Kelso

Vibe Design Group’s Kelso project is a family home nestled amongst a heritage area within a wider industrial and commercial setting. The site is in proximity to the iconic Nylex clock near Richmond, Melbourne.

The brief called for large open spaces in a modern timeless style and a home that could be an oasis from the city, with reminders of its locality. This is epitomized in the design with thoughtful integration of the light well and outdoor spaces that interact with the frequented living areas, giving it a vast sense of space. The use of uneven bluestone alludes to the cobbled Melbourne laneways while the express joint cladding and aluminum fins connect the house to its semi-industrial surroundings.

The viewpoints on this project were specifically calculated to ensure privacy from its immediate neighbors without denying its unique proximity to Melbourne’s iconic landscape. Both the street fronted master bedroom and rear outdoor spaces admire the scale of the Nylex clock & Silos, while the clients' young son sees the lights of the MCG from the rear bedroom.

The height transition in the front facade approaches the single-story heritage neighbor kindly. Access to the raised rear carport is uniquely central to a wide residential street.

An entering guest is immediately met with a great open space flanked by a long line veneer wall — without knowledge of its integrated access points to storage spaces and other rooms. Standing in the lounge and dining area, a highlight window frames a letterbox view back to the Silos, setting the tone for the journey to come.