Brick Lane Residence
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Under the dual pressures of a growing population and environmental imperatives, the Australian suburb is faced with the challenge of densification while maintaining a desirable quality of life. Melbourne's city laneways suggest a way forward. Once mere service roads, they are now the heart of Melbourne's cultural life, providing robust urban spaces where traffic is slowed and pedestrian activity is high. We propose a similar approach to suburban laneways, where land occupied by brick sheds and lean-to's could be redeveloped into higher density suburbs fronting onto activated urban lanes.
This project backs onto the Broadmeadows train line. It represents the kind of tough environments typical of the laneway, calling for a robust architectural response. We feel the answer is in the physical and aesthetic durability of the brick structures that proliferate in these settings.
We have recycled brick from the existing backyard garage, tying it into the history of its setting, and paired it with a new glazed white brick which speaks of urban regeneration. Angled corner junctions are toothed, giving subtle expression to the physical forces acting on the site while exploiting the innate qualities of the modular brick.
Spatially, the project fosters social engagement: a bedroom can be retrofitted as a garage, home-office or shopfront; the yard is unfenced, offering recreation space to adjacent redevelopments. Finally, the recycled brick, which speaks of civic buildings and public spaces, visibly extends to the dwelling's interior, subtly connecting public and private realms to build a lively and robust sense of community.
