An Embodiment of Landscape and Rich Cultural Heritage

On Como Hill – where the Yarra River carves its path through Melbourne’s heart, architecture unites with landscape, and landscape becomes home. Como Terraces has emerged from this dialogue as a collection of eight, three-storey buildings forged from the ground they inhabit. This arrangement was influenced by notable South Yarra buildings, including Como House and the Heide Museum of Modern Art, which informed the property’s mastery of light and connection to its natural setting.

With a design solution that follows the land’s inherent logic, Carr has ensured the site’s natural topography informed every architectural decision. Each building placement responds to solar patterns, view corridors, and the bends of the river below. At the lower level, each structure aligns at a 90-degree angle with the Yarra’s curve, while upper-tier buildings angle strategically to capture the expansive vistas without compromising on privacy.

Taylor Cullity Lethlean’s vision for the landscape amplifies this connection to place. Across the site, botanical species native to the waterway flourish alongside flora that reflects the area’s historical gardens, including nearby Como House. Rising through the botanical gardens, the terraced steps reflect carefully planned courtyards and pathways – each one connected by winding paths that follow the elevation’s natural ascent. These considered spaces foster a profound sense of calm and encourage community connection, enabling the landscape to act as both a social connector and a sanctuary.

The philosophy of materials from the earth continues through the thoughtful use of rammed earth walls, natural stone, timber floors, and sandblasted concrete, which create surfaces that have naturally evolved within their setting. In doing so, Como Terraces has achieved a rare feat in contemporary development and design – a considered integration of built form with its natural setting. Here, the architecture doesn’t occupy the landscape; it embodies it. Cultural heritage and natural topography merge to form a residential experience that embodies a true sense of place.