An architect designs a home around a breathtaking hidden garden, creating a layered family residence that feels like a landscape within a landscape. Set in Melbourne’s leafy north-eastern suburbs, Babylonia by FMD Architects is shaped by elevated gardens, mature gum trees and a strong connection between architecture and nature.
From the street, an architect designs a home around a breathtaking hidden garden by allowing the building to sit quietly among the existing trees. Rather than separating the residence from its setting, the architecture extends the experience of the landscape through the interior. Upon entry, a double-height space containing a sculptural concrete stair introduces what the architect describes as a concrete trunk. Rough materiality, natural light and framed garden views establish a sense of moving through a forested environment.
The main living areas are organised around a central courtyard, allowing sunlight to shift through the home throughout the day and across the seasons. These changing conditions give the interior a distinctive rhythm, while ensuring that visual connections to the garden remain present from multiple vantage points.
In the kitchen, an architect designs a home around a breathtaking hidden garden while responding closely to the practical needs of family life. The plan separates gathering, cooking and preparation zones, allowing several people to use the space without interruption. Integrated Fisher & Paykel appliances support the calm visual language of the cabinetry, with soft grey ovens selected to complement the surrounding stone. A scullery and varied refrigeration options further accommodate the routines of a family of four.
Functionality continues into the laundry, where multiple appliances and a Fabric Care Cabinet make everyday tasks more manageable. These highly practical spaces are treated with the same level of consideration as the main living areas, reflecting a broader approach in which architecture supports daily life without sacrificing visual cohesion.
Below ground, an architect designs a home around a breathtaking hidden garden through a more private and atmospheric sequence of spaces. The basement includes a cellar bar, dining area, games room, garage and pool, creating a flexible setting for both intimate gatherings and large celebrations. Terracotta brings an earthy, subterranean character to the pool area, chosen for its durability and long history as a material capable of withstanding water.
The adult wing offers a more enveloping expression of the timber palette, with Tasmanian oak wrapping the bedroom to create warmth and intimacy. Elsewhere, lighter stone and concrete balance the timber, maintaining a consistent relationship between the interiors and the surrounding trees.
Ultimately, an architect designs a home around a breathtaking hidden garden by creating spaces that can evolve with the family over time. Babylonia is defined not only by its suspended gardens and architectural form, but by flexibility, natural ventilation, changing light and thoughtful material use.
0:00 – Introduction To Babylonia By FMD Architects
1:45 – Walking Through A Landscape Within A Landscape
5:38 – A Material Palette Grounded In Nature
6:55 – A Home Designed To Evolve With Family Life
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Photography by Timothy Kaye.
Architecture by FMD Architects.
Build by Kapitol.
Landscape design by Eckersley Garden Architecture.
Joinery by LL Installations.
Appliances by Fisher & Paykel.
Artwork by Mira Gojak.
Filmed by The Local Production.
Edited by Enough Said Studios.
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.
#Architecture #HiddenGarden #Home
