Naples Street House by Edition Office
Box Hill South

Working with an inner-city property surrounded by big, double-storey houses inspired a creative response by architect Kim Bridgland, director of Edition Office, for this new Box Hill South home.

The architect wanted to ensure his clients — three generations of one family — had access to plenty of natural light and treetop views. So, he designed a central garden and courtyard as the heart and soul of the home.

This family house exhibits a quiet confidence in its bold yet restrained approach. The design prioritises the lives and experiences of its occupants, offering a home that balances spatial and architectural agendas with a practical comfort.

Naples Street House won the 2024 Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New).

No Rezzavations by Sarah Lake Architects
Reservoir

Post WWII Italian and Greek migration to Reservoir is reflected in the original brick houses of the area with decorative balustrades, arched detailing, and backyard pergolas.

This heritage inspired the renovation of ‘No Rezzavations’ house for a family of four with cats, chickens, and bees! The clients desired more space, without losing access to their existing backyard.

Sarah Lake Architects designed an upwards extension with a new ‘productive green facade’ to the rear that references the suburb’s nostalgic suburban streetscape. This white timber screen conceals a relatively simple and cost-effective material palette on the setback exterior, while providing added space for the garden to thrive in the form of climbing passionfruit, kiwi, and grapevines.

Northcote House by LLDS Architects
Northcote

A curved roof and textured concrete walls characterise Northcote House designed by LLDS Architects for its founder partners.

Located on the site of a former car park measuring 4.6 metres in width and 22 metres in length, the project showcases how narrow urban plots can be developed into compact houses

Computer numerically controlled (CNC) manufacturing and robotics were used in the build to create bespoke elements including the irregularly shaped plywood roof structure, bent trellis facade, and internal concrete wall surfaces.

Over 70 per cent of the materials were manufactured by LLDS Architects’ sister company, Power to Make, located just five kilometres from the site.

Cairo Flats by Best Overend
Fitzroy

The Cairo Flats in Fitzroy were designed by architect Acheson Best Overend in 1935 to provide maximum amenity across minimal floor space at an affordable price — a concept previously unexplored in Melbourne housing.

While the individual residences are small (most are 24 square metres), the sense of space is enhanced by high ceilings, north-facing windows, cross ventilation, and a central communal garden.

The Cairo apartment complex is beloved among Melbourne’s architecture community as a prime example of well-designed, medium-density, minimal housing in Australia.

Merri House by EME Design
Northcote

Merri House by EME Design is a striking contemporary home that responds to site constraints, heritage context, and regenerative principles.

Its three sculpted gable volumes optimise natural light, frame views, and enhance passive solar performance, while respecting the surrounding heritage bungalows.

Sustainability guided every decision of the project, from retaining the existing 1978 strip foundations and concrete slab, to minimising waste and preserving embodied energy.

Merri House was built in 2017 and achieves an 8-star energy rating. The home incorporates rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, solar energy, and food production systems.

Open House Melbourne is on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 July 2025. See the full program for tour times and bookings.