Authentically Intertwined – Rowena Parade House by Technē
Located in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Rowena Parade House is an exploration of the intersections between a heritage home and its modern reinterpretation. Artfully crafted by Technē, the house balances a dynamic dialogue between forms, cohesively merging the two in order to create an authentic, contemporary home.
“There is an inherent contrast between the old and the new,” says Nick Travers, Co-Director at Technē Architecture + Interior Design, when reflecting on Rowena Parade House. Composed of its original red brick façade, the structure innovatively utilises its heritage half to contrast against its sleeker addition; this tension works to create an exceptional harmony unequivocally matched between both forms. “We’ve got red brick for the old dwelling and all the details that go with that,” Nick explains. “Then there’s the contemporary addition, which is quite pared back, very simple.”
The original structure had little attention over the years; despite this, Technē was compelled to retain a lot of the original features, most specifically the front of the home. “We try to be faithful and authentic with respect to the old works,” Nick describes. Balancing the two contrasting halves, the original entry is met by a brick wall that “defines the threshold between the old and new.” Technē’s initial strategy for the building evolved throughout the design process, feeling more and more encouraged to push the new works further back into the site and retain the existing roof, which included the original chimneys.
The interior opens to a shared kitchen, living and dining area, all which sit underneath the existing roof, helping to create a blended existence between all forms. “The dynamic between the inside and outside of projects for us is always critical,” explains Nick. This perception is behind the single outdoor entertaining area, which extends directly off the main kitchen, living and dining space, and allows the clients “to flow seamlessly between inside and outside through the glazing and external door design that we’ve incorporated.” This theme of seamless interaction – between old and new, inside and out – is further reinforced by the surprising ways light moves throughout the interior spaces. Most significantly, glimmers of light reflect internally from the silver steel sculpture situated in the backyard and entertaining area – it is these instances of unexpected interaction that makes the experience of Rowena Parade House so dynamic.
The interior opens to a shared kitchen, living and dining area, all which sit underneath the existing roof, helping to create a blended existence between all forms.
Showcased throughout the home is the refined reoccurring circular detailing. This element presents in the handles of joinery, linking back to softer furniture pieces as well as the round window feature at the front of the original structure. Inside, combinations of materials are used to celebrate the continual theme of blended architecture – brick walls, a concrete floor, a timber ceiling, veneer and stone joinery. Authentic nods to heritage architecture coexist with the more contemporary elements featured within the interior design and joinery. Nick explains how design choices, “like the way the joinery is pulled off walls to make each piece feel elemental and almost like each piece of joinery is an item of furniture,” elevate the internal experience. Hero pieces, such as the stone kitchen bench, shine throughout design – “things like the stone detailing, running the grain on an angle, was just to take a slightly different approach, an unexpected approach,” says Nick. These refined restraints are shown in small and simple details, giving the entire home a distinctive imprint.
Through considered, functional and purposeful architecture, Technē has successfully integrated the older sections of Rowena Parade House with the new, allowing the home to blur its edges to create a modern and harmonious merging of forms. “We always try to do interesting things when we marry heritage work with new work,” Nick reflects. “I think with this one, we’ve dovetailed the two together. There’s a little bit of blurring the boundary between what is old and new.”
