Project: Jacoby House
Architecture: Lucy Clemenger Architects
Location: St Kilda West, Victoria, Australia
Year: 2020
Photo Credits: Derek Swalwell
Originally built in the 1890s, the Jacoby house had been renovated several times and was ready for a complete transformation. Located on a beautiful tree lined street in St Kilda West the site has direct access to Jacoby Reserve, a small neighbourhood park. The existing heritage house was replanned to include a luxurious new sitting room, master bedroom suite with generous robe, and a home office. A contemporary extension with a relaxed city beach-house vibe was added to the rear facing the park. The brief called for an open plan kitchen, living, and dining space to be seamlessly connected with an outdoor deck and plunge pool.
Expansive floor to ceiling glazing, and integrated sliding doors provide views across the new space to the foliage of the trees beyond the site and create a sense of spaciousness and serenity. Between the heritage house and the addition, stairs are carefully concealed to connect the three levels of the house. The basement, once used for storage, has been converted into a rumpus room and the contemporary first floor addition houses a split-level bedroom. A love of timber, from both architect and client, lead to it being utilised throughout the house. The palette draws inspiration from its context.
Terracotta tiles, timber lining boards, pale oak floors and joinery, deep sea green tiles, soft carrara marble and a new blackbutt façade with an ice white finish references the seaside locale reconciling it with the robust fabric of the heritage house. With a subtle crank in plan the new facade facing the park follows the curve of the rear laneway and overhangs the green plunge pool below. The timber shroud is carefully designed to prevent overlooking to neighbouring properties and provides a large picture window for gazing into the adjacent park. The singular form reads as a three-dimensional volume floating above the glazed wall. Key viewing points from the laneway and adjacent park informed the scale, form and articulation of the façade.
