The Bridge House

This contemporary extension on a double suburban block sensitively integrates contemporary family living with the original home’s Modernist beginnings. Embodying biophilic principles to enhance the connection to landscape, the design blurs the distinction between the existing and new elements to create a unified architectural entity. A key strategy to achieve this seamless impression was to stretch the original concrete façade away from the existing building to form the ‘skin’ of the master retreat. Beyond this, versatile spaces feature easy transitions from public to private zones, inside and out. The prevailing aesthetic is a nuanced balance of old and new, with the original features retained and echoed in new fittings and finishes. Sustainable features, including skylights, double glazing and solar panels, have been adopted throughout. Eschewing conventional strategies has resulted in a home that is able to flex with its owners’ lifestyle and allows them a greater work-life balance. Photography by Peter Bennetts.