- Interior
Founded in 2011 and under the visionary leadership of Robert Davidov, Davidov Architects has grown into an award-winning architecture and interior design firm based in the vibrant heart of Melbourne. Their studio has built a reputation for projects that embody the essence of subtlety and sophistication, combining carefully chosen materials and meticulously detailed finishes to create timeless and enduring spaces. We would like to take you through a recent, promising project.
At Davidov Architects, they strive for a sense of timelessness in every project. By using minimalist and monolithic forms, they achieve robust and thoughtful results. Their material choices focus on quality and durability, leading to projects that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also permanent and flexible for the future. The team always applies passive design methods to maximise the energy efficiency of our buildings. Their most recent project LDS Residence, was designed as a generous new home for our clients to raise their young family and host extended family gatherings. The challenge of this design lay in finding a balance between the public and private aspects of family life. The end result, LDS Residence, acts as a contemporary meeting place, inspired by the much-loved mid-century modern homes typical of the Caulfield neighbourhood. The design combines an understated and formal façade on the street side with an open and playful northern façade that overlooks the plot's extensive gardens. These contrasts, both physical and atmospheric, create a dynamic field of tension between the formal public side of the house and the informal, inviting atmosphere at the rear, which flows smoothly from inside to outside via an enclosed courtyard. Inside the home, several strategies were implemented to facilitate both intimate family gatherings and larger social events. As there was a need for multiple living and entertainment spaces on the ground floor, they implemented the Kahnian concept of serving and serving spaces.Delicate wooden screens, instead of traditional doors, provide a subtle connection between the different spaces, allowing light and sight to flow unimpeded through the central corridor.
The striking barrel vaulted ceiling on the ground floor, which covers the full width of the house, adds to the rhythm and visual clarity of the design. The vaulted sections enhance the perception of each individual room, while still providing a fluid unity to the overall interior. The different rooms, whether primary spaces or circulation spaces, are united by their common architectural language. To keep the pure forms of the vaults undisturbed, the mechanical systems for heating and cooling are discreetly integrated into the walls and furniture.
‘It acts as a contemporary meeting place, inspired by the beloved mid-century’
The choice of materials in LDS Residence reinforces the architectural intent: to facilitate large gatherings while maintaining a sense of intimacy. Using a limited palette of natural materials, such as wood and travertine, Davidov's team creates a serene continuity throughout the house. These robust materials, left untreated to patina over time, emphasise the enduring quality of the architecture. The furniture is architecturally designed to reflect the shapes, proportions and geometries of the building, creating a harmonious and timeless whole. Architecture and Interiors Davidov Architects
Visualisations by Enceladus Studio
Text by Elke Aerts