Middle Park House

by Forty One South

This single fronted Victorian worker’s cottage has been transformed into a sleek and contemporary home of generous proportions.

Located in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Middle Park, this once derelict collection of rooms and add-ons has been remoulded into a large, open and light filled two storey rear, which sits cunningly behind the traditional charms of its street facade.

With a double height central courtyard providing a gulp of afternoon sun into the heart of the building, and a fully glazed rear to capture morning rays, the ground floor living areas are bright and generous. And while the master suite gives a nod to the heritage character of the original dwelling, the first floor bedrooms are modern, lofty and light filled, making the absolute most of this long and narrow site.

A floating, open-tread staircase extends from the traditional side-corridor of the original house, allowing snippets of view through the length of the building and a hint of the modern extension beyond. On reaching the end of that corridor, the building exhales into a double height space, fully glazed on one side with a twinkling hero pendant light above.

This project is ultimately a stitching together of old and new, both respectful of the heritage context in which it sits and responsive to the needs of its owners’ modern lifestyle.