Middle Park Art Deco House

The Middle Park House, located in Melbourne, Australia is a project collaboration by Kerry Phelan Design Office + Chamberlain Javens Architects. The renovation of this art deco house involved major extensions and alterations to a significant 1930’s property opposite the bay in Middle Park. Their brief was to retain the existing home and add more relaxed living spaces with better access to the pool and garden. The 1930’s home has been restored and the extension has been designed to complement the early modern architecture of the original structure.

This renovation looks amazing. The neutral palette, the wood and the bricks create a beautiful and modern place, definitely a great place to live. 😉

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

The house has had a series of renovations over the past century; the original Edwardian home was converted into apartments in the 1930s and then a substantial family home in the 1980’s. The brief was to restore the Art Deco facade, retain the existing footprint and add a third level.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

The house is located directly opposite the beach in Middle Park and is constantly filled with beautiful light. Morning sun strikes the garden aspect, and at the end of the day the sun sets across the bay.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

The planning has been carefully considered to create a series of distinct rooms, rather than an open plan. Joinery is placed to create spaces, but still allow views to flow from room to room and then to the horizon.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Materials have been selected to provide understated tones within a neutral palette. The neutral colour palette supports the play of light at different times of day. The overall feeling is extremely soft and one feels visually and emotionally connected at all times to the expansive sea, sky and garden views. At the same time the house has a feeling of intimacy & warmth, perfect for family living.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

The client’s original intention was to demolish the existing house and build a completely new structure. After living in the house for a year, the architects thought the existing building worked well with the views and light and had a distinct ‘personality’. In short, it would be a shame to demolish a house which had stood for 100 years.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Trades that existed 100 years ago, don’t exist anymore, or are considered too expensive. The architects therefore chose to restore the existing building and protect the craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.  So, the most substantial decision regarding sustainability was to work with the existing fabric of the house.

Once this decision was made, materials and servicing were all designed around principles of sustainability, including a smart managed hydronic heating system, double glazed windows, and positively shaded windows with curtains and screens.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

The building uses only natural materials such as stone, and stained (not painted) timber, windows are either steel or timber, and not aluminium. Additional ESD attributes include solar hot water booted system, solar pool heating and rainwater harvesting for drip feed garden irrigation systems.

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

Beautiful Houses: Middle Park House in Australia

 Photographs  © Derek Swalwell

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