Leslie Residence

Essendon

Set amongst established family homes, in an area renowned for its enviable selection of private secondary schools, the property appeared, to our client, to have it all. The existing infill 1960’s brick home rested uncomfortably within a neighbourhood of grand Victorian and Edwardian homes and gardens. It was without question, a prime candidate for demolition to make way for a more substantial home, equal to those around it.

All however, was not as straight-forward as first thought, a covenant on the property title restricted the placement of any new building to the front portion of the site, limiting development to a single modestly sized dwelling. This gave no opportunity to expand the footprint from what had already existed, without a legal breach of the covenant.

After 18 months of legal wrangling, including an application to the supreme court to remove the restriction, design work on the project commenced.

We Set the new elongated footprint over three levels. The lower level accommodating a large partial basement garage and casual living spaces that connected, at grade, to the rear garden and pool.

To the mid-level, we arranged the main living spaces, kitchen and utilities, these areas open to an upper garden terrace with a spa enclosure. To dramatic effect, the spa and pool have been placed at different levels with a wet edge waterfall running from the spa down to the pool.

The uppermost level contains all the bedrooms and a central atrium connecting these spaces to the main living areas below.

Modest in scale when viewed from the street, the house unfolds within to reveal a dwelling of grand proportions.