Tess + JJ House by po-co Architecture in Southern Yarra, Australia

Project: Tess + JJ's House
Architects: po-co Architecture
Location: Southern Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
Area: 1,259 sf
Photography by: Tatjana Plitt

Tess + JJ House by po-co Architecture

The Tess + JJ house, located in Southern Yarra, Melbourne, is a small two-story home designed by the architectural studio po-co Architecture. The challenge was to create a house that could accommodate a young family of four without disrupting the historical context of the neighborhood. The facade reinterprets the classic composition of one window and a front door in the style of Victorian-era neighbors, creating an illusion of a larger single-story building that quietly fits into the street's character.

Open and sunny living zones are focused on the garden and sky, while a dark and compact hallway leads to a contrastingly lit kitchen and dining room. The open layout of living spaces is complemented by two internal courtyards offering views of the garden from all sides. On the upper floor, a children's area is designed as a cozy retreat with views of adults downstairs. Overall, the project is compact and elegant, providing all necessary amenities for a young family without compromising the surrounding environment.

The Tess + JJ house is located on a small plot within the historical context of Southern Yarra, Melbourne. The challenge was to create a new two-story house that would not disturb neighbors, with minimal footprint and all necessary amenities for a young family of four.

The two-story facade reinterprets the classic composition of one window and a front door in the style of Victorian-era neighbors. This illusion of a larger single-story building quietly fits into the street's appearance, despite the elevated floor level required to comply with flood regulations, and conceals open and sunny living zones at the back oriented toward the garden and sky.

The interior experience was central to the project. A dark and compact hallway leads to a contrastingly lit kitchen and dining room—a spacious, cozy double-height volume central to family life that loves cooking and entertaining guests. With views of the sky to the east, a small terrace space, and a garden with existing birch trees to the north, this is where family and friends can gather and feel detached from urban hustle.

Unlike the high, upward-focused central volume, the family room at the back looks down toward the pool, ensuring complete privacy from apartment complexes beyond. The open layout of living spaces is interrupted by two internal courtyards that define the rooms and provide views of the garden from all sides. On the upper floor, the children's area was designed as a cozy retreat—with lattice panels on both sides of the shared play area to allow supervision of adults downstairs.

–po-co Architecture