• Completion Date

  2025

• Photography

  Photos by Victor Vieaux

THE WHAT

Located in the heritage-rich enclave of Middle Park , Holt is a considered intervention that balances the preservation of a significant Edwardian-era terrace with the urgent need for high-performance, sustainable living. The brief was multifaceted but clear: create a "comfortable...lived-in" forever home that allows for ageing-in-place, regenerates the landscape and achieves a fossil-fuel-free footprint. An elegant contemporary residential project defined by raw concrete, timber detailing, and soft curved geometries. The design features solidity and warmth through exposed structural columns, floating slabs, and crafted joinery. Large openings connect interior and garden spaces, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor experience grounded in material honesty, light and calm.

AGEING IN PLACE

To ensure this remains a functional home for the clients for decades to come, accessibility was a core driver of the internal planning. A central lift connects all three levels—from the basement garage and gym up to the first-floor guest suites. The ground floor is a single level matching the existing house , featuring widened passages and accessible bathrooms. The first floor is designed with flexibility in mind, housing a "flexi" room and a guest suite that can easily be converted into a self-contained carer’s quarters if required in the future.

SYMPATHETIC INTERVENTION

The design approach is one of "considered intervention" rather than erasure. The original Edwardian frontage is carefully repaired and retained, while the new addition sits respectfully behind, angled to the north to capture passive solar gain. The material palette pays homage to the streetscape, utilising red brick and terracotta roof tiles to match the existing dwelling, accented by contemporary metal awnings in heritage "Manor Red".

LANDSCAPE AND LIVING

To maximiSe permeable garden area on a tight inner-city block , the "services" – including a car stacker, laundry, and water tanks – were moved into a newly constructed basement. This strategy allowed for a deep soil native garden at the rear and a central courtyard that floods the living spaces with light and cross-ventilation. The result is a home that feels light, airy, and deeply connected to nature, proving that heritage constraints are no barrier to 21st-century.

• Prefabrication

  • The pavilions are primarily built offsite, allowing trades to work efficiently, safely, and with consistent quality

  • Prefabrication mitigates the challenges of mountain construction, including weather delays and the scarcity of skilled labour, while reducing on-site time, delivered ready-to-install

  • Fabricating offsite reduces time onsite, helping to lessen the environmental impact

THE WHAT

Nestled within Tasmania's ancient wilderness, the new Cradle Mountain hotel is a testament to sensitive and purposeful design. The project holds personal significance for directors Andrew Maynard and Mark Austin, both of whom were born, raised, and educated in Tasmania, earning degrees in Environmental Design and Architecture from the University of Tasmania. Rather than a single large structure, the hotel's functions are strategically scattered across the landscape, minimising impact and inviting guests to enjoy the natural surroundings as they move throughout the hotel and its landscape. This design philosophy is centred on a rare and invaluable feature of Cradle Mountain: its pristine, unpolluted dark-sky. The hotel is a sanctuary from artificial light, offering an unparalleled view of the Milky Way. To protect this core experience, the buildings themselves are designed to be almost completely black. This unique choice allows them to absorb light and recede into the landscape, ensuring that the true stars of the show are the ancient Tasmanian wilderness and the spectacular, unencumbered night sky above.

PREFABRICATION

The Cradle Mountain Hotel pavilions are prefabricated guest rooms designed for a remote and environmentally sensitive site. The project responds to site challenges including unpredictable weather, limited skilled labour, and the need to minimise construction impact in a wilderness setting. The design takes cues from historic timber cabins scattered across the Tasmanian mountains. These simple, robust structures sit lightly in the landscape, defined by modest scale and straightforward construction. The pavilions reinterpret this local architectural language through contemporary materials and form. The team was also inspired by archival images of Prohibition bootlegging trucks loaded with stacked timber crates, drawn to their sense of resourcefulness and rebellion. The pavilions hold a similar spirit - clever modules arriving by truck and quietly inserted into the mountain landscape.

Thornbury, VIC
Mixed Use – 44 Apartments and 1 Retail Tenancy
Traditional Owners – Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung

• Sustainability

  • 7.8-Star Average NatHERS Rating

  • 100% All-Electric & Fossil-Fuel-Free

  • BESS ‘Excellence’ Standard

• Video

  Watch our Designing Thornbury House series to get behind the scenes look from the Austin Maynard Team, featuring Andrew Maynard & Sophie Whittakers.
  

