in the family, custom joinery to facilitate this newfound vocation was installed including open shelving, mirrored splashback, durable worksurfaces, refrigeration and an industrial sink.

Brighton Residence II by Studio Tate and Tecture successfully delivers on its mission to reimagine the possibilities of suburban living, marrying the needs of its family of occupants with architectural significance, inside and out.

From the Architect

What defines Melbourne’s bayside residential aesthetic? From this question unfolds Brighton Residence II by Studio Tate and Tecture. Driven by the client’s desire for a characterful home unfamiliar to the sweeping streets of one of Melbourne’s most desirable suburbs, the two practices came together to conceive a family home of both function and flare.

Defining Melbourne’s bayside aesthetic as largely traditional and conservative, architecture practice Tecture imagined an external form that is bold and textured, brought to life with a breadth of timber, brick and glass.

The result is a generous family home comprising three-bedrooms, private guest suite, dual living zones, family rumpus, study, outdoor dining, pool and pool house. A high functioning home for a high functioning family – comprehensive back-of-house services allow the family to thrive and include laundry, scullery, additional study nook, and children’s entry ‘drop zone’.

Studio Tate’s interior intelligently echoes the exterior, finding inspiration in simple but effective forms that balance pragmatism with personality, and ensure connection, inside and out. The exterior brickwork is mirrored in the living room hearth, calling on the same material, while additional architectural finishes such as textured wall tiles and graphic terrazzo enhance the sense of harmony.

Conceived as a house fuelled by family life, penetration of natural light was essential. Expansive glazing and large, strategically placed windows offer connection to the exterior landscape and fill the open plan living, dining and kitchen with vast swathes of light. Skylights and an immense void above the dining area enhance a connection to the elements, further blurring the line between the interior and exterior, and allowing the residents to bask in the luxury of space.

With two adjacent living zones on the ground floor, a sunken lounge in the secondary space encourages intimacy, distinguishing its function from the primary open plan space. Navy carpet, soft grey paint and bold furniture and artwork complete the sense of a subterranean cocoon. Steel-framed fluted glass doors separate the two spaces; a contemporary interpretation of traditional glazed internal passages, and a nod to the recurring themes of pattern and texture.

Nearby the open plan kitchen is anchored by a large island bench formed from reconstituted stone – practicality for a family of serious cooks, and ideal for casual midweek dinners propped up at the bar. A slimline pendant balances effortless overhead, subtly reinforcing the rhythm of straight lines and restraint established by custom joinery and timber flooring.

The home is unified by this controlled architectural approach, further explored by Tecture in the interplay and expression of different brick laying techniques. The idea of merging coastal materiality with the urban nature of bricks became a design ideology, showcased in pattern and repetition. The bathrooms too are geometric wonders – a repetitive grid is an alluring backdrop to one’s personal needs, be it in the master ensuite or shared family bathroom.

Outside the pool house speaks to endless summers in the sun, however with a budding florist in the family, custom joinery to facilitate this newfound vocation was installed including open shelving, mirrored splashback, durable worksurfaces, refrigeration and an industrial sink.

Brighton Residence II by Studio Tate and Tecture successfully delivers on its mission to reimagine the possibilities of suburban living, marrying the needs of its family of occupants with architectural significance, inside and out.