Making the Most of a Slope: Nevair Court, Highton, by JAM Architects

When you picture a perfect indoor/outdoor house in your dreams, it might well look like this Nevair Court family home in Highton, by JAM Architects. Overlooking Australia�s Barrabool Hills, the house is set on a steep incline overlooking the Moorabool River valley, terrain that presents its own challenges even without trying to accommodate north-facing views, outdoor living space, and a need for privacy! Nevertheless, this contemporary space has it all, from smooth modern lines to casual, neutral d�cor and no-nonsense comfort, an uncluttered style that encourages barefoot relaxation from the moment you step inside. Expansive glass is a focal point, allowing great vistas and floods of natural light; even a corner of the living room is virtually an unbroken panorama to enjoy by day or night.

Both house and landscape are structured in a series of levels, with slatted screens to provide privacy over bedrooms and baths and a fa�ade of steel-gray that seems to grow naturally out of the rough, boulder-filled terrain beneath it. In fact, rock and stone here form an elegant d�cor element all their own: witness the terraced retaining walls next to the driveway and the clever stone mailbox! Hardy, drought-resistant plants dot the hillsides and the rough surface with welcome green; more green borders the elegant pool and provides a nice edging for concrete paving stones that lead around toward an outdoor barbecue and dining area. Understated and unfussy in its approach, this home makes the most of a limited lot, tames the slope, and gives owners a terrific entertaining space with multiple options�from JAM.

Prizewinning Respect for History: Coventry Place by Michael Jan Studio

Sometimes the best-laid plans get an unexpected turn; that�s what happened when a builder intended to put two homes on a Coventry Place site in Melbourne, only to find that the house already there had historic value! That�s when he called in Michael Jan Studio, formerly JAM Architects, for help. The house was a prefabricated cottage, dating from 1852 or 1853, and had come to the site imported from Singapore; in the face of this, work began on restoring it under the direction of Roger Beeston, a heritage architect. Now, the ancient structure is �backgrounded� into a modern home with a kitchen, dining room, and bedrooms. On one hand, a soaring fa�ade of glass and concrete�a sun-filled expanse that brings all the best of modern indoor/outdoor life to the site�and on the other, precious history.

Here, old and the new meld in fun ways: note the leather wing chairs in nonchalant counterpoint to an ultra-modern kitchen, its cabinetry doing double duty as a camouflage for equipment and appliances. �Animal� fur rugs on the floor complement both the new wing and the interior of the original vintage cottage, now furnished with an off-white sofa and loveseat. Printed wallpaper gives an old-fashioned feel to this room, while a similarly printed wall as an accent in the kitchen/dining area looks fabulously chic. And, citing how �the new house � generously allows the cottage to assume its original and rightful place in the urban setting of South Melbourne,� the Victorian Architecture Awards gave this project the 2009 John George Knight Award for Heritage. Sometimes, knowing a bit of history pays off!