How do you turn an orange brick 1950’s ugly duckling into a stunning contemporary home with good access to light and connection to garden? This house in the Eastern mid-suburbs of Melbourne only had a few good things going for it: it had 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, many of the rooms had good north-facing access, and the original part of the house had characterful steel-framed corner windows, albeit in pretty terrible condition. On the downside, the house was dark, cold, a rabbit-warren and the only view from the house to the back garden was looking straight into the shed. In addition, there was a large deciduous Box Elder tree right outside the back door which needed to be retained. 

The dark south side of the house was reassigned to service functions only, and a new courtyard. To get around small bedrooms without any storage, a number of walk-in-robes were built. New doors between living spaces open up to give more direct circulation, light penetration and views to the outside. The real highlight, however, is the tree which is now the centre around which the house revolves and provides a green shady aspect in summer and sun-filled living spaces in winter.

The small kitchen extension turns the house around to face to the north-facing rear garden across a large deck and outdoor eating area located around the tree. Given the Mediterranean background of one of the owners outdoor entertaining is a huge focus and the deck and outdoor dining area provide this beautifully. They have recently extended this even further with a built in woodfired pizza oven & outdoor lounge area. Aperol spritz anyone?

Project details
Architect: Ande Bunbury Architects
Engineer: John Gardiner & Associates
Builder: Galligan Builders

All projects by Ande Bunbury Architects have sustainability and energy efficiency at their core.

windows & doors

• All windows now have double glazing.
• Existing steel framed windows retained & repaired. Opening sashes replaced with double glazed panes
• New steel framed windows to key windows, with decorative glazing bars
• Thermally broken aluminium frames to back of house areas
• Salvaged frosted glass 50s internal doors

insulation

• under slab polystyrene waffle pod
• slab edge insulation R1.1 DOW Styrofoam RTM-X
• under existing suspended concrete slab (garage roof) R2.0 Foilboard Green 25
• brick walls R2.0 Foilboard Green 25
• stud frame walls R2.5 Earthwool batts
• roof R5.0 Earthwool batts

materials

• Holcim Ecomax polished concrete slab to new extension with 30% less Portland cement & 20% recycled aggregate
• recycled HW floorboards elsewhere
• Thermally treated European plantation pine shiplap external cladding
• low VOC emissions E0 board for joinery (hoop pine/MDF)
• large format porcelain tile benchtops (silicosis-free)

equipment

• existing hot water service retained.
• existing ducted heating and evaporative cooling retained
• Removable covers to vents http://greenityourself.com.au/projects/new-how-draught-proof-evaporative-cooling-vents
• Daikin airconditioning to Bedroom 1 & new kitchen
• Solar air heater

water

• Methven low flow taps and shower heads
• 5000L rainwater tank
• greywater diversion for garden watering

lighting

• Salvaged art deco pendant light fittings
• LED fittings from Bright Green & Masson For Light
• skylight added to S-facing bathroom to increase natural daylight
• existing pendant lights changed over to LED globes