  Watch Now

• Awards

  SHORTLISTED - The Urban Developer Awards, Project Marketing

THE WHAT

The new standard of sustainable density located on the prominent corner of High Street and Rossmoyne Street, Thornbury House is Austin Maynard Architects’ latest vision for the "Missing Middle." Responding to the historic streetscape with a tactile, hand-laid red brick façade, the building is a 100% electric, fossil-fuel-free community designed for longevity.

THE WHERE

Transforming a previously under utilised corner into a vibrant focal point for the community, Thornbury House connects shops, schools, public transport, and local amenities, bridging gaps in the suburb’s long, narrow layout and bringing new energy to the streetscape. Originally a manufacturing hub, Thornbury’s streets were once lined with factories and modest workers’ homes, reflecting a tradition of industry and craft. Waves of migration over the decades have shaped a multicultural neighbourhood, rich in traditions, stories, and connections. Thornbury’s streetscape tells the story of its evolution. Heritage shopfronts and weatherboard homes sit beside contemporary architecture, creating a rhythm of old and new. Though the area has changed over time, its sense of place endures, shaped by the people that live and work there. Thornbury is a hub for creativity and culture, where the independent shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, theatres, music venues, churches and cultural events give the streets a distinctive energy.

ON THE CORNER

Thornbury House sits on an exceptional corner site, where buzzing High St meets the quiet, leafy Rossmoyne St. On ground-floor corner, Austin Maynard Architects have deliberately set the façade back to create this shaded, welcoming outdoor space at the entry of the building –an open colonnade. This space encourages gatherings, casual interaction, and everyday moments where neighbours, parents, and residents share the street.These moments, designed with care, are civic in nature, creating blurred spaces between private and public life and fostering a sense of community. By activating the street edge in this way, the building also introduces passive surveillance, with residents and visitors naturally looking out for one another, helping to make the space safer, more vibrant and alive.

WELLBEING

In a home, wellbeing comes from thoughtful design. A well designed home that maximises natural resources in the design stage, means that you don’t have to rely on (expensive, energy hungry) mechanical systems to be comfortable in your home. Thornbury House focuses on comfort, committed to optimising the qualities we instinctively seek when choosing a place to live.

• Temperature

  Austin Maynard Architects design homes that minimise reliance on mechanical heating and cooling. Instead, they respond to solar orientation and use materials that help maintain stable internal temperatures. At Thornbury House, generous double-glazed windows maximise natural light, reduce outside noise and provide thermal insulation, keeping interiors warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Joyful blue exterior blinds block sunlight before it reaches the glass, providing effective heat and light control.

• Natural Daylight

  All apartment living rooms and bedrooms have access to a view and daylight and are designed to exceed BESS requirements, while the facade design and external blinds provide shade. 

• Acoustics

  All homes are acoustically separated from neighbouring apartments and external areas. High-quality double-glazed windows further reduce noise from surrounding streets.

• Air Quality

  All homes are designed for effective natural ventilation. Thornbury House includes planted hubs that help maximise fresh air, supported by wire mesh systems that encourage plant growth throughout the building. Interior finishes are carefully selected to support high indoor air quality.

• Access to Gardens

  Every home includes a private balcony, along with shared access to the rooftop garden. Each balcony is fitted with a tap to support planting, herb gardens and everyday use.

• Access to Public Transport and Bike Parking

  Thornbury House is designed to minimise car dependency, with easy access to train, tram and bus services. Secure bike parking and bike maintenance facilities support cycling as a practical everyday transport option. Onsite electric vehicle charging is also available for residents.

SUSTAINABILITY

• 7.8-Star Average NatHERS Rating

  • The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme is an Australian star system measuring a home’s thermal performance and energy efficiency based on design, materials, and climate.

• 100% All-Electric & Fossil-Fuel-Free

  • The building operates entirely on electricity, featuring induction cooktops and high-efficiency systems, eliminating the need for natural gas.

• BESS ‘Excellence’ Standard

  • Thornbury House achieves an overall score of 70% in the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS), far exceeding industry best-practice benchmarks.

• Renewable Energy

  • A minimum 12.1kWp solar photovoltaic system will be installed, offsetting building energy usage and supplementing domestic hot water systems.

