Grant House, Hope Valley

A design worthy of a drink

The Tolley’s began building their historic stone winery at Hope Valley in 1892. Tectvs was engaged in restoring life and purpose to the original sandstone and brick-quoined winery complex and its various additions – like a house. The former winery has been converted into a home, with a modern kitchen inserted into the existing building fabric. Tectvs has specialised in the adaptive re-use of historic buildings, integrating old and new as seamlessly as possible without resorting to imitation or reproduction. This approach is applied by addressing heritage and sustainability issues without compromising contemporary design ethos.

Tectvs approached the Old Tolley’s Winery refurbishment with the idea of creating new-millennium spaces within older-world structures and materials, connected by detailing which was relevant and comfortable in both contexts. The spaces are grand: 1100 square metres of living area, 300 square metres of dining, 60 square metres of mezzanine looking over the living area, a master bedroom and associated amenities as big as an inner-city apartment, complete with marble spa. A guest suite, study, laundry, and four-car garage completed the new layout.

The original ceiling trusses were maintained, and the six-metre-high raked ceilings reclad in Mini-orb. The two-metre descent from the entrance level to the winery floor was made on a cantilevered steel staircase with visually unobtrusive safety-glass sides and a choice of going left or right from the entry platform. The entry-level itself – the former grape crushing house - made a grand statement, opening on to a 20m inside/outside heated pool with bar and seating area which merged with a north-facing decked area outside. 

Grant House became a statement in heritage adaption turned luxury living.