Handmade Petersen Kolumba™ bricks are a soft, tactile presence at the Jennings House

Jennings House is a bold architectural statement on a quiet, inner-city Melbourne street.

Taking inspiration from contemporary Europe, its thoughtful design balances brutalist and Belgian-inspired architecture, with refined and sophisticated interiors.

From the outset it’s clear: Jennings House is no ordinary design and build.

It’s the product of seamless collaboration between Webster Architecture and Interiors, and AGUSHI, from initial concept and design development to materiality and execution. And well-supported by Nathan Burkett Design on landscaping and Simone Haag on furniture, styling, object, and art.

And the result is breathtaking.

A warm, minimalist palette of handmade Petersen Kolumba™ bricks (K91), black steel, and glass delivers a beautiful combination of texture and tone on the external façade.

But what makes this design a clear standout is the clever depth and layering, which softens the boldness and turns the average house design on its head.

“A lot of projects use brick veneer construction to the ground floor, with a lightweight solution on the first floor, but we wanted to challenge this and, in a way, literally flip it on its head,” explains Dan Webster, Director, Webster Architecture and Interiors.

“So, the ground floor contains all of the lightweight materials, like the glass and steel, and the top floor is this super strong and bold structure built from a quality face brick. The Petersen brickwork gives the first floor a much more tactile look versus the smooth concrete look we typically build,” adds Bear Agushi, Director, AGUSHI.

The building’s sunken appearance from the street allows you to appreciate the mass of the first floor more intimately than in a typical dwelling. And, on entering the site, Petersen bricks greet you at eye level, so you’re acutely aware of the mass and weight being held up by what appears to be a light structure of black steel and glass underneath.

“Petersen bricks provide beautiful tonal variation and, being handmade, they’re quite an imperfect brick, which softens the facade. They help to make the ground floor appear light in structure, giving the perception that the majority of the brickwork is floating,” comments Dan.

“We love the tone of this brick and we knew that the slimline Kolumba™ brick would suit the architectural form of the home beautifully; it exudes an aura of great quality and looks simply stunning,” continues Bear.

An elevated garden on the first-floor balcony adds an extra layer of softness and depth to the strong form of the façade, acting like a fourth material to soften up the predominantly hard, semi-brutalist design. A double height void in the entrance canopy, “changes the feeling from the first-floor form being a block, to more of a shell, wrapped around the home, giving it a sense of lightness, and hinting at the detail and consideration to be revealed on the interiors,” explains Dan.

On the inside, a large, functional, and flexible home awaits, with five bedrooms, a study, and three living areas, allowing the owners to come together intimately as a family, or expand to welcome larger gatherings of extended family and friends. Natural materials and consistency of palette throughout contribute to a unified and harmonious aesthetic inside: “This project saw the pairing of form and texture throughout the whole home, balancing clean lines and restrained joinery design with much softer and more relaxed furnishings,” says Dan.

A highlight in the floor plan is the main living area, which spills out onto a terrace adjacent to the pool, complete with a built-in BBQ, kitchenette, and external bathroom. The home’s L-Shaped design wraps around the outdoor pool area, creating a strong connection between the internal spaces and the garden. So, despite sitting on a modest-sized block, the home has a huge outdoor space for the family’s three boys to enjoy. And, facing north, its rooms are flooded with natural light all day, all year round.

Jennings Home is a beautiful family retreat, perfect for spending time together. Webster Architecture and Interiors and AGUSHI are to be congratulated for delivering such a unique, spacious, and flexible home that will serve its family well for many years to come.

Architect: AGUSHI with Webster Architecture and Interiors
Builder: AGUSHI
Product: Petersen Kolumba™ K91 bricks
Landscaping: Nathan Burkett Design
Furniture/Styling: Simone Haag
Photography: Derek Swalwell