HERITAGE
We are a design-led architectural practice with experience and expertise in heritage projects. Our work reflects a strong respect for historical context and built fabric, paired with a clear commitment to thoughtful, contemporary interventions. Each project is a careful balance between preservation and innovation.
House of Carnivale – Luna Park, St Kilda VIC
The House of Carnivale is a contemporary addition to the heritage-listed Luna Park precinct in St Kilda—one of Melbourne’s most culturally significant and publicly cherished landmarks. Designed and delivered within a highly regulated heritage context, the project was subject to intense public and stakeholder scrutiny, reflecting the site's deep cultural and historical resonance within the community.
The design process carefully addressed heritage planning requirements under the City of Port Phillip’s Heritage Overlay and was developed in consultation with heritage advisors and local authorities. Particular attention was paid to protecting the visual prominence of the adjacent Scenic Railway and preserving key sightlines across the park. The built form is deliberately recessive in massing and articulated to avoid competing with historic fabric, in accordance with established heritage conservation principles.
Artist Mark Ogge’s sculptural façade elements reference the park’s early 20th-century theatrical identity, offering a contemporary interpretation that supports the evolving cultural narrative of the site. Internally, archival imagery and interpretive details further embed the project within its historical context.
Balancing conservation with activation, the House of Carnivale demonstrates how thoughtful, design-led architecture can contribute meaningfully to the ongoing life of a heritage place—enhancing public engagement while respecting the legacy of a beloved cultural icon.
Integration Project – Treasury Reserve, Melbourne VIC
Located within the historically significant Treasury Reserve precinct, this project involved the careful integration of a new inter-building connection between two Department of Education facilities—responding to an operational need for improved accessibility within a sensitive heritage setting.
The design addressed complex site constraints, including changes in level and adjacency to prominent heritage-listed buildings. The reconfiguration of stepped access to 23 St Andrews Place and the introduction of an overhead roof link were conceived to sit discreetly within the existing architectural context. The design emphasised minimal visual impact, material compatibility, and reversibility—key considerations in line with the Burra Charter and local heritage policy.
Due to the heritage overlay and the site’s inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register, the project required approval from the Heritage Council of Victoria. The successful approval and delivery of the project reflect a considered, site-responsive design approach that enhances functionality without compromising the historic integrity of the precinct.
The Integration Project demonstrates how modest architectural interventions, when thoughtfully executed, can enhance the performance and accessibility of heritage sites while preserving their enduring cultural and architectural significance.
SkyHigh – Mount Dandenong, VIC
Perched atop Mount Dandenong, SkyHigh occupies one of Melbourne’s most prominent and historically significant lookout points—long established as a public destination and survey landmark. Following years of abandonment and deterioration, the site was revitalised through a long-term lease arrangement with Parks Victoria, with a clear mandate to restore its cultural and public value.
Baenziger Coles was engaged to lead a comprehensive program of refurbishment, extension, and adaptive reuse, balancing the need for contemporary functionality with respect for the site’s heritage significance and sensitive natural setting. The design response retained the building’s original dual-level structure while introducing modern interventions that enhance usability and longevity, in accordance with heritage and planning guidelines.
The upper level was reimagined to host large-scale events without compromising the original form, while the ground floor was transformed into a vibrant bistro space, reconnecting the building with the public it was originally intended to serve. Careful attention was given to preserving the building’s visual prominence and landmark status, including viewsheds and connections to the surrounding parkland.
SkyHigh now stands as a successful example of adaptive reuse in a heritage context—reviving a much-loved site with a future-focused design approach that respects its past while enabling continued community engagement.
Camberwell Sports Pavilions – Camberwell, VIC
Baenziger Coles led a multidisciplinary team to deliver the renewal and compliance upgrade of two key pavilion buildings—known as the ‘Major’ and ‘Minor’ pavilions—within the heritage-listed Camberwell Sports Ground. Located in the heart of Camberwell, this site holds significant cultural and architectural value, with a Heritage Overlay under the Boroondara Planning Scheme recognising the importance of both the landscape setting and the historic fabric of the 1922 pavilion and 1935 grandstand.
Although the buildings have undergone numerous alterations over time, the external fabric retains much of its original character. Our approach prioritises the retention and restoration of original architectural elements, detailing, and proportions, while discreetly integrating essential upgrades to meet contemporary standards of access, amenity, and gender inclusivity. This includes the introduction of universal access provisions and female-friendly facilities, designed to sit harmoniously within the existing built form.
The project reflects a careful balance between heritage conservation and functional renewal, ensuring that these much-loved community facilities remain relevant and accessible while safeguarding their historical and civic significance for future generations.
Elwood Residence – Elwood, VIC
This project involved the careful rejuvenation and extension of a Queen Anne-style residence in Elwood, sensitively tailored to support the needs of a growing family while respecting the architectural integrity of the original home. Situated within a heritage context, the design was guided by principles of retention, contrast, and spatial harmony.
The new addition was deliberately conceived as a contemporary intervention that complements rather than replicates the historic structure. Nestled between the existing residence and a neighbouring garage, the extension reads as a clearly defined yet sympathetic element—responding in scale and materiality to the heritage character without resorting to mimicry. This approach reflects a best-practice conservation strategy, aligning with heritage guidelines that favour legible new work which enhances the reading of the original fabric.
Internally, the home has been reoriented around a new open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area—forming a modern heart for family life. Dual outdoor living zones, including a morning and afternoon deck, were carefully positioned to maximise solar access, cross-ventilation, and views to the garden, further enhancing liveability without compromising the home’s heritage values.
This project illustrates how heritage dwellings can be thoughtfully adapted to contemporary life, balancing conservation with comfort and function through sensitive, site-specific design.
Beechworth Gold – Feasibility Study, Beechworth VIC
Commissioned by Beechworth Gold, this feasibility study explores the potential transformation of a vacant courtyard between two heritage retail premises into a dynamic interpretive space, drawing upon the region’s rich gold mining history. Located within the highly intact and historically significant Beechworth township—known for its preserved 19th-century architecture and streetscapes—the project required a highly sensitive design approach aligned with heritage conservation principles.
The brief called for a multifunctional space capable of hosting passive and active uses while enhancing the visitor experience through cultural engagement and storytelling. Our proposed concept carefully balances dramatic spatial expression with contextual restraint. A self-supported, sculptural canopy—referencing the geometric facets of gold nuggets—was designed to provide weather protection while evoking the subterranean qualities of a gold mine. Dark-toned surfaces and architectural detailing draw inspiration from mining environments, interpreted through a contemporary, non-intrusive lens.
Importantly, the proposal was conceived to respect the existing heritage streetscape and adjoining historic buildings, with all new interventions reversible and visually subordinate to the established fabric. The space was envisioned to accommodate historical re-enactments, readings from archival journals, and opportunities for immersive storytelling—creating an engaging, flexible, and historically resonant destination for visitors.
This study demonstrates how interpretive placemaking can activate underutilised spaces in heritage contexts, fostering cultural tourism while preserving the integrity of the historic environment.