Glen Iris House

Combining compositional simplicity, bold materiality and intricate detailing, Glen Iris House crafts a robust family home tethered to its suburban site. The abstract façade, comprising a patinaed copper screen and cantilevered brick-clad volume, echoes the tones of the local streetscape, while a bush-hammered concrete blade wall defines the primary entry — a suggestion of the material narrative that lies beyond.

Three, tiered pavilions follow the contours of the long, rectangular site — a central, barn-like living space flanked by private quarters at the front and a garage at the rear, each linked by glazed passages. An exposed framework of bush-hammered concrete ribs extends laterally across the central pavilion, defining a sequence of shared living space internally, and a captivating arched promenade externally. Due north, this external interface is lined with a deep, timber-battened eave for solar protection, and interspersed with operable windows for cooling cross-ventilation.

Internal courtyards provide a buffer from the street and western sun, offering secluded retreats for the inhabitants, awash with terracotta tiles and natural stone. The garage pavilion, home to the clients’ cherished collection of classic cars, continues this material and formal logic, binding together interior volumes. Throughout, the geometry of Glen Iris House is punctuated by expressive gestures, including a sculpted fireplace stack and curved staircase — a spirited celebration of form and material.