The house borrows from its existing context, re-purposing the historical tropes of the suburbs, crossing them with a contemporary plan that connects to the exterior edges of the site. A large front yard expresses an optimistic outlook to the street, a reference to the supplanted state house.

The brief went beyond the typical 3 bedroom house, including an office, pottery studio, kids playroom and a popup mezzanine that is connected to the master bedroom by a movable ladder, a space for escape with a view across the rooftops.

Flood plains, and aggressive boundary height issues dictate the need for a single storey dwelling on the site; Instead of going up we created an expansive single level house. The new house appropriates the original location of the state house creating an oversized front yard which leads into a dense perforated plan at the rear of the site.

The front of the house is ‘villa like’ with a deep set porch and central entry flanked by the living room and office. From the entry you are led into a large central hallway spanning the length of the house linking with a progression of discrete living spaces. An ‘urban court’ separates the living room from kitchen and dining, forming a broken plan, separated yet interconnected through the courtyard and hallway. The bedrooms at the rear open into a compressed courtyard with stepped planters leading to the rear boundary. The garage is relegated to the southern boundary, and connects through to the house with a small studio facing the rear courtyard.

Photographer: Sam Hartnett