Shadow House

Alterations + Additions Shenton Park WA This charming weatherboard cottage is getting a new lease on life - a contemporary double-storey extension that peeps politely above the cottage gives little away when viewed from the street. Inside the house is a buzzing hive of activity - robust, practical and playful spaces made for the rigours of life with a growing young family. Within a compact footprint, we have worked closely with our clients to understand how the home might need to respond to the changing needs of the family over time and worked to ensure that each and every space maximized the constrained footprint. The design injects a sense of playfulness into the everyday, ordinary experiences with a material palette that was inspired by a Western Australian landscape and a sense of quintessential Australian home. Different parts of the design respond to the particular requirements of each of the family members - some spaces are made for play and learning whilst others receive a more sophisticated touch. Main living spaces have a strong connection to the yard and allow passive surveillance from interior to exterior play zones and the blurred boundaries between inside and out allowed for a more generous sense of interior space. Within this suburb, there has been a growing shift towards bulldozing cottages in favour of contemporary builds bound by fewer constraints. The design team worked hard to overcome the continued challenges of working with the cottage, recognising the contribution it made to the streetscape. Photography: Jack Lovel