The design objective of St Kilda East House by Taylor Knights was to create a family home that allowed and represented through its built form, two generations comfortably living together with a balance of privacy and family interaction. The house needed to function as a typical family home with levels of privacy and intimacy appropriate to shared living.
"We wanted our design and the language of the project to represent these different expressions in era and lifestyle of the clients through materiality and form." - Taylor Knights
This framework allowed for the juxtaposition of elements like the steel bay window (street facing) against its heritage backdrop and the clear delineation between the kitchen mass and its outer walls as it extended upwards into the void over.
Communal spaces are celebrated, relocating them into the heart of the house, forming the union between the two private zones. Above these communal spaces, is a large double height void, skylights and a curved ceiling to give importance to this space.
In response to budget constraints, the architects selected cost effective materials and building products but presented them in unexpected ways. Pegboard is used as a feature throughout the stairs void while off the shelf skylights were coupled together above to create a more impressive skylight.
The architects worked closely with traditional trades to achieve a high level of finish and craftsmanship within the project. Staggered brickwork to catch light, raw steel was hand polished with curing agents. Bespoke furniture such as the dining table, side tables and cabinets where all specifically designed with brass detailing and colour to suit the house.
