mcgovern residence

A landmark site, a radical client willing to take risks, and a sensational builder, the dream commission.

Set on a rare south-facing riverfront allotment, the site was originally occupied by a charming yet exhausted 1940s worker’s cottage. Casually nestled between two mature trees, one street-side and one on the riverbank, the cottage held a quiet, sheltered character that needed to remain. With high-rise development rising on either side and this home destined to become the last house in the street, the project demanded excellence. Every inch of the valuable riverfront site had to be considered and purposeful.

In an unexpected and refreshing brief, the clients resisted the trend toward maximum yield. Instead, they asked for a simple three-bedroom home with a single living space, an exercise in quality over quantity. This modest scale not only created space for generous landscaping but ensured the home would remain manageable, enduring and deeply enjoyable for decades to come, a place to grow old in.

Though modest in size, the built home is rich in thought, detail, craft and specification. In deliberate contrast to the lightweight original cottage, the new architecture is grounded and permanent, anchored by extensive off-form concrete. Large volumes and frameless glazing capture the surrounding treescape, preserving the original connection to the land and the river. The interplay between solidity and transparency creates a calm, meditative living environment, a sanctuary within an increasingly urban context.

This project is a true demonstration of collaboration, with every contributor carrying the baton with purpose and conviction. A radical outcome for a radical client, a home designed for family, for gathering, and for escape. A breathtaking retreat from the everyday.