The Promenade
A unique collaboration in Melbourne’s bayside suburb of Middle Park, The Promenade sees the next generation of Seidler creating a deeply personal family home.
Designing a home for your family is one thing. When your father is Chris Seidler, the founder and managing director of Seidler Group, and veteran of more than 40 years in design and construction, it’s something else entirely. Brother-and-sister duo Luke and Sarah Seidler – the next generation – took on the task with aplomb, with Luke overseeing the architecture and Sarah the interior design.
While Luke admits that at first it “was quite a daunting experience,” the project ultimately opened the door to a rare kind of collaboration. Together, they were able to reconsider what a house should offer the people who live inside it. “This project really reflects on the idea that the home should become a refuge rather than just a shelter,” he says. “The rooftop on a nice winter’s day still gives you that feeling of escapism, like you’re on this yacht floating over the bay.”
That feeling is reinforced by the residence’s incredible natural light and outlook, which were central to the design and layout from the outset. “The natural light throughout the home plays a huge role in shaping moods across the day,” Sarah says. “The locality also informed the use of local materials… that really embody the textures and colours of the beach.”
Robust, external materials were chosen to respond to the challenging coastal environment. “Bluestone was used throughout the project as a nod to the iconic rough-cut walls that line the promenade and concrete was used as a robust material to both provide privacy and to protect from the harsh breezes coming off the bay,” Luke says.
Internally, soft organic forms were used to provide comfort and contrast. “The internal materials were chosen again to reference the site’s context and location, but also to give those very bold and robust materials a softer context and environment that they can really be appreciated in,” Sarah says. “Architecture tells the story of the site’s location and sets the design language, and the objects, art and furniture really tell the story of the people who reside within the home.”
With Chris acting as both client and collaborator, the project could reach new heights of experimentation. “We were able to push boundaries, new technologies, and we weren’t afraid to come up with creations that haven’t been achieved before,” he says. This is apparent in bespoke details, such as the utterly original curved bluestone cladding panels, as well as the structural forms. “We use a lot of post-tension concrete in the design of the slabs,” he adds, “creating these amazing cantilevered spaces.”
The result is a home where collaboration is an integral part of its significance and legacy. “It’s a very special experience to be able to share the building of such an iconic and prestigious project with your children,” Chris reflects. As Sarah notes, “It’s like a family heirloom that will be here for years to come.”
