ECHO HOUSE
Parabolica
ARCHITECTS
Parabolica
PHOTOGRAPHS
Pier Carthew
STYLING
Jess Kneebone
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Melbourne, Australia
CATEGORY
Houses
English description provided by the architects.
Echo House is the reinterpretation of a much-loved family home - a reassembly of memory, atmosphere, and form through the lens of Australian modernism.
The original dwelling, though modest, held a distinct architectural character. Its low roof planes, expressed timber fascia, and material palette are borrowed quietly from mid-century architecture.
The new interior was designed as a contemporary reinterpretation, yet with a familiar connection to the former single-storey brick dwelling that once occupied the site.
This would be the method of conservation - an echo that preserved the soul of the original home.
Rather than replicate what stood before, the project sought to recreate its rhythms, proportions, and presence.
The simplicity of the architecture becomes a backdrop for living. Intentionally quiet, with touch points of warmth and tactility.
The project explores light, volume, and texture through the interplay of contrasting materials. A substantial bookshelf delineates the central area and staircase.
Extending full-height into the void above, the shelving creates a sense of verticality and enhances the height of the space. Designed to display our clients' treasured books and artefacts, this is the heart of the home.
Living areas are grounded by concrete masonry walls that evoke permanence. Locally sourced Tasmanian Oak adds warmth and texture, complemented by natural stone.
Upstairs, quieter spaces. A terrace screened in vertical timber balances light and privacy.
Full-height glazing beneath deep eaves frames views of garden and sky, blurring the boundary between inside and out.
Echo House does not attempt to reconstruct what was lost. It carries forward its essence - a continuation, rather than a replica, of what once was.
