Spaces To Love

“There is always a place that is the essence, or the very heart of a home, whether that is a room, an architectural feature, a space or a view, or something else entirely,” say editor Jan Henderson and photographer Dianna Snape. The two are joint authors of the recently released Thames & Hudson title, Architecture At The Heart Of The Home. In bringing this special edition together, the duo travelled across Australia to find ‘that place’, through the work of architects both emerging and renowned.

The book, says Henderson, is a snapshot of the very best residential architecture in Australia today. What makes it even more special is that each project has been explored through the lens of just one photographer – Snape, to produce a strong visual narrative throughout.

Henderson and Snape completed the book late last year, overcoming the nearly insurmountable challenges posed by the pandemic, border shut-downs and lengthy lockdowns. “Luckily, by early 2019, we had nearly half of the projects photographed before the onset of the pandemic,” they say. “In between each subsequent lockdown we managed to visit the remaining homes and sidestep bushfires, smoke haze and a mini cyclone, but were caught in heat waves.” The book has been an “adventure” and “all the better shared between two friends supporting each other and having fun together”. All the more worth reading, now knowing the blood, sweat and tears that remained tightly bottled as the authors faced down Mother Nature’s many challenges, to finish what is a beautiful and exciting piece of publishing. Pictured left, Limestone House, Melbourne, by John Wardle Architects, photo: Dianna Snape.