Somme Houses in Edithvale, Melbourne Residences, Homes, Australian Architecture, Images
Somme Houses in Edithvale
Real Estate Project in Victoria, Australia ? design by Jarchitecture, architects
8 Jan 2018
Somme Houses
Architects: Jarchitecture
Location: Edithvale, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Somme Houses

This development of two townhouses sits on a quiet cul-de-sac at one end and a beach on the other. Given the sites contextual tension between urbanism and landscape, the design is squeezed and defensive looking at one end and at the other end expands while the massing breaks down toward nature. As a response to the harsh environment at the site, the materials palette works on the premise of ‘tough on the outside, soft on the inside?; external materials are raw, robust and no maintenance, while the interior is soft on the eye and to the touch.
The exterior materials are robust in response to the sea?s destructive power and mixed in response to the assorted housing styles of the neighbourhood. The exterior materials are mainly untreated and have a long-life cycle with little to no maintenance. The dwellings incorporate varying materials and textures to break down the scale and reduce visual bulk. Cladding materials include corten steel which has a rusted finish, effectively beating the sea to the punch line.

Also included are recycled timber/plastic boards, mimicking the weatherboards in the area but in a contemporary recycled material that does not deteriorate for...