A Bold and Playful Melbourne Home Dares to Stand Out From the Crowd

Architecture 3-1-2020 DWell 332

In Fitzroy North, an all-female architecture team crafts a "family home of the future" that champions great design.

Located on a long and narrow plot in North Fitzroy, the One MANI House includes four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a suite of built-in furniture in nearly 3,300 square feet of living space spread out across two floors.

Proving that great architecture can—and should—be accessible, Melbourne-based Mani Architecture completed a unique family home that’s purpose-built for the housing market. It’s a rarity in Australia, where architect-designed homes make up less than 10% of residential properties.

The front of the home features a built-in table and benches, as well as a bumblebee mailbox that Tonini says "makes nearly every passerby smile or giggle…young or old!"
Ben Hosking

A view of the rear of the home. Recycled materials, such as salvaged red bricks and steel window details, were repurposed from other building sites.
Photo: Ben Hosking

"Architecture should not be seen as a luxury service," says Mani Architecture founder Sara Tonini. "We want to change this stigma, we want to educate, we want to teach, and we want to showcase the importance of well-designed and well-executed spaces."