• Material Selection

  • The selection of materials is focused on durability with the aim of extending replacement times. Thornbury House minimises the use of MDF and prioritises the specification of low VOC materials and finishes. All timber products used in construction will be FSC or AFS certified products and locally manufactured products will be utilised where possible.

• Energy Efficiency

  • Electric Instantaneous hot water generation units are provided for all apartments. All internal lighting provided is 20% more efficient than that required by NCC2022 Table J7D3a. Electric induction cooktops are provided for all apartments and all apartments have a master save-switch at the entry to enable all non-essential power to be switched off when leaving the apartment.

• Fittings & Fixtures

  Minimum WELS ratings for fittings and fixtures
  
  

  • Showers: 4-star (<7.5L/min)

  • Toilets: 4-star

  • Taps: 5-star

  • Dishwashers: 5-star

• Landscape

  • Where appropriate drought tolerant plant species will be specified for landscaping and water efficient landscaping will be installed.

• Building Services

  • Mechanical building systems will be air-cooled rather than water-cooled, and water used in fire test system will be collected and reused for another fit-for purpose use.

• Rainwater & Stormwater Management

  • Clean roof areas from the building will be directed to 10,000L rainwater tanks for use in toilet flushing.

• Construction Waste

  • 80% by mass of construction waste to be diverted from landfill (i.e. reused or recycled).

• Waste During Operation

  • Waste management systems built into kitchen joinery include 4 different bins, allowing for convenient waste sorting at home. Central waste collection for general waste, organics, recycling, glass, charity items and hard waste/ewaste streams is located in the basement for private collection.

COMMUNITY AND RETREAT

Austin Maynard Architects design apartments for the people who live in them. Bringing this mindset to multi-residential design, the team create buildings that feel human in scale, intuitive to move through, and thoughtful of the life you live inside. Every apartment is a single home, crafted with the same care and attention as any house, because that is exactly what it is: a special, individual home for the rhythms of everyday life. At Thornbury House, this philosophy extends beyond the individual to create a healthy community. Carefully designed shared spaces blur the line between private, communal and public life, creating opportunities for connection without sacrificing retreat. Residents are encouraged to engage with the street frontage through the open colonnade. An interior lightwell captures natural daylight and hosts a generous shared garden, a place to pause and collect post & parcels. Bikes move easily into the lift and are stored closely to each apartment for easy unloading. Open-air walkways serve as an extension of the traditional streetscape, replacing dark internal corridors with light-filled and ventilated common areas, perfect for planting. The rooftop provides a BBQ and expansive views, offering a place to gather, relax, and enjoy community. This balance fosters a healthy, vibrant lifestyle where privacy and social interaction coexist, supporting both individual well-being and a sense of belonging.

Twice the PARK. Twice the LIFE.

Brunswick, VIC
Mixed Use – 61 Apartments and 3 Commercial Tenancies
Traditional Owners – Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung

• Sustainability

  • 100% electric (no gas)

  • Powered by 100% renewable energy

  • Targeting an average NatHERS rating of 8.5 stars out of 10

THE WHAT

Designed for people who are seeking to be part of a more sustainable future, and connect within a welcoming community. Enabled by HIP V. HYPE with architecture by Austin Maynard Architects, ParkLife 2 represents best practice in climate resilient design and construction. It’s 100% electric (no gas) and powered by 100% renewable energy, targeting an average NatHERS rating of 8.5 stars out of 10. With Clifton Park at your doorstep and Gilpin Park just across the street, the design embraces its unique setting with windows that invite natural surrounds in at every opportunity. 

DESIGN FEATURES

ParkLife 2 is 100% electric, powered by a mix of on-site solar and GreenPower: clean, renewable energy with government accreditation. An embedded energy network shares solar across all apartments, so every resident benefits, and GreenPower can also be accessed in bulk at a discount. Homes are set up to be carbon neutral in operation, so you can enjoy a fully electric, sustainable lifestyle.

• All-Electric, Embedded Energy Network

• High Performance Windows & Doors

• Operable External Blinds

• Cleaner, Fresher Air

• Ceiling Fans

• Solar PV Panels

• Optimised Building Services Design

• Separated Resource Streams

• Low VOC & Low Impact Material Selection

• Edible & Indigenous Plantings

• Water Capture & Reuse

• At Level Bike Parking

• EV Supercharge Point

• Save Switch

Geelong, VIC
Traditional Owners – Wadawurrung
16 Homes

• Sustainability

  8.4-star energy efficiency, designed to use half the average energy of a 6-Star home.

