Some of the most charming residences in Melbourne are Victorian-era terraces, however, without proper upkeep time marches on and many once spectacular homes inevitably fall into disrepair. There’s no right way to bring a dwelling back to life, but if you were looking for inspiration this South Yarra terrace renovation by the team at Matt Gibson Architecture + Design is a winner from every angle.
Located in the well-to-do streets south of Melbourne’s dividing river, this St Martins Lane terrace conversion offers a template for transforming a 20th-century home into one fit for the 21st. It’s also an ideal blueprint for maximising your inner city block of land as much as you can, with the design team adding a three-level extension to the rear of the property.
While it might sound too significant to preserve the heritage of the century-old home, the front facade of the dwelling was kept to ensure street-facing consistency with the surrounding buildings, while the laneway accessible back of the home has been contemporarily updated. This sees the main entrance of the property relocated to the laneway, with the layout of the interior reorganised for this entry point.
Splitting the historical and the modern sections of the home is a spectacular staircase that tightly winds itself from the ground level all the way up to the tranquillity-drenched rooftop. The original Victorian structure was renovated to now feature a new kitchen and updated master bedroom, while the extension features cascading balconies, living space, a study and an additional two bedrooms.
By building up, rather than out, Matt Gibson Architecture + Design increased the outside areas from 10% of the original block layout to an impressive 50%, turning the old front garden into a rear courtyard and the previous laneway drive entry into a garden with a deck area. It’s a thoughtful approach to restoring a charming example of Melbourne’s architectural heritage while improving its livability and catapulting its interior into the present moment.
All image credits to Shannon McGrath.
