The Wurundjeri clan of the Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation.
Victoria
Parkside is an environmentally adaptable and deeply sustainable home intended for aging-in-place. Located in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, this compact two-storey house realises the owners longstanding retirement plan; to downsize into their own backyard.
Having purchased the original single-fronted Victorian terrace twenty years ago, their intent was to make better sense of the northern orientation. By subdividing, they released the original house and built their new home at the rear, opening up access and views of the park that were previously blocked by a garage.
Although directly responding to the housing shortage and the urgency to increase density within the inner-city suburbs, Parkside is the antithesis of a fast profit/ quick-fix solution. Embracing the notion of smaller, but better, Parkside is a resilient, efficient and flexible home that brings “joy and inspiration” to the owners and increases connectivity and liveability while respecting the heritage and character of the area.
“It’s a joy to live here. It’s so easy and every day I wake up I feel grateful that we have this beautiful home. I feel that every day. There are so many elements that are beautiful – the light, the clean lines, the visual impact, it’s actually an artwork. The house for me is like an artwork. People walk in and they say: ‘Wow!’ People expect it to be a typical terrace house but it’s not at all. It’s a real surprise, it’s exciting. There’s all these little revelations. It’s so well designed. It’s magnificent.”