HV-18 Hawksburn Villa D’arte

Erasing all trace of an 80s renovation, the design, restoration, and renovation of this Victorian Italianate Villa considers a contemporary lifestyle that is free-flowing, engaged, and comfortable. Drama and calm in equal parts coalesce to signal shifts within newly opened heritage volumes and a contemporary extension.

The project was essentially a reversal of downsizing, where the client and a large art collection were moving from a contemporary penthouse to a grand Italianate villa. There was also a large collection of furniture to be incorporated, including both a contemporary collection from the penthouse and a historic collection from their farmhouse.

The new extension in concrete and zinc inhabits the outdoor space and provides a contemporary component isolated from the main heritage volume. The kitchen and butler’s pantry residing within this area use black timber cabinetry and heavily veined black marble to counter the great penetration of light and brightly colored contemporary art. The continuation of timber as flooring ties the whole back to the house, as does the view back into the garden and heritage elements of the house. Fine details such as the slim vertical black pendant lamps over the marble island visually cohere to the black steel-framed windows and black lines seen throughout the project.