Monaco House in Melbourne, Australia by McBride Charles Ryan

On the Monaco house project, the architect was briefed to provide a ground level entry and café, followed by two levels of office tailored for the Proprietors Investment and Philanthropic Organisation. The top level contains a small reception area primarily for official functions associated with the client's role as Honorary Consular of Monaco.

This project is rare; despite renewed respect of fine grain urbanism there are few willing to make the significant investment that this type of building entails.This was this client's first foray into what may be considered contemporary architecture. Despite this inexperience, our client had a love of the design of cars, boats (particularly early 20C) and finely crafted objects.

Outdoor balconies provide areas of release from the office desk. The 'green roofscape' is a similar space but also adds additional insulation to the upper floor. Water is harvested and stored in the stairwell. Fixtures are selected for their low energy and water usage. There is a heavy emphasis on insulation with a combination of closed cell Styrofoam, air cell and bulk insulation reducing reliance on conditioned air.

Architect: McBride Charles Ryan - Rob McBride & Debbie-Lyn Ryan
Photographs: Trevor Mein