Moonee Ponds Residence
The Melbourne home that Architecton Director Nick Lukas designed for himself and his family balances the simplicity of rectilinear forms and raw materials such as concrete, steel, and glass with elegant, detailed interiors. Externally, the architecture reads like a series of intersecting light and dark planes. Despite the abundance of glass, the front façade is deliberately closed, with a deep setback and double-height off-form concrete wall creating a sense of protection from the street. Operable black louver screens create an additional layer across the glazing that allows the level of privacy and sunlight to be controlled.
Photography by © Dave Kulesza
The design balances the simplicity of rectilinear forms and raw materials such as concrete, steel, and glass with elegant, detailed interiors. With both the exterior screen and the curtains inside covering the glass, it is the entry points that create a sense of volume. The dark front door and basement garage are inset slightly into the building, which draws the eye inward. The parallel lines that define the landscaping also emphasise these points of entry, with walls, paths, and garden beds all leading into the house, creating a sequence that moves from the street, through the garden, to arrive at the entrance. Photography by © Dave Kulesza
Off-form concrete was a key element of the design from the beginning. Moving from the front of the building, where the concrete double-height wall is the do...