THE WHAT

Austin Maynard Architects are coming to Geelong West with our best homes yet. Big, super-sustainable, beautiful, fun and resilient housing, gardens and lifestyle. Everything you’d expect from an Austin Maynard Architects’ home, without compromise. You’ve seen Austin Maynard Architects’ award winning ParkLife, Terrace House, Slate House and more. Family sized, life changing, climate resilient housing designed for a connected and healthy lifestyle. These are not just stepping stones, they are forever homes. Located in a gorgeous, quiet street adjacent to the thriving Pakington Village. With a train ride to Melbourne’s CBD or a short drive to the surf, this location is perfect for a healthy, active and connected lifestyle.

SUSTAINABILITY

From material selection to shared spaces, Hope&Autumn introduces a new era of apartment living: 8.4-star energy efficiency, designed to use half the average energy of a 6-Star home. Insulated windows and walls regulate temperature and noise, keeping your home calm, cosy and quietly comfortable without temperature spikes. Every apartment is fitted with an energy recovery unit that filters and circulates fresh air, keeping your spaces healthy and balanced all year round.Pitched rooftops, inspired by Geelong West’s heritage cottages, carry a 25kW solar array that tracks the sun throughout the day — reducing energy costs and supporting a lighter environmental footprint. Together, these systems make Hope & Autumn one of the first fully electric residential communities in the area. Across the neighbourhood, beautifully landscaped gardens by Plume Studio embody the principles of biophilic design. Deep-soil planting and mature trees improve air quality, keep summer temperatures down, and create a green, tranquil outlook. Beyond their beauty, these spaces foster a deeper connection to nature — and to each other — inviting residents to share quiet moments beneath the canopy. With a 95/100 walkability score, Hope & Autumn places everything you love within easy reach — from boutique shopping and premium grocers to leafy parks and excellent cafés, all just moments away on Pakington Street. It’s car-free living made simple — reducing carbon emissions and deepening your connection to the neighbourhood’s vibrant energy.

“The starting point for the design was really Geelong West. We wanted to understand this incredible context – Pakington Street, the community, the amazing cottages dotted through the area.”

– Andrew Maynard

• Sustainability

  • Fossil fuel free, 100% electric, with a 6.6KW solar system on the roof, with battery provision

  • Electric heat pump hot water system and an electric heat pump hydronic heating system, installed within the brick and concrete floor

  • A Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) report was obtained in the design stage to assist in water management. A 3500L above ground water tank is installed at the end of the garden, collecting rain water from both the new and the existing roof. Recycled water is used for toilets and the laundry. All overland flow is managed on site through a stormwater system designed in response to the WSUD.

• Photography

  Martina Gemmola
  Victor Vieaux

IN A NUTSHELL

Erindale is a delightful, semi-detached (mirror-image), Federation home situated on a leafy avenue in the ‘Village’ suburb of Ripponlea, in Melbourne. Belying its pretty, white brick, picket fence and stained-glass exterior, inside revealed a dark and steadily deteriorating home with disjointed internal and external spaces and restricted northern orientation. By focusing on deliberative alteration over the more standard two-storey box-on-the-back addition, spaces were re-purposed, re-oriented and opened up. The result fulfils the owner’s aim - to utilise space more wisely with clever design and pockets of interest that emerge slowly; to maximise liveability, functionality, access to light and, crucially, better views and connectivity to garden, achieved with minimal impact to the original footprint. With increasing focus on the impacts of embedded carbon, Erindale is a continuation of our intent to strive beyond standard sustainability practices and address the issue of  ‘radical sufficiency’ by simply using less. 

THE WHERE

Located on a quiet, suburban tree-lined avenue, Erindale is one of a pair of pretty, semi-detached Federation homes each sited on a fairly long blocks. The adjoining homes present a mirror image of each other, with identical facades, terracotta tile roof line and a shared long white picket fence. Where often, over time, twinned homes like these become progressively unrelated, here they present a correlative charm. Within this friendly, community-focused hub, respect for the original heritage architecture is mutually evident. As the ‘fifth elevation’ (Google earth) shows the neighbours have re-roofed in the exact same red tile instead of the cheaper corrugated iron option. The shared thoughtful guardianship leads naturally to a sympathetic approach at street view, upgrading, reusing and protecting within the original style.

