Hawthorn Architect

The diverse streets, period architecture and varied site proportions in Hawthorn and Hawthorn East make it one of our favourite places to practise as an architect.
Foomann has worked in the area since 2010, on heritage additions, a bakery cafe and a public building.
As a small practice, both directors are involved in every project. Foomann Director Jo Foong, lives in Hawthorn and is School Council President at Auburn Primary in Hawthorn East, so this is familiar ground.
Much of the inner city requires architects to work within heritage constraints, and our experience in Hawthorn and surrounds has highlighted the value Boroondara council and residents place on retaining period homes. We embrace the existing building fabric and consider ourselves expert at discovering the further opportunities a project provides.

Haines Street II

The restoration of an 1892 weatherboard cottage with a contemporary addition for a young family.
Heritage rooms were restored, with each given its own colour and character.
New work invloved the addition of a private rooftop courtyard, and modifications to the garage that extends the outdoor entertaining area.

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Leonda by the Yarra

We were the Architects for the refurbishment of the 1970s reception centre owned by the City of Boroondara, including a new entry sequence and canopy.
We have extensive experince working with the council, including assisting private clients through Boroondara’s heritage and neighbourhood character overlays.

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Interior for Haines II which has recently be completed.
We’re currently working on three more homes in Hawthorn and Hawthorn East.

Depot de Pain

A bakery and cafe on Glenferrie Road — our commercial work in the suburb alongside the residential.
Our interiors extend to furniture design, like this table, and has been informed by our experience in hospitality fit-outs.

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Do you have experience with Boroondara Council planning?

Yes, on private homes and on council’s own buildings.
We’ve worked within Boroondara’s heritage, neighbourhood character and significant landscape overlays. Navigating the planning process in Boroondara is often more complex than in other inner-city councils. We usually coordinate all planning matters ourselves, and know when to recommend a heritage or planning subconsultant on a sensitive or complex project.
At the function centre Leonda by the Yarra, our client was the tenant of the 1970s building, owned by Boroondara. We successfully managed the added layer of complexity this created.

Can you work on a heritage building or a project within a heritage overlay?

The heritage streetscapes of Hawthorn are a large part of what makes it a beautiful suburb.
The constraints of Victorian and Edwardian frontages can create complex design challenges, with more to manage and coordinate through the Boroondara planning process.
Respect for the existing fabric and an embrace of the elements unique to the period is the right baseline, and we work with our clients to find balance in the design response, knowing when to be polite and when to be bold.
We think some of our best work has come from the constraints of a heritage frontage.

What kind of Hawthorn projects do you take on?

Period homes needing a sensitive response, and new homes where the site allows. We welcome the opportunity to discuss projects across a range of budgets and scales. We’re drawn to clients who care about design and are excited by what their site or home could become.

If our work resonates, we’d be glad to hear from you.
Please call or send some details about your project, and we’ll be in touch.

Contact:
(03) 9010 5590
info@foomann.com.au