Exquisite Craftsmanship Breathes New Life Into a "Socially Sustainable" Home

Incredible curved brick masonry, indigenous Wurundjeri motifs, and a Roman aqueduct-like bridge combine in the Ruckers Hill House, a unique home where unexpected surprises await at every turn.

"Our clients wanted something totally original for their home–classic, fun, quirky, and not too loud on the street," shares Mel Bright, director of Studio Bright. "Something that took advantage of the site and was sympathetic to the original Edwardian home. In particular, they wanted it to reflect them and not feel like any other house."

Fusing the studio’s interest in social sustainability with their client’s personalities, the architects crafted a home for a family of five that mimics a palimpsest respectful of the original Edwardian house on site while adding thoughtful references to the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin nation—the "traditional custodians" of the land where Studio Bright’s projects are located—as well as the Greek and Italian families who have lived in the inner-city suburb since the mid-twentieth century.

The project began with stripping back the existing Edwardian in an exhaustive restoration process that saw the removal of unsympathetic additions and the rehabilitation of original elements that had become seriously degraded over time.

With the period house reconfigured into four bedrooms with attendant bathrooms in traditional room proportions, the architects were free to place flexible living spaces into a contemporary two-story extension in the rear garden.