Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh

Melbourne, Australia
  • Architects: Wood/Marsh
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1930
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2018
  • Photographs
    Photographs:John Gollings
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Focus
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Exterior Photography, Garden
© John Gollings

Text description provided by the architects. Conceived as a sculpture to live within, the Towers Road House represents a shared belief between clients and architects that contemporary art enriches life in a profound and meaningful way. Challenging standard notions of domesticity, the abstract form of the building curves around the sloping site, referencing Christo’s Running Fence, introducing a public interface with conceptual art to the established suburb of Toorak. 

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Exterior Photography, Facade
© John Gollings
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Image 29 of 31
Basement and ground floor plan
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Exterior Photography, Garden
© John Gollings

Like a curtain, the substantial concrete wall carves out a series of landscaped arcs eliminating the archetypal boundary fence, extending the garden to the street, and blurring the demarcation between public and private space. Simultaneously, this gesture generates a secluded private realm and the opportunity to open all living and bedroom spaces onto a northern garden. The top of the building is a horizontal line, finished with a three-dimensional hemisphere draped to gently penetrate the seemingly impenetrable mass below. Clad in zinc, the form references an inverted roof or dome, further transforming architectural conventions into sculptural elements.

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Exterior Photography, Garden, Concrete
© John Gollings
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Image 31 of 31
Elevations
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Stairs, Wood
© John Gollings

Eliminating fenestration to the street, the site is entered from a winding path through monumental concrete walls and informal gardens encircling a spherical portico set below street level. The wall is punctuated by a single door that leads one through a dramatic double-height corridor. The dark, narrow passage creates a moment’s pause in the arrival sequence as the impressive verticality of the gently curving raw concrete formwork reveals itself internally. 

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Living Room, Bedroom
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Windows, Chair
© John Gollings

In absolute contrast to the austerity of the perimeter structure, the building opens to a fully glazed northern façade, filling the interior with an abundance of natural light and embracing the landscaped garden and views to a 150-year-old plane tree.

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Glass
Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Concrete

Responding to the client brief, the program is separated by levels creating flexible, inviting living spaces with integrated art galleries on the ground level. The circular sunken lounge is designed to pay homage to the familial central gathering space around a fireplace. Accessible by a curving dual staircase wrapping around an exposed concrete wall, the private spaces are located upstairs, divided into separate wings for the parents and the children. Additional spaces to accommodate an art gallery, wine cellar, and car parking are located at the basement level.

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography, Concrete

A large private outdoor space beneath the plane tree canopy sits adjacent to a swimming pool and pool house, shielded from view by the heavily planted boundary. Small pockets of gardens are planted in the niches formed by the concave external walls allowing verdant views without compromising privacy.

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Interior Photography
© John Gollings

Sculptural, the building’s contemporary language stands it in contrast to its conventional neighbours, satisfying the clients' desire for a bold and unexpected home embodying their commitment to contemporary Australian art and architecture.

Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh - Exterior Photography, Facade, Concrete
© John Gollings

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About this office
Cite: "Towers Road House / Wood/Marsh" 04 Jun 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/940990/towers-road-house-wood-marsh> ISSN 0719-8884

© John Gollings

墨尔本‘雕塑’住宅 / Wood/Marsh

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