In Melbourne’s tranquil suburb of Kew, Echo House by Parabolica delicately reimagines an existing family residence through a thoughtful dialogue with Australian modernism.
At the heart of Echo House lies a strikingly sculptural feature: a towering bookshelf which elegantly frames the home's central ground floor. This element cleverly performs a dual role—creating an impressive backdrop for the client's cherished collection of literature and artefacts, while simultaneously emphasizing verticality and drawing attention toward the grand piano and gracefully ascending staircase. The result is an interior that feels both intimately personal and expansively poetic.
The upper level introduces a calm yet sophisticated private sphere with bedrooms, bathrooms, and a secluded study opening onto an adjacent terrace. Timber screens delicately modulate the terrace's connection to the streetscape, enabling filtered daylight to spill into rooms while preserving privacy. The meticulous application of full-height glazing beneath protective eaves further invites natural surroundings into everyday spaces, dissolving boundaries and subtly bridging the interior with the lush greenery outside.
Materiality in Echo House plays a crucial role, where the intentional selection and interplay of textures create moments of quiet visual drama. The juxtaposition of light and dark timbers is thoughtfully balanced against the rhythmic overlapping of rooflines, a motif that reinforces the home's overall design vocabulary. Each detail is considered with precision, embodying a refined sensibility that is modern yet timelessly serene.
Through its nuanced interplay of space, light, and material contrast, Echo House elegantly demonstrates how respectful reinterpretation can breathe new vitality into residential architecture, capturing both the continuity and progression of modern Australian design.