THE BRIEF

The owners of Erindale, a family of three, love the local area and have strong connections and family ties with the community. Their house was old and beautiful but problematic, dark and spatially impractical, compounded by plumbing and electrical issues. Knowing an overhaul was necessary, they sought to set up a home “for the next 100 years.” Their brief detailed a warm, welcoming and friendly house, open and light, with ventilation, sustainability and environmental design at its core. Self professed “slightly cluttered and messy” inhabitants, they wanted to avoid formal spaces that were immediately grand and imposing for cosy, comfortable and clever composition; homely nooks and pockets of interest that emerge. The owners wanted space to enjoy their passion for music, reading, art and houseplants/garden, and to reflect their personal style preferences:  texture, colour, playfulness and “a slightly vintage aesthetic.”

The “central gathering place of the house” the kitchen/dining room would maximise air flow, natural light and external connectivity. Together with their goal of having two bathrooms and a bath “somewhere” they also had one specific request. “I’ve always wanted a reading nook or window seat. I love curling up to read in warm spots, looking out on greenery and views to the garden.”

THE TURNAROUND

The original home provided three bedrooms and one bathroom, with a rarely used living room at the very front, kitchen/dining at the very back and a laundry out-house in the garden. Although there was scope to extend out, the owners hoped for a better solution than the standard two-storey box on the back addition. To avoid encroaching too far into the garden or greatly increasing the size of the house and their environmental footprint, the challenge was to use the space they had more wisely.

In re-thinking every room Erindale now has a flowing and flexible floor plan with elements of intrigue and discovery. The old living room is the new main bedroom. The original stained glass window panes (with secondary glazing) were preserved and a built-in bench seat and a wall of beautiful custom cabinetry added. Within the timber veneer a concealed door opens to reveal an ensuite bathroom - a pop of terracotta red. Natural light is borrowed from the window in the bedroom via a high level glass panel between the cabinet shelving and shower.  All three bedrooms were re-assigned. One was divided into two - a sizeable laundry/store room and a study with garden view. A second (now the son’s room) features a large custom made loft bed and hammock net, and the third bedroom now functions as a multipurpose music room/guest bedroom, with a strong link to the living space. The old lean-to kitchen and dining area now prevails as a single storey living zone, with huge windows and full height openings, creating the feeling of an outdoor pavilion nestled in foliage. 

INSIDE OUT

Landscape and greenery were equally important factors in the restorative reimagining of Erindale. The owner wanted the garden to be just as good as the house. Instead of renovating the back of an old house, we removed the rotten structure, increased the garden and, in concept, sat a beautiful greenhouse in the middle. The lines between inside and outside are not merely blurred but harmoniously integrated into open or closed, covered or uncovered spaces. The floor of the living room is recycled brick which continues out into a lush green internal courtyard, that was once a narrow service side path. The varying materiality of the flooring -  from timber floorboards, across textural old red brick, to polished concrete, creates the sense of exiting the original heritage home and entering a new building. 

CURVATURE

One of the most striking design elements at Erindale are the curved glass windows and sculptural white steel shade structure at the rear. Though appearing to be an architectural flair, the diagonal line serves an integral purpose, generated to directly face the northern orientation. The steel overhang, providing shade from the summer sun, is propped on hairpin columns to create visual lightness as they merge between the silver birch trees. 

THOUGHTFUL MOMENTS

Often, when renovating or designing a new home, there’s a tendency to think of a function write it down, put a ring around it and make it a room.  Lazy space, where beautiful functions and beautiful moments are dislocated. Having the discipline to provide, as in the Erindale brief “everything I need and nothing that I don’t", opens up new approaches and ideas. Instead of having one vast living space, there’s an intimate place to watch TV and a cosy music room. A large sliding panel allows for separation and privacy or connection and conversation. 

