Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation
Victoria
Some homes feel more like community centres: classmates and neighbours bustling about, sharing in homework and hobbies, practicing music and preparing meals.
Mess Hall is this kind of home. Once a typical Victorian terrace with narrow corridors, shadowy rooms, and a quiet formality, the ground floor now presents a light-filled hall – an almost civic space – adaptable to the whims of family, friends and creative collaborators.
And yet the house retains some formality. Upon entry, an intimate parlour offers respite: a place for quiet conversation, reading or music practice, where timber bookshelves are the backdrop to a collection of vintage furniture.
Similarly, a small studio at the end of the garden is a place for writing, painting and quiet retreat.
Between the parlour and the studio, the main hall draws the various moods of the house together, with a material palette that balances quiet formality with bright informality; light and shade.
We’ve had fun working with Architecture architecture. Their whole team is friendly, optimistic and totally solution focused. Every request we made was one piece of a fabulous puzzle. They understood we wanted a home where we can host big family parties, where we can work and where teenagers feel welcome to congregate. Their design has given us true flexibility and a gorgeous space to live in every day. – Chris & Angela