House of Terrain 9

Written by Omar Dahabra

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Year: 2025
Architects: Terrain Nine Design Studio
Photography by: Timothy Kaye

The House of Terrain Nine is Terrain Nine’s very own architecture & design studio in the heart of South Melbourne. Our workspace showcases our design principles through a refined blend of modern and heritage features, creating a moody, atmospheric ambiance.

Our main goal was to craft a comfortable, inviting space that would demonstrate our expertise in designing for both commercial and residential projects. The existing floor plan of the terraced building was retained, facilitating a smooth flow throughout the office and enabling us to guide clients seamlessly from initial discussions in the meeting room to collaborative design development in the subsequent spaces. The addition of a cozy kitchenette in the rear further enhances the sense of homeliness, allowing us to better understand and cater to our clients' needs.

In designing the space, we aimed to strike a balance between a dark, moody atmosphere and the warm, natural light streaming in through the large windows, all while respecting the building's Victorian heritage. This was achieved by preserving the existing architectural elements and incorporating complementary Victorian features into the interior. The result is a unique, atmospheric workspace that showcases our ability to craft distinctive, tailored spaces where form follows function.

Preserving and enhancing the building's heritage features was important. We restored the light-colored facade, which complements the surrounding street while distinguishing the property from the adjacent black, two-story building. Additionally, we preserved and reinstated the original fireplace and ceiling roses, and added a complementary ceiling rose and Victorian arch to the hallway.

Each piece of furniture was carefully selected, customised, and designed for the space including the white and gold lighting fixtures accentuate the space, adding a vibrant, complementary contrast to the dark interior spaces.

Terrain Nine's office space perfectly encapsulates the studio's meticulous design philosophy, where function and aesthetics hold equal importance. The name itself pays homage to the nine celestial bodies revered in Indian culture, reflecting the foundational nature of the studio's work. Text description by the architects.

Source: www.terrain9.com.au
Directors: Sneha & Sumedh Shinde
Stylist(s):  Terrain Nine Design Studio
Artwork: Stephen Carlier
Venetian Plaster & Micro cement: Carlier & Co.
Furniture(s): Sar Design Studio
Lights: Articolo
Flooring: Woodcut Flooring,

Omar Dahabra
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