Inside a courtyard home that feels like a private world, Bournian Residence by Rise Architecture reimagines suburban living through a deeply personal and considered approach. Located in Strathmore, Victoria, this project departs from conventional Australian residential architecture, instead drawing on context, emotion and lived experience to shape a home that prioritises calm, security and connection. Designed as a multigenerational dwelling, the residence responds to both present needs and future possibilities, offering a place that evolves alongside its occupants.
Set within a quiet, leafy pocket just north of Melbourne’s CBD, the home is anchored by a central courtyard that becomes both a spatial and emotional core. The planning strategy places the entry at the centre of the dwelling, immediately revealing a sense of openness while maintaining privacy from the street. This carefully balanced threshold defines inside a courtyard home that feels like a private world, where architecture shields and embraces in equal measure.
The layout unfolds along a clear spine, separating private and communal zones while maintaining visual and physical continuity. Bedrooms and retreat spaces are positioned to one side, while the kitchen, dining and living areas extend towards the main courtyard. This configuration allows natural light and greenery to permeate throughout, reinforcing the idea of inside a courtyard home that feels like a private world as an environment shaped by both enclosure and openness.
Interior design plays a pivotal role in reinforcing this sense of sanctuary. A restrained material palette of natural timber and terrazzo surfaces creates cohesion across spaces, allowing subtle variations to emerge as moments of discovery. From the entry canopy through to the living areas, timber detailing establishes warmth and continuity, while the consistent use of terrazzo grounds the home in a tactile, enduring quality. Each room carries its own identity yet contributes to a unified whole.
In the bathrooms, the integration of Abey tapware introduces a refined layer of functionality and durability. The fixtures are deliberately understated, complementing the architecture rather than competing with it. Curved walls and carefully framed spaces create intimacy, particularly within the ensuite where the shower becomes a cocoon-like retreat. These gestures enhance inside a courtyard home that feels like a private world, where daily rituals are elevated through thoughtful design.
Beyond its spatial and material qualities, the home is shaped by a deeply personal narrative. Designed for family, the project responds to moments of loss and transition, ultimately becoming a place of comfort and renewal. The architecture reflects an understanding that homes are not static objects but evolving environments that support life’s complexities.
Through its quiet confidence and attention to detail, Bournian Residence offers a compelling alternative to standard suburban models. It demonstrates how architecture can move beyond expectation to create something more meaningful – a home that feels protective yet open, intimate yet generous. In doing so, it captures the essence of inside a courtyard home that feels like a private world, where design fosters both refuge and connection.
00:00 - Introduction to a Courtyard Home That Feels Like a Private World 01:02 - The Brief: A Private World Built For Intergenerational Family Living 02:11 - Materiality and Atmosphere 03:23 - Walking Through The Courtyard Home 04:22 - Abey Integration 05:44 - Favourite Moments and Reflections
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Video Summary
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The Bornean Residence in Strathmore, Victoria, is a bespoke family home designed by RISE Architecture. Created as a personal project for the director's mother, the residence prioritizes security, tranquility, and longevity. The design departs from typical Australian residential architecture to create a serene sanctuary that blends seamless interior finishes with the surrounding greenery.
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Every decision that we made at Bornean Residence was not necessarily grounded in
preconceived ideas of how people think they should live.
Instead we really paid attention to the brief and really paid attention to the context.
Where we've landed is not something that is typical in Australian residential architecture.
I'm Joel Arvid, Director of RISE Architecture.
I'm James Sofianos, Associate at RISE Architecture.
This is Bornean Residence.
Bornean Residence is located in Strathmore in Victoria.
It's an inner city suburban pocket of Melbourne just north of the CBD by about 10 kilometres.
It's a family orientated suburb, it's very quiet and leafy green.
This project is a personal project for me because the design was for my parents.
My parents wanted a three-bedroom home, two bathrooms, enough space for large family
gatherings. They also wanted room in the house for future generations and
grandkids to be able to use the space and stay over if they needed to.
During the design process unfortunately there was a death in the family which was my father,
which drove the design process in a slightly different direction.
An important part of that was to make it a secure home but also make it feel very calm
and safe to live in.
And I think we also recognised that the project was going to represent
the next phase of Joel's mother's life,
so we did want to tackle the project in a positive way looking towards the future.
The guiding vision for the interiors was really to
create a sanctuary and a place of refuge for our client Joanne.
I'm Helen Mondos, Interior Designer at RISE Architecture.
It was very crucial that I work with materials and finishes to ensure that the tranquility of
the external gardens that surround the home really also seep into the interiors.
You see it in multiple spaces throughout the home.
At the very beginning in the entry of the home,
the moment you reach that porch and you look up at the canopy,
there is the most beautiful natural timber that runs through seamlessly into the foyer
of the home and basically throughout the majority of the living spaces.
There is a lovely terrazzo print tile that runs through from the living spaces,
into the bedrooms, into the walk-in robe,
the bathrooms, pretty much everywhere throughout the home.
There are heroes in every space.
As you enter the home from the street, you enter basically in the middle of the building.
You're met with the central courtyard and the spine of the home.
As you take a left hand turn, you meet the three bedrooms
and to the right of that you have your master suite which has a feature fireplace.
As you walk through, you lead on to a walk-in robe and into the ensuite.
As you come back through the central spine of the home,
you're met with the kitchen to the right hand side that then
opens up out into the dining and living area,
which then opens up into the main courtyard of the home.
The bathrooms are definitely a continuation of the colours and finishes throughout the home.
I wanted the spaces to really sing to one another
and for there to be a relationship between them.
The Abbey tapware selection was definitely the icing on the cake.
I absolutely love the minimalistic look and feel of the tapware.
It's extremely understated.
It's not just about how the tapware looks, but it's also the function.
When you handle them, you can tell that these taps are going to withstand the test of time
and for as long as this home is here and standing, this tapware will be here too.
There is a sense of luxury throughout this space.
The bathtub is such a feature.
It's a bold, impactful moment that you really feel the moment you walk into that ensuite
and it is met with the most gracious curved wall
that almost encourages you to walk behind it to see, oh, there's a shower back there
and the shower feels like a bit of a cocoon.
It's intimate and it just gives Joanne the ability to really unwind
and enjoy getting ready for her day in a really lovely way.
Seeing my mum live in the space for a period of time now,
she just seems very calm at home and very comfortable living here.
Knowing Joel's mum so intimately, we really understood what she needed.
It formed the unwritten part of the brief, which we understood because of that relationship.
The very first day that I was able to walk in here with this
home fully furnished and complete, it was breathtaking.
I felt very proud of what we had accomplished.
It was a home that felt very serene.
It felt very protected.
It's whispered as opposed to shouted out loud.
Wherever you turn, there is something very subtle and beautiful to take in.
