Crisp House

by Robert Nichol & Sons

Australian architects Robert Nichol & Sons juggled strict Victorian heritage controls of Collingwood homes in the area, and an extremely tight site, in order to redesign and revive this old home into a modern and textual living space.

For an architect, heritage houses are considered the double-edged sword of design and architecture. On one hand there is the romantic and emotional aspect associated with the history of the house, and on the other is the pragmatic aspects of planning and regulations required to both protect and renovate the house at the same time.

Despite having an individually significant rating, the Collingwood property was in dire condition, having been stripped of nearly all of its heritage fabric and character, and seemingly held together with years of thickly applied paint.

Early concepts for the re-development of Crisp House, were focused purely on planning and meeting local guidelines for renovations on heritage houses in Melbourne.

Looking to maximise the potential of the site, along with consideration to the existing cottage, Robert Nichols & Sons used the height of the apartment block to the north of the house, as a guide for the re-design of the house. Including the exploration of various schemes using three levels.

With the suburb of Collingwood being on the up and up, maximising the sites potential was both the sensible and financial way to go.

To pay homage to the history of the area and the house, Robert Nichols & Sons also did extensive research on the history behind both the house and the area of Collingwood. To better prepare themselves for council submission. The more they learnt about the cottage and Collingwood, the more they realised, how important it was to ensure the history was well preserved.

The house name derives from an association with Edward Crisp, and is one of the oldest remaining timber dwellings in Collingwood. Edward Crisp was an Irish brewer who established the Burton Brewery in nearby Cambridge Street. And, the house was a pre-fab cottage imported from England during the early settlement in the 1850s.

The Collingwood Slope where the property is located, was one of the first subdivisions outside of Melbourne. Industrialists flocked there by the hundreds, as they needed accommodation quickly.

The timber dwellings which appeared throughout the area, were replaced later with more substantial brick dwellings. After years of living in the timber dwelling with his family, Edward eventually built a neighbouring brick home and moved his family there in the late 60’s.

The restoration works undertaken on the house, included a complete rebuild of the original cottage, as nothing of the original foundations was redeemable.

The beaded weatherboards were reproduced in Baltic pine, using the original boards as the template. Which included two different sizes, as the conversion in the 1860s used smaller sized boards.

The original double hung cord and weight windows were reproduced, and the smaller six panel configuration was re-introduced, after being removed during previous renovation works. The timber veranda posts were returned along with the wooden decorative details. And during demolition of the cottage, many hand forged nails were saved and preserved, as a great reminder of the age.

The new design to the house, has opened up a small confined cottage, into a free-flowing airy cottage. Once past the original portion of the dwelling, the use of extensive glazing and north facing skylights were installed, to flood the interior with plenty of natural light.

Large sliding doors have been installed in order to open up the outside areas, with seamless floor levels. Structural elements of the house have been left exposed, adding a visual interest to the interiors, which emphasise and celebrate a range of natural finishes, such as plywood, oak, steel, bluestone and cement.

Concealed behind the angled roof form is a large roof terrace, which brings the primary outdoor space up to a level where solar access is guaranteed and is easily accessible from the living spaces, via a sculptural external steel and wooden staircase.

In varying streetscape of heritage and industrial buildings from the 19^th and 20^th century, and in an area of continued development and change, The Crisp House has finally secured its place in both history and future.

Hemmed in by taller buildings on either side, the original cottage was overwhelmed and neglected for decades. Its identity compromised by inappropriate treatments. The new works now fill the gap and provide a sensitive and recessive backdrop to the faithfully restored dwelling, which originated some 160+ years ago in England.