House tour: the mid-century Melbourne home stripped back to its roots
Moving into a home designed by two nationally-renowned architects would be a design lover’s dream. But when what’s inside the walls no longer matches the beauty of the original plans, it’s time for a refresh.
Taking on this challenge, Melbourne homeowners Brad and Jenny enlisted the help of Red Door Project and Rara Architecture to tackle the ultimate renovation, making over the 1974-era mid-century modernist home they share with their two adult sons. Originally designed by Joshua and Mary Pila, the home is an ode to the 70s, complete with classically clean lines, exposed brick and a signature flat roof. Their renovation would see the interiors completely overhauled, bringing in a contemporary modernist aesthetic and bringing the home up to speed with current trends.
“Brad wanted to create a home with design reserve that will not date, something those with a keen eye for form and function would appreciate because they know what they are looking at. Jenny wanted a complete overhaul,” Dani Wales of Red Door Project tells Vogue Living.
Including the complexities of installing a series of steel beams at the back of the house, the building posed some challenges; crumbling bricks, issues with concrete and unexpected tests posed by the older building all included.
“From a process perspective, the build carried us through a very chilly Melbourne winter and being all concrete and on the top of a rise, it was a very very cold site. Other challenges included plenty of unforeseen construction complications due to existing elements not being as favourable as we first hoped — including crumbling brickwork,” Wales admits.
But one silver lining proved one of the most exciting finished elements of the home. The discovery of decades-old concrete slabs under the original flooring allowed for elegant and modern polished concrete floors.
“We felt like we had struck gold when they were ground back to reveal the most beautiful aggregate,” Wales shares, going on to name further favourite pieces as the custom steel framed front door and French doors to the kitchen and living room, as well as the purpose built stair balustrade.
The final fit out was as different to 70s style as it comes. Sleek, polished and moody, the home provides a welcome refuge from Melbourne’s gritty city, all the while maintaining the same architecturally significant elements that made the house great in the first place, including sloping ceilings, airy landings and minimalist design.
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“As far a renovation goes, this is as big as it gets. While the original structure remained fundamentally intact, everything was new, from wiring, plumbing to windows, plaster and paint. It was like moving into a new modern minimalist house that will continue to serve for decades to come,” owner Brad vouches — and we’d have to agree.