River Bend Repair by Vaughan Howard Architects

River Bend Home represents greater than only a dwelling; it’s an integral a part of a broader idea, imaginative and prescient and group. At present, the home stands as a testomony to one thing far larger and extra important than even Alistair Knox, the unique architect, may need envisioned. The house is nestled in Garambi Baanj, an space that holds immense cultural and historic significance for the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung folks.

Additionally it is located inside a protected ecological zone, on account of the Victorian authorities buying personal properties alongside the Birrarung (Yarra) River within the Sixties and ‘70s. This initiative aimed to protect riverfront areas, creating inexperienced wedges round Melbourne’s waterways and safeguarding riparian habitats. River Bend Home and a group of different homes concentrated alongside Laughing Waters Highway in Eltham have been protected in consequence – for use as ranger stations, as areas for temporary cultural applications, or just left vacant.

But it surely was on this forgotten place that Eugene Howard, the director and CEO of non-profit arts and cultural organisation In Place, discovered promise and potential. Having noticed for a number of years the appreciable lack of artist residencies in Melbourne, particularly precinct-style residencies in non-urban areas, he began to ponder whether or not Garambi Baanj and its present homes might function that cultural precinct he felt was missing from the scene.

“After a protracted planning course of, In Place now has duty for all of the state-owned buildings within the entirety of the Garambi Baanj conservation zone,” mentioned Eugene. “All these buildings at the moment are utilized by In Place for our multi-streamed residency program, which has a precedence entry stream to our main companions, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Company.”

River Bend Home had fallen into a very dire situation after almost a decade of neglect. Eugene engaged his brother, Vaughan Howard of Vaughan Howard Architects, to revive the 1968 Alistair Knox-designed home beforehand often known as Cumming Home. The challenge revolved round an idea of restore – a frightening job given the roof was severely rusted, the kitchen was decayed and a fallen tree had smashed by way of one of many eaves, inflicting harm to one of many fascia beams.

“It was trying fairly unhappy,” Vaughan admitted. “Though the home isn’t heritage-listed, we at all times handled it like a heritage challenge,” he added, additional clarifying that “restore” not solely referred to mending harm however “elevating the qualities of present supplies.” This meant bringing the construction closest to its authentic state by peeling again the layers that had amassed over time, together with an incongruous pinkish-purple paint that coated the window frames and a synthetic coating on the slate flooring. The ground was resealed with pure linseed oil and the cedar window frames have been additionally sanded again and re-oiled, leading to a extra cohesive and harmonious dialogue with the unique traits of the house. For the roof alternative, Vaughan and Eugene enlisted the assistance of heritage guide and architect Samantha Westbrooke to decide on a roof profile that will complement the present home.

Any new insertions woven into the present home additionally purpose to seize the spirit of the unique, in addition to mirror the colors and textures current within the surrounding bushland. Blackbutt veneer takes the place of the previous hardwood plywood lining boards within the kitchen, providing an analogous however barely distinct aesthetic in comparison with the earlier kitchen. The heat of the veneer is complemented with new splashback tiles that reference the crafted high quality of Eltham, its constructed context and the wealthy custom of ceramic artisans that the suburb has been residence to. Chosen to reflect the hues of the encompassing bushland, the splashback tiles have been handcrafted with eucalyptus ash embedded into the tile. Moreover, the unpolished stainless-steel benches have been chosen to seize a number of the reflections from the river beneath.

“We wished to choose up on a number of the experiential qualities of the positioning and amplify that by way of supplies,” mentioned Vaughan.

The format stayed largely unchanged, apart from the elimination of a wall between the kitchen and eating room. This alteration enhances the connection between the kitchen and the remainder of the home, making a extra open dwelling house. A second wall between the previous walk-in pantry and ensuite was additionally eliminated, enabling the toilet to be enlarged and a tiny step-up bathe to get replaced with a beneficiant and extra accessible walk-in bathe.

Vaughan emphasised that River Bend Home isn’t meant to be a lavish, five-star getaway within the wilderness. Quite, it presents residents the temporary alternative to expertise the house in its near-original situation whereas fostering a reference to the encompassing panorama. Throughout the evenings, it could get chilly, and chances are you’ll have to rug up, however that’s a part of the expertise.

This overarching challenge transcends mere residence renovations – it serves as a blueprint for future cultural precinct developments and an exemplar for reviving deserted residences. But it surely’s additionally about folks: creating communities, connecting artists to alternatives and forming respectful relationships with Conventional Custodians.

And for Vaughan, River Bend represents only a small piece of a a lot bigger imaginative and prescient and trigger.

The properties within the Garambi Baanj/Laughing Waters Cultural Precinct are used as live-in residencies for artists throughout all disciplines. Residents could be based mostly there from wherever between just a few nights to a few months, with three-week residencies the commonest. River Bend Home is especially suited to writers, researchers, filmmakers and small teams, but it surely additionally possesses an hooked up studio and workspace for different disciplines of artwork.