Holm
A place to call Holm
Project Overview
Residential developments are most usually characterised by their similarities to each other, rather than by the things that make them unique. But very occasionally - when we are given a brief and we pour over the initial design documents searching for traces of inspiration that will trigger a deeper story and begin the journey to a suitable name and identity - we are surprised by a developer’s approach to a build and the architect’s response to their brief.
Sometimes… its genius. And that in turn places a responsibility on our team to create an identity that allows the genius to live and breathe and be engaging without getting overshadowed by its identity. Instead, the identity needs to work to deliver a deeper appreciation and layers of meaning for something that only currently exists as hard drafting lines on paper, or an architect’s scribbled vision soon to be rendered.
Project Brief
We did a site visit to get a gauge of what was special about the property: 35 Simpson Street, Bardon. After all, Google Earth can only offer an impression, it doesn’t allow you to understand how long it takes to get there from the city and back in traffic (a surprising 12 minutes), or what the suburb feels like (optimistic, small and friendly), what it sounds like (quiet, with the sound of breezes whispering through lots of trees), what it smells like (crisp fresh air, hints of fresh baked bread from the bakery and a hint of coffee roasting). The development site was an old, oversized, slightly awkwardly sloping residential block surrounded by trees that looks down across Bardon and the city. Like a little island enclave hidden away behind the trees. We examined the plans and mapped out where the townhouses were going. They were stepped up the slope so that each would have unbroken view lines; ample space and the smart terracing would make them feel like each was its own entity rather than a semi-detached. You know a developer has got it just right when you find yourself thinking, “this is good, I could live here”. Now, how to we get others to feel the same thing?
Innovation
No one needs a residential development. But everyone wants a home. Why do some houses sell for outrageous sums and others barely meet their reserve price? It’s because someone fell in love, literally saw their entire future ribboning out in front of them – and said I want this one. The decision went from a factual evaluation of a property to the emotional ‘it has to be mine’ value attached to a home. On Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that’s the very core foundation of every decision. We believe that’s a fundamental right.
Design Challenge
Everyone has their own process for design. We start with naming and allow that to shape the design. We think wide, then we ruthlessly kill the obvious names. We pitch four with substantiation and an outline story.
They hate all of them. Back to first principles again. A sloping block, a hill, elevation, views, trees, breezes. You know you’re getting desperate when you start looking at other languages. But sometimes, it’s right there in front of you and it’s beautiful. The Scandinavian word for ‘an island within a larger area’ is Holm. It’s also a homophone – a word that sounds the same as another word but has a completely different meaning. So, it sounds like Home, but it’s much more visually interesting as a design.
Our Senior Designer Kevin Lam spoke to illustrator Makoto Funatsu and commissioned a series of images ‘of what it’s like to live in Bardon’.
We also took the opportunity to build in a multi-generational approach to the brochure, with a tip-in section that told stories about the neighbourhood and delivered a feeling of belonging well before the townhouses were even built.
Effectiveness
The client loves it. The agents love it. The public love it too. That’s a trifecta that has led to the project being funded by presales off the plan within 5 months and sold out soon after.