The reading nook is deliberate and integrated, comfortable and cosy, with shelving for books, outlook to garden and its own concealed heating unit. When the screen greenery becomes fully established, the courtyard, with bathtub, will become another room, just without a roof. The discipline is in answering everything the client asked for in the brief, but thoughtfully. Rather than ticking boxes, take account of the human consequence and the experience. For some the dining room at Erindale may seem small, but slide open the glass walls at either side and the space becomes open and airy, a big outdoor table in the middle of the garden. In winter the experience is the same, warmed by the heated thermal slab. In detail the edges show methodical execution, refining to magical effect a brick bench seat on one side and then sliding doors on the other, so the corner melts away. To imagine the ubiquitous two storey box smashed onto the back, where only the rear facade has access to sun and garden, internalising embedded dark space, what Erindale achieves is complete diurnal range, sunrise to sunset.

TRUST IN THE PROCESS

As Frank Gehry once famously bemoaned “I don’t know why people hire architects and then tell them what to do.” At Austin Maynard Architects we have always been grateful to work with wonderful, trusting clients. At Erindale, this went a step further. In reference to home renovation, the owner describes herself as “not particularly hands-on”. A lawyer and a mother, no decision was taken lightly. Instead she spent time and energy to front-load the decision making process. Finding architects whose work she admired and who shared her views on sustainability, heritage and small considered projects. There was conversations with past clients and past project visits (Garden House and Rae Rae). In no great rush to initiate the process, she first obtained a design proposal. With her choice made the owner was able to tend to other concerns, namely, timing and budget, and allowed the architect the freedom and trust to be architects. 

SUSTAINABILITY 

The practice of sustainable design can sometimes be very simple. If you don't have to knock it down, don't knock it down. If it’s built, it’s embodied captured carbon, so leave it alone. The majority of the original house was untouched beyond re-purpose, necessary upgrade, repair or for thermal efficiency measures. The external brick wall of the old laundry out-house remains intact, reinforced for safety, for alternate function as the back of the outdoor BBQ. All other brickwork uses recycled red brick. Floorboards in poor state in the old part of the house, were replaced with salvaged boards from a demolition yard. Erindale is fossil fuel free, 100% electric, with a 6.6KW solar system on the roof, with battery provision. There is an electric heat pump hot water system and an electric heat pump hydronic heating system, installed within the brick and concrete floor. 

The windows are high performance, double glazing throughout, including the curved pieces. The framing is plantation growth, locally sourced timber to stop thermal transference through the frame. Internally the home contains LED light fittings throughout (where new was required), low VOC finishes and coatings and ethically sourced materials. A Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) report was obtained in the design stage to assist in water management. A 3500L above ground water tank is installed at the end of the garden, collecting rain water from both the new and the existing roof. Recycled water is used for toilets and the laundry. All overland flow is managed on site through a stormwater system designed in response to the WSUD. Natural light and cross ventilation to all living spaces have been maximised, with large openings. Ceiling fans further reduce reliance on mechanical cooling.

OWNERS STATEMENT

“I spent a long time choosing the architect. I looked online for heritage, small renovations and sustainability. I was in no great rush so I could spend time researching, to front load the decision-making process. I don't think I was a particularly involved owner, I generally just wanted to keep things in budget and on time. I trusted the architect. I asked them to choose everything, show me the options and I would pick my favourite. It was really easy. I'm always amazed by professionals who are good at what they do.

The original idea was for a two storey extension. I couldn’t imagine having everything I wanted in a single storey and I didn’t want to encroach too much into the garden. I really love my garden and I wanted to incorporate it into the design. It's a long, thin block so the temptation is just to build up and go out. It was surprising because the architects design involved re-purposing every room. I knew every room had to be re done because the original house was old and decrepit but in my head, every room had the same purpose, it didn’t occur to me we could do this. I love the flow and the openness and the light, that was a really big concern because the old house was so dark. Now it’s just really nice to come home. What I love most is that it’s not a big space but it packs a lot in. I get overwhelmed by large spaces. I have a bit of a horror of big spaces because I'm actually quite messy, and so the more space I have, the more stuff I collect. So I didn't want a big space. I just wanted to use the space better and for it to be more functional. My brief has definitely been met and exceeded, there’s nothing I asked for that isn’t here. It’s a very easy house to live in. It’s my longterm home and it’s quite modest but it’s what I wanted. It’s great, I love it.”

