Set within the established residential fabric of Brighton, this project reimagines a grand pseudo-Georgian residence through a comprehensive architectural renewal. Rather than replacing the ageing home, the design embraces the strength of its original proportions and symmetry, undertaking a substantial internal and rear reconstruction to reshape the dwelling for contemporary living.
Walls were reconfigured, structure reconsidered, and spatial relationships re-established to create a home that is open, generous and deeply connected to its landscape. A carefully curated palette of materials including Calacatta Viola stone, warm timber veneers and hand-patinated brass, introduces a sense of crafted refinement, balancing the home’s inherent grandeur with warmth, softness and enduring elegance.
Marjorie is named after a historical figure connected to the locale, subtly acknowledging the site’s lineage while reflecting the project’s balance of old and new.
Project Summary
| Location | Brighton, Victoria |
| Type | Major renovation |
| Site Area | 2000 m²+ |
| Floor Area | 630m²+ |
| Service Scope | Architecture, Interior Architecture, Furniture Curation, Lighting Design, Procurement, Project Management, Contract Administration |
| Performance | 6-star |
| Authority | Bayside Council / NRZ1 Zoning |
| Status | Under Construction |
Marjorie
Brighton / Bayside
A complete transformation of an executive, family residence.
This project began with a question familiar to many ageing houses of stature: whether to demolish or to transform. While the residence showed clear signs of age, its proportions, symmetry and spatial generosity revealed a structure worth preserving. The design response therefore pursued a comprehensive renovation, retaining the architectural bones while re-imagining the home entirely from within.
Large portions of the interior were removed and reconstructed to establish a new spatial logic suited to contemporary family life. Circulation was clarified, rooms opened, and new connections formed between living spaces and the garden beyond, involving complex structural modifications. The resulting plan balances openness with moments of enclosure, allowing the home to feel both expansive and composed.
Material selection became central to the architectural language. Calacatta Viola stone appears throughout the home as sculptural moments - shaping kitchen surfaces, fireplaces and joinery elements with expressive veining and depth. These moments are tempered by the warmth of timber veneers, softly textured plaster finishes to walls and ceilings, and carefully detailed brasswork that will patina gracefully with time.
Together, these materials establish a quiet hierarchy: refined yet restrained, luxurious yet approachable.
The landscape was reconsidered as an extension of the architecture, strengthening the dialogue between interior rooms and outdoor living spaces. Large openings, sheltered terraces and carefully framed garden views draw the landscape inward, softening the formality of the original residence.
The result is a home that honours its origins while confidently embracing the present; a residence of enduring character, precision and warmth.
Architektura Role
Architektura guided the project from its earliest design stages through to completion, leading the architectural transformation and interior architecture of the residence while carefully orchestrating the execution of the works.
Acting as a singular and trusted partner to the client, Architektura managed the project through holistic design, tender, procurement and construction, administering the contract and maintaining close oversight throughout the build. Fixtures, fittings and furniture were meticulously curated, with specialist lighting designed by the studio and procured specifically for the project to ensure every element of the interior environment aligned with the architectural vision.
This continuity of authorship from concept through construction allowed the architecture, interiors and crafted details to be realised as a cohesive whole.
The residence forms part of a broader transformation of the property’s 2000m² grounds, with further works including a pool house, tennis court, studio and extensive landscape interventions continuing to reshape the estate as a complete, curated residential setting.