Alto embodies a conscientious response to the theme of modern meeting traditional, often seen in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Responding to this design language, the house nestles into its setting with a folded form that mimics the elbowed site. Jolson’s approach to the rich historical cul de sac location elevates the programme for a heritage home to meet the needs of a modern family. The gesture of the fold flows through the interior spaces in dialogue with the architecture, contrasting graphic elements which offset the ornate.

The significant renovation retains the features which bind it to its neighbours, though beyond the familiar red brick, an irregular play of window forms and verdant garden is a layering of texture and modernisation subtly gradated throughout the home. The interplay between existing and new begins from the first glimpse on approach. The original front door has been reinstated, re-characterised with an oversized front step to amplify the arrival sequence. A semi-circular opening in the entry canopy imitates the arched window it surrounds, offering a shady place for a potted plant to reach tendrils up towards the sky. 

Inside this threshold, the arrival space is full of light. Jolson’s double height void has been crafted to allow a moment of harmony between new and old where the spiral stair is a simple gesture to complement the original windows, held off the walls to create a meaningful interaction through its separation. A nuanced shift is felt between the natural light from the windows and that from new fittings pinned off the wall. These bold fittings mimic the play of natural light in this space, directed to bounce off the walls in such a way that the two qualities blend, indistinguishable from one another.