Entry into Toorak House is directly through a 3 metre garden wall, into a single volume that bounds both internal and external north facing living spaces and divides the public and private realms of the house.
Project Name: Toorak House
Studio Name: AM Architecture
Project size: 230 m2
Site size: 498 m2
Completion date: 2012
Building levels: 1
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Photography: Dianna Snape
When lit subtly at night or when winter sun penetrates deep into the room, the black wall recedes to provide a backdrop for garden planting and artwork within. The central space is articulated by a stepped bluestone wall that screens the living areas from the entry, and defines a secondary internal courtyard.
This stone extends inside to become a seat, hearth, a bookcase and hold the kitchen, hinting towards a monolithic stone ruin which the living areas have been built around.
The rear of the building is set into a terracing site with full height windows onto raised garden beds bringing the green into each room.
