Petersen Kolumba™ bricks turn heads in South Yarra

Australia’s first Petersen bricks project in Melbourne created a huge buzz in the neighbourhood.

In a very quiet and extremely narrow street in South Yarra, architect Robert Simeoni used the Petersen K55 bricks from the Kolumba™ range to complement an extraordinary architect designed home, taking it beyond the realm of the ordinary and into a completely unexpected residential delight that will be enjoyed by its owners for years to come.

When Robert worked with his clients to re-design their South Yarra home, the objectives were simple: to create a stylish, practical, low maintenance home to enjoy now and into their retirement years. But for Robert, simply meeting the client’s brief was not an option. Robert was determined to deliver something truly inspiring and unexpected to ensure his clients would be very happy and comfortable living there for the long term.

Faced with a challenging site – an extremely tight space, located within an older urban streetscape on a very narrow street – the immediate challenge for Robert was to design a form that respected the street scale, yet didn’t look out of place or feel like a box.

It was Robertson’s Building Products’ highly sought after Petersen brick samples that saved the day. The colours, texture and form offered something unique while still capturing the character and history of clay. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces perfectly fit. “We chose the K55 bricks, from Petersen’s Kolumba™ range, for their sheer beauty and unique nature. And because they are small, they helped to change the scale of the building, breaking it down,” commented Robert.

So how exactly did the Petersen bricks perfectly fit the design? “The Petersen Kolumba™ bricks are beautiful. Each brick is handmade, complete with the brick maker’s thumbprints, so they are not regular. They add an abstract quality and a dramatic, strong form to the building,” added Robert. This was exactly the outcome he was after.

This may be the first Petersen project on the ground in Australia but it will certainly not be the last. Robert was very quick to reply, “yes” when asked whether he’d use the bricks again. And it’s not at all surprising because the result, which you can see, is simply outstanding.

Architect: Robert Simeoni Architects
Product: Petersen Kolumba™ bricks K55
Photography: Trevor Mein