Project: Oban House
Architects: David Watson Architect and AGUSHI
Location: South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
Area: 3,982 sq ft
Photographs by: Armelle Habib
Oban House by AGUSHI and David Watson Architect
The Oban House is a project designed by David Watson Architect and completed by AGUSHI. It is a luxury home located in the inner city suburb of South Yarra in Melbourne, Australia. It is positioned at the end of a hidden away cul de sac, among the hustle and bustle of the Hawksburn precinct of South Yarra. The clients wanted to build themselves a new contemporary styled home that would offer simple, low maintenance living that was spacious for their family but still felt cozy and homely.
From the architects: “The client’s brief was to provide a low maintenance contemporary home that utilizes a natural and organic material pallet whilst having a slightly industrial, yet warm feel.
The house accommodates 2 living zones, study, kitchen with butler’s pantry, 4 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms and a separate upstairs living zone. The two levels of the house are accessed by a lift and the house offers a rarity for South Yarra being a generous 2 car off street garage. Outside is an 8 metre pool and north east facing garden, tiled alfresco area for outfoor entertainment and discreet plant and equipment area. The house is orientated around a central courtyard providing northern light into the two living areas and a smaller north courtyard filles the study with a bright landscaped outlook.
Externally the house is largely rendered in a Roman finished render offering a crazed patina look and has a kind of fortress appeal with only one front facing window which is covered by operable louvred screen to protect the bedroom from the harsh afternoon sun. The lower section of the house is largely comprised of floor to ceiling windows and black Zinc cladding conceals the garage.
Internally natural and blackened American Oak is abundant in the joinery and wall paneling whilst European oak and travertine dominate the floor finishes. An Oak battened ceiling gives the dining and alfresco areas a distinct sense of separation from the open plan design. Off form concrete walls and structural columns, and oxidized steel cladding in bathrooms give an industrial touch with Calacutta marble offsetting this industrial feel with a lux enhancement.
Positioned on only 480m2 of land, this house at 370m2 of living and garage offer a highly unique experience for inner city Melbourne living. The spaces are large without feeling cavernous and the abundant use of glazing brings so much natural light into the home that ones feels like they are outside as much as they are inside.”
