Skygarden by Architecture Architecture

However, an impressive rooftop garden with sculptural towers or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were not present in this single-fronted Melbourne terrace. On a modest plot, just over 200 square metres, the terrace needed a significant overhaul. “It was the typical period format with small enclosed rooms and an ad-hoc addition at the rear. And there were only two bedrooms,” says Roper, director of the award-winning practice Architecture Architecture. “It also suffered from limited natural light and less fluid spaces,” he adds.

While the home’s impressive façade, with its highly ornate parapet, was tuck pointed and lightly painted, the floorplan was completely reworked – with only the original front room retained (now used as a guest bedroom). And beyond are the open plan living, kitchen and dining areas, together with two bedrooms on the first floor, including the main bedroom and ensuite and a study nook found at the top of the stairs. While the size of the house and its orientation had its limitations, Roper and his team were able to inject the interior with a touch of the Middle East. Pivotal to the design are three lightwells or, as Roper says, ‘skygardens’, with each of them lined in Moorish-inspired tiles – the main one located at the core of the house lined in pink tiles, while the others, smaller in scale, are lined in an aqua tone and in blue. With the main skygarden planted at its base, and the others ‘draped’ with creepers, the effect is a pint-sized version of some of the gardens found in the Middle East.

The reflections from these tiles also create hues of colour, from pink through to green, on the predominantly neutral interior. Designing the main skygarden with an operable latch at the top also purges the hot air during the warmer months of the year. “We also looked at some of the buildings around Melbourne that expressed facades with tiles, creating a more local context for this project,” says Roper, citing examples such as ARM’s Storey Hall and Lab Architecture’s Federation Square.

As well as creating vertical gardens, Roper was keen to strengthen the connection to the back garden, reworked by landscape architect Renata Fairhall. Accessed via glazed doors from the living area, the line between inside and out is now blurred.Architecture Architecture also created subtle divisions between the lounge and dining area, with a small change in level between the two. And while the kitchen is close by, it forms more of an alcove by being placed to one side. Simply finished with timber joinery and stone benches, the focus is on the garden and the everchanging coloured light. “We were conscious of bringing the garden into the spaces as much as possible,” says Roper, pointing out a mirrored wall in the side garden that carries through to the downstairs bathroom. “The mirror both reflects the light and also magnifies the size of the garden,” he adds.

Given the location, in a heritage area with close proximity to neighbours, the home’s rear elevation, orientated to the south-west, required a ‘veil’ to allow for privacy and prevent overlooking. So, in contrast the front façade, with its detailed wrought iron and decorative parapet, the rear elevation is simple and contemporary – with white painted timber battens. “Victorian terraces, by their nature, can be extremely dark and fairly constricted. But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn things around and engage with contemporary spaces – celebrating the light as well as the garden, however reduced,” adds Roper.

See more of Architecture Architecture's work on their website and Instagram. Words by Stephen Crafti. Images by Tom Ross.