Armadale House by Taylor Knights
Positioned on a prominent corner in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, Armadale House is a thoughtful response to a complex brief to create a modern family home that honours the legacy of its 1889 Victorian origins. Designed by Taylor Knights, the home blends a contemporary style with references to its history, balancing openness and privacy across the functional spaces within. The outcome emphasises social connectivity and calmness throughout.
A Thoughtful Approach To Heritage And Modernity
Positioned on a prominent corner in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, Armadale House is a thoughtful response to a complex brief to create a modern family home that honours the legacy of its 1889 Victorian origins. Taylor Knights approached this restoration with a light but deliberate hand, preserving the integrity of the original home while introducing subtle architectural gestures to support contemporary living.
A Return To A Single Family Home
Originally known as Tilted Afton, the residence had been converted into flats in the 1920s. Now reinstated as a single-family dwelling, the renovation works within the logic of the original floor plan to minimise intervention and maintain heritage value. The strategy was simple yet powerful: retain as much of the existing structure as possible, while introducing flexible zoning and new circulation paths to support multigenerational living.
A Sympathetic Addition
A modest new wing was added to the northern boundary, carefully scaled and detailed to reflect the masonry and proportions of the existing home. This addition establishes a clear yet sympathetic contrast — robust in form, refined in finish. Brickwork wraps around both old and new elements, unifying the built form and reinforcing a sense of permanence.
A Central Move That Frames Privacy
One of the project’s central moves was the reconfiguration of the garage, boundary wall and rear verandah into a singular brick volume. This new structure frames a courtyard at the heart of the home a private outdoor space complete with a pool, spa, fireplace, and alfresco dining area. It’s a sanctuary designed for social connection, offering relief from the pace of everyday life.
Spatial Organisation For Connection And Privacy
Internally, rooms are arranged to support both connection and privacy. A sunken lounge and kitchen island encourage shared moments, while formal living and dining areas provide calm spaces to retreat. A new gate and stair improve access and allow the family to move independently around the site.
Landscape Design That Complements The Experience
Landscape design, led by Ben Scott Garden Design, plays a pivotal role. The outdoor spaces aren’t an afterthought but integral to the experience of the home layered, calm, and immersive. The architecture and garden are designed to speak the same language, with soft thresholds and framed views that blur the boundary between indoors and out.
A Quietly Contemporary Result
Through careful calibration of materials, scale, and detail, Taylor Knights has delivered a home that is quietly contemporary, deeply rooted in its past, and adaptable for the future.
Photography by Sharyn Cairns
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