Simon Couchman Architects on Lunchbox Architect

Simon Couchman Architects was established by Simon Couchman in 2006 after years with leading architectural firms in Australia and overseas. Originally from Melbourne and now based in Ericeira, Portugal, the practice keeps a Melbourne studio in St Kilda East and works on projects in Australia, Portugal and Israel, supported by a network of professionals on the ground and a collaborative process refined for working remotely.

Simon offers a highly personalised service, working directly with clients through the whole process. The practice believes great architecture starts with a great site, and that a site's challenges, from awkward orientation and steep slopes to heritage or bushfire overlays, often become what makes a building special, so it encourages clients to engage an architect early, even before buying.

On Lunchbox, Elsternwick House adds a two-storey, zinc-clad addition to a cottage on a small heritage-restricted corner site. Its form mirrors the original but hovers above the old roof, separated by a wrapping band of glass.

See Elsternwick House on Lunchbox below.

Elsternwick House: The Answer to a Heritage Issue is Black and White

A contemporary extension of this Elsternwick House is clad in contrasting dark zinc to draw a very deliberate line between new and old.