Heritage Terrace Reborn

Located in Albert Park, a picturesque Melbourne suburb of wide leafy streets and heritage terrace houses, St Vincents Place Residence by practice B.E architecture is a home of stunning contradictions that make my heart go giddy up! Fronted by a beautifully restored Victorian façade, the recently renovated residence features a modern extension whose minimalist design is seamlessly interwoven with the historic character of the existing building by espousing a passion for high craftsmanship and art.
Far from trying to emulate the decorative disposition of the house’s Victorian past, the new extension was designed in clearly modernist terms as a block of in-situ concrete. Although minimalist in sensibility, the rich textures of the terrazzo style stone floors, painted timber ceilings and blue-stone walling epitomize a hand-made sensibility that softens the architecture’s stark modernism.
Conversely, while the renovated front section of the house is full of period details such as curved cornices, arched doors, timber skirtings and custom steel fireplaces, their decorative fervour is kept in check by a nonchalant interior décor that eschews the formal for the casual.
Uniting the old and the new spaces is an eclectic selection of furniture, including several bespoke designs and the client’s collection of vintage pieces from Europe and Asia which provided the inspiration for the sophisticated yet relaxed aesthetic of the interiors.