An architect-owner's eclectic laneway home that restores Victorian features with a contemporary twist

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07 April 2024

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4 min read

Snugly positioned in the laneways of Melbourne’s oldest suburb, Fitzroy, is a home that is captivating in presentation and garners plenty of attention from passersby.
Snugly positioned in the laneways of Melbourne’s oldest suburb, Fitzroy, is a home that is captivating in presentation and garners plenty of attention from passersby.
A home unlike any other, Fitzroy Laneway House combines the ascetic qualities of traditional Victorian dwellings with a steel and timber-clad extension that gives the impression of a tiny house in its own right. Together, something entirely original comes to life.
Fitzroy Laneway House's design prioritises a balance between relaxation and robustness.
The striking project combines a whitewashed heritage terrace with a slick black extension to incredible monochromatic effect.
The project is also the home of the client-architect Andrew Child, who takes the concept of alignment and makes it something truly unique.
Onlookers should feel an unmistakable sense of cohesion within the vibrant Fitzroy landscape.
The project becomes an exploration of bridging the old world and the modern day, effortlessly morphing the existing Victorian site with a contemporary intervention.
Stunning textural finishes are prominent throughout the earthy, light-filled home.
Tiling the walls in an eye-catching emerald hue, the space creates a bold statement.
One element of the space is a particularly noteworthy design choice – a verdant green-tiled bathroom.
“One of the challenges was being my own client and I’m the worst client I’ve ever had,” says Child.
Even the kitchen incorporates ‘lifted’ stone-like pavements that aren’t often incorporated within the insides of a home.
A deliberate blurring of boundaries between inside and out fosters a spacious, open feel, unlike the traditional formality of Victorian architecture.
The green theme spills out into a light-filled courtyard abundant with greenery.
There’s a whimsical nature to the build, and a unique design decision on Child’s behalf to combine two separate structures.
“We actually quite liked the fact that [the laneway extension] looks like a skinny, separate house. That's kind of deliberate."
The five-metre existing section, clad in white masonry, retains its charming appeal and grandeur.