Chestnut is a small urban infill development on a corner block in Cremorne. Materials and form are simple and unadorned, taking cues from the surrounding context. Siting maximizes north light, providing a platform for a traditional family dwelling on a small footprint.

The Melbourne suburb of Cremorne delivers great possibility for exploring new forms of interaction between urban dwellings and heritage surroundings. The client brief for this project included three clear requirements: to deliver an urban infill development within sensitive heritage context, to provide strong reference to surrounding context in scale, form and building mass and to provide an increase to inner urban density without compromising resident amenity. All three of these requirements were meticulously explored and delivered through planning of several design options.

In order to complement the gritty Cremorne backdrop, the materials used were deliberately simple, unrefined, unadorned and visually robust. In addition, the unembellished form doesn’t visually compete with the surrounding decorative heritage dwelling; and the built form of the development directly references its surrounding context, form, mass and material. It is an abstracted hybridization of the three immediate surrounding dwellings.

Simple orientation was the guiding and underlying sustainable feature of the development. Therefore, it was important to realign the East West orientation of the block to create two north facing dwellings. Simple passive details such as operable roof windows were also implemented to create an outstanding thermal chimney for exhausting hot air and flow ventilation.

Two Little Chestnuts creates an opportunity for a traditional family living on a compact inner-city footprint without compromising resident amenity. Spaces work hard, creating a highly efficient and flexible zones that can adapt to family needs. The robust and considered design provides ease of living, with minimal maintenance required, perfect for busy young families, or those wanting to downsize.