Light, translucence and verticality are the themes sounded by Bortolotto Design Architect’s renovation of a three-storey Victorian row house. The gloomy, boxy rooms in the house’s “before” state have made way for a clean, minimalist open concept, modulated with shifting, shoji screen-like panels.

The new unity of the space impresses visitors as soon as they step through the front door. When they inevitably look up through the second-storey glass landing in the dramatic new steel stairway, they can see light filtering down from the skylight high above.

Daoust: This is a rarity. A house is a lot of work. There’s so much nice detailing.