An existing interwar duplex in Melbourne’s St Kilda East on a sloping site was the foundation of this challenging conversion project.

The two units had complex floor plans over three levels, including a detached basement. The interior was adapted primarily through the demolition of dividing walls and floors. The basement garage was connected through a new staircase and repurposed as the kids’ play area.

The solidity of the original building was respected through curved details and materials designed to emphasise mass. A new central void above the entry creates drama and provides visual clarity to the arrangement of spaces.

The building’s steep elevation provided excellent views but created a disconnection with the outdoors. A key gesture was burying the old garage doors behind a grassy hill to connect the main living space to the garden and swimming pool.

The result is a home that’s open and connected; an entertainer where young kids and pets can run wild.

Photography: Willem-Dirk du Toit