The rugged context of urban Balaclava is the inspiration for our robust MA+Co townhouses. At the corner of Inkerman and Nelson, the new units purposefully recall the gritty industrial shed previously on the site.

26 houses are arranged in three low-maintenance ranges, the central one contained within an inner court behind the street-facing terraces. Common courtyard spaces and walkways are framed by eye-level scaffolds that supports a domestic-scale landscape of climbers.

We used Chapel Red bricks with red mortar along with white painted masonry and a multistorey screen of latticed brick that serves as a transition between a large corner block and a laneway. The two- to four-bedroom homes have multi-level living spaces and upper decks with rooftop views.