Taking Away the Years
The existing house was a 1920s bungalow extended towards the rear sometime in the 1960s. With impressive harbour views and a northerly orientation to the street-front and a wonderful garden and existing pool to the rear, the challenge for the architects was to achieve both sun and privacy.
The building is said to have had sentimental value for the owner whose family had lived in the house since the 1960s. They appreciated its ‘romantic’ and unpretentious qualities, but recognized that it required a refresh. The decision was made to retain the original building and remove the 1960s addition.
The original building had two strong alignments that defined an eastern wing and a western wing. Their design response involved carving out the middle of the house to create a modern, open-plan space that benefits from the best of both views.
This plan linked two important spaces in the house: a sunroom, perched on a sandstone wall at the front on the street side and an inset deck at the rear. The opening up of the central part of the house, allows for more private rooms around the outer edge.
The ceiling was removed and a series of distorted pyramid ceiling voids are created within the original geometry, allowing light into the centre of the plan, promoting stack effect ventilation and reinforcing the unusual floorplan.
The original breeze blocks in the rear yard remain, nice.
Credits
Architects: Tribe studiosPhotographer: Katherine Lu
Source: Tribe Studios website and Archdaily.com