Merricks Road Residence
,
Merricks
Accessed via a long driveway leading past low-lying wetlands to an elevated residence situated on the rear of the block and designed in collaboration with Jack Merlo, Domoney Architecture and Architecture By Us, Merricks Road Residence is a home meticulously conceived to integrate into the site’s topography.
Merricks Road Residence
,
Merricks
,
2019
A design approach shared across architecture and landscape.
The first step to achieving an atmosphere reflective of a private retreat was to conjure a gentle moment of arrival by peppering the site’s slender entryway with planting that continues into more overt compositions around the dwelling.
A forecourt, central courtyard, kitchen garden, outdoor entertaining zones, outdoor kitchen and pergola were all executed to maximise the architectural planning — which is arranged across a collection of buildings tapering down the landscape and connected by glazed links — while shaping a place of retreat. An elevated pool with an overflow edge has been purposefully nestled into the topography while a combination of Indigenous and exotic plants render a garden plane that heralds the seasons through its transformative qualities.
Deciduous pear trees and native grasses sit side by side. Crepe myrtle and ornamental grapes, reflective of the vineyards in the surrounding area, unexpectedly converse with topiary to embody a sense of modulation and meticulously visionary landscape planning that yields gardens of striking singularity.