An architect designs a home as a deeply personal and evolving response to place, memory and family life. Located in Melbourne, this project by SJB reflects a 20-year relationship between architect and client, resulting in a residence that is both grounded in its past and carefully oriented towards the future. What began as a renovation nearly two decades ago has grown into a layered and considered expansion, connecting multiple sites into one cohesive home.
The approach centres on continuity. Rather than erasing what came before, the design retains and builds upon the existing brick structure, allowing the home’s history to remain legible. This decision informs both the architectural language and the interior expression, where material consistency and careful detailing create a sense of unity across old and new. Through this lens, an architect designs a home with restraint, ensuring each intervention feels intrinsic rather than imposed.
Arrival is defined by dual frontages, each offering a distinct entry sequence. A gallery-like threshold introduces the home through art and procession, leading into an informal living domain that anchors daily life. Here, kitchen, dining and a sunken lounge converge to form a central gathering space, attuned to the rhythms of a growing family. It is in these moments that an architect designs a home around lived experience rather than pure form.
Light and landscape play a pivotal role. Large expanses of glazing and sliding doors draw the outdoors inward, addressing previous limitations in solar access and establishing a strong relationship with the central courtyard. Each room engages with this landscaped heart, reinforcing a sense of openness and continuity. In this way, an architect designs a home that prioritises orientation and connection, ensuring that natural light and garden views are ever-present.
Internally, spaces are articulated through distinct atmospheres. A formal entertaining room offers calm and restraint, complemented by a reflective water feature and framed garden outlook. In contrast, the sunken lounge introduces depth and tactility through a richer palette, creating a more intimate environment at eye level with the landscape. A separate pavilion extends this diversity, housing a more relaxed setting defined by books, objects and layered detail. Together, these spaces provide variety and purpose, encouraging movement throughout the home.
Sustainability is approached through retention and longevity. By preserving the existing structure and aligning new additions with passive design principles, the project reduces material waste while enhancing liveability. Orientation ensures sunlight is harnessed effectively, while spatial planning supports natural ventilation and connection to the outdoors. These decisions reflect how an architect designs a home with long-term performance in mind.
Ultimately, this project demonstrates how an architect designs a home that is shaped as much by its occupants as by its architecture. It supports daily routines, accommodates change and reflects the identity of those who live within it. The result is a residence that feels both resolved and adaptable, where design excellence is measured not only in form, but in the life it enables.
0:00 – Introduction to An Architect’s Own Home That Took 15 Years to Complete
0:51 – The Brief: Expanding a 20-Year Legacy
1:49 – Materiality, Continuity & Craft
2:24 – Walk Through Of The Home
5:02 – Legacy Sustainability
5:30 – Proud Moments
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Photography by Alicia Taylor.
Architecture and interior design by SJB.
Build by Dome Building Projects.
Landscape design by Jack Merlo.
Filmed by Ryan Wehi.
Edited by The Local Production.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
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