Babylonia

Responding to a sloping suburban site in Melbourne’s north-east, Babylonia draws on the elevated rear garden and mature eucalypts to shape a sunken, layered home embedded within the landscape. Curved rooflines respond to boundary setbacks and tree growth, while a restrained palette of terrazzo tile and Tasmanian oak unifies the composition.

 

Double-height central volume anchors the plan, with in-situ concrete walls rising through a terraced garden and outdoor dining pavilion. Two wings extend outward: a private western zone of intimate, timber-lined spaces and a more open eastern zone accommodating kitchen, dining and living. Below ground, the home expands into a series of social, recreational and wellness spaces, including a skylit entry, games room, courtyard, gym and sauna. Across all levels, layered thresholds, filtered light and embedded landscape define a home that moves between enclosure and openness, reinforcing a continuous dialogue between architecture and its natural setting.