Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

An Undulating, Matte Black Home Hides a Secret Garden Within Its Walls

An Undulating, Matte Black Home Hides a Secret Garden Within Its Walls

Wood Marsh Architecture brings a sculptural aesthetic to a holiday escape in Melbourne, Australia.

When viewed from the street, with homes straddling either side of it, the Portsea House has an exterior that doesn’t prepare you for what’s inside. That’s precisely how the owners wanted it, according to Melbourne-based Wood Marsh Architecture-they sought to surprise themselves and their visitors, too.



"Its a very unusual building in the sense that it gives nothing away from the street," says founding partner and architect, Randal Marsh. The elements of light and dark-and openness and containment-drive the home’s design, anchored by a curving blade wall that unfurls like a scroll across the site, providing near-complete privacy from the street.



The home, says Marsh, is blank to the street-yet it opens up with an internal courtyard and orients to the rear, where an outdoor pool area overlooks the broader landscape. Dictated by the land’s natural slope, the design addresses the owner’s desire for "a sense of occasion and monumentality."



"They were very keen on achieving that in a very abstract, sculptural way-so that it doesn’t necessarily look like a house, or anything else," says Marsh. "We’ve approached it with a minimal palette of materiality," he adds, pointing to the sand-colored earth wall holding the building to the ground, and the lightweight black-painted timber covering the walls.



The home’s three wings (the kitchen/living area, primary bedroom, and guest room) radiate outward from a terrarium that acts like a central pivot or anchor point. The overall effect is sculptural to its core-and entirely in line with Wood Marsh’s prevailing architectural aesthetic of rendering flowing designs by playing with solidity and transparency, with a deference to limited palettes.



Indigenous exterior plantings work to frame and filter views, giving the home a close connection to nature. Landscaping also doubles as internal wallpaper in the home’s living area, which is lined with full-height glazed walls. The space is accessed via a grand staircase that leads up from the entryway in the monolithic blade wall.



Outside, a sweeping deck follows the site’s natural slope to a pool area screened by a curved low masonry wall that nods to the building’s prevailing form while offering privacy-an important consideration for both the homeowners and architects. "Right from the beginning, 40 years ago, it’s been a feature of our architecture not to give anything away from the street," says Marsh.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×