Injecting new purpose and an open sense of assembly, Prahran Residence reorients an existing heritage home to embrace natural light and internal connections. Melanie Beynon overlays refined, modern insertions to ensure the resulting structure captures its past whilst crisply awaiting its coming chapters.

Whilst the preservation of architectural history is integral to maintaining an area’s character, so too is embedding an appropriate liveability for its current occupants. In combining both old and new elements through a refreshing lens, Prahran Residence is given a new life through the overlay of a considered and connected planning approach. Located to the south of the river in Melbourne, its closely and densely populated surrounds respond modestly to the restrictions on site and the need to optimise the opportunities at hand. Originally designed and built in the Edwardian era, the humble and quaint home was reflective of its time – separate formal spaces, lacking light and a sense of internal flow. Melanie Beynon fuses the past with references to the personalities of its current custodians, crafting a series of animated yet muted spaces.

A mostly monochromatic palette is applied throughout, seeing stone and specialised metal elements added to elevate interaction.To maximise the feeling of being open, the compact home needed to integrate several custom solutions for storage and amenity. Whilst the original front rooms create a sense of separation, these become the ideal placement for sleeping and retreat spaces. Then, moving through the home towards the rear, an addition opens generously into one combined space. Bringing together the kitchen, dining and living reflects how we live today whilst sliding panel doors allow the rear space to be opened or divided based on use, adding an element of flexibility to the space.

Stretching lengthways, the home is distinctively linear; opening to the side and above allowed a better connection to both natural light and to the landscape. To the rear, a more densely populated courtyard space awaits with outdoor furniture to optimise the warmer days. New openings then allow the home to be ventilated naturally and for its owners to live more passively in place. A mostly monochromatic palette is applied throughout, seeing stone and specialised metal elements added to elevate interaction. Through a common base foundation of finishes and materiality, inserted furniture, artwork and lighting can be altered and curated as needed based on use, affections and changing tastes over time.