HUTCHINSON ST

"WE FIND BEAUTY NOT IN THE THING ITSELF BUT IN THE PATTERNS OF SHADOWS,

THE LIGHT AND THE DARKNESS.

…WERE IT NOT FOR SHADOWS, THERE WOULD BE NO BEAUTY."

- JUN'ICHIRO TANIZAKI, IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS

OUR HUTCHINSON STREET PROJECT PRESERVES AN ORIGINAL VICTORIAN HOME, EXTENDED UPON WITH A PREFAB ADDITION & LAYERED WITH A LUSH SUB-TROPICAL GARDEN.

Inverting the Australian trend for light, bright homes, this project embraces a Japanese wabi design philosophy explored through the lens of Jun’ichiro Tanizki’s book ‘In Praise of Shadows’ where large eaves and internal courtyards provide the home with a soft, more diffuse light that gently track the sun’s movements throughout the day.

The original double-fronted Victorian rooms were preserved and thoroughly insulated, with windows and doors updated to create a traditional facade. The installation of recycled floorboards flow through to the extension, allowing for a graceful interior transition from the old to the new.

The extension is a black cedar box, with warm timber window and slatted cypress verandah, framed by a lush tropical garden. The original house is painted with a complimentary dark exterior, allowing the architectural forms to recede as a backdrop for the garden. A calm balancing of recycled timbers with Japanese tiles and granite benchtops, this home is an expression of humble luxury. 

COLLABORATORS

DESIGN TEAM: KIM KNEIPP
LOCATION: BRUNSWICK EAST, VICTORIA
YEAR OF COMPLETION: 2016


BUILDER: ARKIT PREFAB ARCHITECTURE
JOINERY: WOODCRAFT MOBILIAR
PHOTOGRAPHER: LISA COHEN & VIRGINIA CUMMINS

Interior of a cozy living room with exposed brick fireplace, a large mirror reflecting a wicker pendant light, bookshelves filled with books, a beige sofa, and a small wooden stool on a patterned rug.
Decorative vases on a black surface, with a framed black and white photograph on the white wall and a bookshelf partially visible in the background.
Decorative dried plant arrangement in a tall glass vase on a wooden and black marble side table, with wooden carved objects and a white dish of small white stones nearby.
Small garden pond with rocks and a tiny waterfall surrounded by lush green plants and leaves.
A backyard garden with a wooden house on the right, vibrant red and green plants, rocks along the edge, and a lawn with some gardening tools.
Close-up of red and green leaves with a dark wooden trellis in the background
A woman with dark hair and a pink and red outfit sitting on a wooden porch step, surrounded by green and red leafy plants.
An outdoor garden scene with a small round table and two teal chairs surrounded by lush green foliage and colorful plants.
A woman dressed in pink with a traditional kimono-style outfit walking away on a stone pathway in a lush garden with various green plants and colorful flowers.
A bathroom sink with a oval, white vessel basin and a vintage brass faucet mounted on a gray stone countertop. Above the sink is an oval mirror with a decorative border, reflecting a potted plant hanging near a window with natural light. The bathroom
Wooden patio with a hanging rattan chair, cushions, a small wooden block, potted plants, and lush climbing foliage creating a cozy backyard space.
A woman sitting on the front steps of a house surrounded by lush green plants and climbing vines forming an archway.
Kitchen with a view of a bamboo garden through a sliding glass door.
A wooden table near a window with sunlight, holding a stack of art or geology books topped with a skull, surrounded by ceramic vases of various shapes and colors, and a potted plant with large dark green leaves.
A modern wooden house with an upper balcony, surrounded by lush green plants and a well-maintained lawn with some scattered balls.
Cozy reading nook with a window seat and brown leather cushion, adjacent to a black wooden bookshelf filled with CDs, a framed art piece, a salt lamp, and a small wooden stump used as a stool. Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating part of
A lush garden with various green plants, a small tree, and a bird feeder hanging from the tree.
A wooden sideboard with vintage vases, bottles and a typewriter, near a large window overlooking a garden full of green plants.