Located on the corner of two narrow, cobbled back streets in the heart of the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, the Leicester Street Townhomes provide a contemporary, hybridised take on the Victorian terraces and post-war brick warehouses of this inner urban locale. When our client, FourSq acquired the site, it came with an existing block of outdated flats, and an active planning permit for a 30 apartment development. Fortunately, FourSq saw the potential of the site, and was motivated to achieve a better outcome and explore a very different design direction. Together we created a truly unique housing offering: a collection of five, high-end vertical homes that provide versatile, comfortable, inner-urban living spaces and simultaneously shape a sense of respite from and connection with the immediate Fitzroy neighbourhood.
FourSq
Leicester Street Townhomes
Small footprint, generous, thoughtfully crafted homes that embrace and evolve the local character.
- Client
- FourSq
- Location
- Fitzroy, VIC
- Country
- Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung
- Year
- 2017 – 2019
Big Picture Thinking
Our design approach sought to maximise the built footprint, reinterpreting the idea of high-density living by providing low maintenance, generous vertical homes that offer all of the amenity of a single-level house, in an inner-urban context. Providing a sense of address with a bold masonry tower landmark to the corner, each of the five mini-towers are arranged around a long internal, richly landscaped courtyard, facilitating natural light and cross ventilation to each home, and creating a sense of sanctuary and retreat from the street. Every inch of these four level homes is hard working and considerate of an ageing in place market, incorporating two or three generous bedrooms with ensuite and walk-in robe, a private internal lift, car stackers, landscaped rooftop terraces, and a versatile space at ground level that can be utilised as an extra bedroom, lounge or office. Physically and psychologically separated just enough from the rest of the home, these ground floor spaces feature a door to the street so that clients, grown-up children or housemates can come and go independently.
