- Design House: Studio Bright
- Project Name: Ruckers Hill House
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Situated in Melbourne’s Northcote neighbourhood, Studio Bright has beautifully reimagined Ruckers Hill House in a way that remains true to its Edwardian foundations, taking these original elements and fitting them to a contemporary brief.
Take a quick tour of this project below.
Sensible yet playful, curious yet reliable; the brief for the redesign of Ruckers Hill House was to create a space that was interesting and flexible for the creative family inhabiting the space. The home was restored and enlarged with new living spaces within a separate rear garden pavilion. Rooms were constructed to accommodate the hobbies and interests of the family that lives there - from theatre and music to reading and tigers (though the latter just gave one bedroom its strong golds and blacks).
Sustainability and community were hugely important in bringing the space to life. “We believe even private houses should have civic ambitions”, said Studio Bright. “From references to neighbouring corrugated iron fences to street-edge planters that soften the streetscape, our ambition is to animate the local context and add to the greenspace of the city.”
Studio Bright positioned the addition with attention to solar principles and efficiency. “North facing living spaces catch the winter sun and deep eaves prevent summer sun from entering the interior. Similarly, the link behaves like a sunroom in winter and opens up in summer, becoming part of the garden as children weave and play within its archways.”
We believe even private houses should have civic ambitions. From references to neighbouring corrugated iron fences to street-edge planters that soften the streetscape, our ambition is to animate the local context and add to the greenspace of the city.
Studio Bright’s circular approach extends to the businesses that helped bring the project to life. “We have worked with diverse makers and designers, with a focus on businesses that are local, emerging or that support Indigenous people”, said Studio Bright. “We continue to be grateful to work with the brilliant builders and craftspeople that realise our work with such care and precision”.
Ruckers Hill House is bold and monolithic, where large format elements play cleverly with the scale and proportions of the home. With respect for history but adaption to our modern-day needs, Studio Bright have created a space that truly is the way of the future.
