Pine Ave

by Cera Stribley Architects

From The Architect

Designed in a way that is a stylised re-inventive take on the local Elwood architectural vernacular of the 1920’s this contemporary set of townhouses is small enough to project a sense of privacy, a feeling of a standalone home with individual private entrances. Each house is planned to be as spacious as possible with openings at each end to allow cross ventilation and views from one end of the townhouse to the other.

Throughout Elwood you will find a lot of Art Deco-inspired buildings. That comes from architecture in the 20s and 30s. Pine Ave has a bit of that flavour. Circular forms were a big part of Art Deco movement, so bringing that in was important – we’ve done that by curving the entrances. They are made up of white brickwork – another feature that was integral to the movement.

We have implemented a void over the entry, which means it’s actually a double height space as you walk in. The ability to communicate three levels and those feelings of space and light coming through from the top.

The suburb is one of alluring contradictions, at once unapologetically stylised yet infinitely defined by its stunning displays of nature. Elwood carries a wild and wind-swept beauty, hosting landscapes that could inspire a Monet and streets that echo the various architectural iterations the city has witnessed over the generations. It’s a peaceful neighbourhood where treetop canopies cast delicate patterns of light across the roads and footpaths, creating dreamy daylong shadow dances. Pale ivory shorelines are kissed by golden sunlight and cooled by the deeply hued waters of the shifting tides, veiled by a weathered charm thanks to the surrounding native topography.