South Yarra Residence
By Robertson's Building Products
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 KolumbaTM 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 KolumbaTM 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 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
Product: Petersen Kolumba bricks K55
Photography: Trevor Mein
Products used in
South Yarra Residence
Professionals used in
South Yarra Residence
More projects from
Robertson's Building Products
About the
Professional
A building products innovator, Robertson's Building Products provides innovative, customised wall and floor solutions to help architects, designers, builders and homeowners transform their visions into practical, high quality, award-winning designs, and leading edge projects in their field.
What sets us apart is the unique nature, breadth and quality of the products we supply, their flexibility to adapt to your project’s requirements, and the personalised service and proven expertise we bring to develop the best solution for you.
Our unique clay, glass and stone bricks and brick facing tiles and brick slips will enrich and invigorate your projects with their unconventional and contrasting textures, and their countless special colours and sizes, helping you to achieve state of the art designs. Using our products, your project won’t look like anything else on the street, but will become the leader others seek to follow.
And, our product range keeps growing. We’re continuously developing existing products and sourcing new bricks and thin brick tiles, both locally and internationally.
Just think of Robertson's Building Products as your partner in design: our approach is collaborative, considered and open, driven by a love of good design. We listen carefully, understand your needs and use our proven industry expertise to make it easy for you to find the best solution.
- ArchiPro Member since2023
- Follow
- Locations
- More information