The brief for this sleek home where light reflects from refined surfaces was simple yet unsurprisingly complex: design a large, robust, light-filled home where spaces are still intimate and responsive to the needs of a family… and use plenty of concrete. The result, brought to life by Venn Architects, is a home that balances the client’s high standards with an imposing structure maximising the 15m frontage.

Here, light behaves like a structural feature. Dramatic veils of white balances the rich textural quality of natural stone and the generous use of timber panelling. Outside, the carefully relaxed attitude continues. Borrowed shade from mature, neighbouring trees is coordinated with a soft lawn and scaled down arbours surrounding the pool for all-weather outdoor living that delivers on the needs of the whole family.

It’s a perfectly constructed response to Melbourne’s ideal climate and its ‘black will always be the new black’ sensibility. It’s a whole lot of accessible liveability with timeless excellence thrown in for good measure – just what you’d expect in a home for someone who lives to push the boundaries of creativity.

For more Venn Architects work, visit their website.