• Completion Date

  February 2025 

• Area

  • Total site area 362 m2

  • Total Floor area 300m2

  • Original floor area: 143 m2

  • New floor area: 157 m2 (Comprising 98m2 retained & 59m2 new build) 

• Collaborators

  • Builder Building Integrity Group

  • Landscape Architect Saint Remy

  • Engineer KPA Management & Consulting

  • Net Engineer Tensys

  • Building Surveyor Code Compliance 

• A Cohesive Layout

  This project transforms a dark, disjointed "rabbit warren" into The PentHouse – dissolving walls to reveal continuous views, radiant light and a layout that finally makes sense

• Exceptional Finishes

  The PentHouse reflects the client’s love of elevated, handcrafted details, including

  • Marble

  • Antique brass

  • Textured plaster surfaces

  • Polished ‘crazy paving’

  • Leather-bound handles

• Photography

  by Sharyn Cairns

THE WHAT

The PentHouse is a highly considered and meticulously designed luxury home, occupying the third and fourth levels of a four-storey apartment block. The original layout was random and ad hoc; a muddle of weird ante chambers, wasted kinks and bloated vestibules that were oversized and disproportionate. The negative effect of creating a rabbit warren is the obstruction of light and views. Internal space was dark and gloomy, with pockets of blinding glare. After years of toleration, and with the interiors looking increasingly tired and dated, the owners decided on a complete upgrade and reconfiguration. 

Trading chaos for cohesion, an expansive, light and airy kitchen/living/dining area and a generous main bedroom now occupy much of the third floor. The upper level has a large study, garden spa and sauna, a retreat for entertaining and two guest bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Once a jumble of cramped and disconnected rooms, the new renovation highlights, in exquisite detail, the opportunity to clear out wasted space and celebrate natural light, fresh air and flowing, continuous views.

IN BRIEF

The owners of The PentHouse were hoping for “a fresh beginning”. Describing the existing layout of their home as “inefficient” they asked for a complete redesign to make better sense of the available floor area. Their brief detailed the importance of getting the everyday things right, focusing on ergonomics, functionality and ease of use. A home in which they could  ‘age-in-place’.  As grandparents to young children an abundance of storage was crucial, ensuring toys and games could be pulled out and put away with ease. Open display shelving was equally as important as, the owner declared: “Everything I have is a memory of a time or place.” The goal was to make the space feel bright and open, yet radiate warmth and coziness. It would be luxurious but not opulent at the expensive of comfort. Their two miniature Yorkshire Terriers “MUST” be considered in the design process.  Ultimately the owners wanted: “A place for the whole family to come together.” 

THE CHALLENGE

Renovating within an existing apartment posed the biggest challenge, as the number of immovable factors impacted the scope and possibilities typically afforded by an empty shell. From the outset it was necessary to define what was lightweight wall and what was structural, and identify all the fixed anchor points such as the stair, the lift, electrical and mechanical services and plumbing. In past Austin Maynard Architect projects the ‘immovable factors’ have largely been established trees and our determination to save and protect them and their root growth (see Garden House, King Bill, Hotham and ParkLife). Similarly at The PentHouse, the limitations imposed by these anchor points steered the design, requiring a more creative approach in order to rationalise, find and reclaim all the lost and wasted space.

THE RESPONSE

A transformation through light, view and openness was achieved using the same logic Austin Maynard Architects typically apply to dark terrace houses. By approaching the design not as minimalists but as a strategists, buried internal space become free and unencumbered. The key is to look, and keeping looking, tenaciously, in order to simplify, re-evaluate and re-imagine space; dissolving walls and resisting the temptation to label rooms with a singular function. 

In the considered redesign of The PentHouse, rooms that didn’t require windows (storage, the electrical cupboard, his and hers walk-in-robes) were grouped in the centre of the plan, housed in a structure designed to visually recede. Rooms used less frequently - the gym and guest bedroom, were opened up to maintain the flow and floor line and end-to-end sky views. Rather than creating cells with a corridor running through in between, long corridors are absorbed into the space. When privacy is required, full height doors close off the room, then disappear when not needed, merging seamlessly into the walls. The importance of clear uninterrupted views also extended to the necessity for a dog flap. Rather than cut a hole in the triple-glazed, minimally framed sliding glass doors out to the terrace, a special doggie tunnel was created, concealed within the kitchen cabinetry.The Kitchen was originally in the same location but on the opposite side, unshaded from the harsh western sun (which really bothered the owners). By flipping the kitchen the height and bulk of the cabinetry, cupboards and shelving now multi-function as shade and (sun) shield.

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAIL

Despite the substantial constraints, having open-minded clients allowed for an incredible level of attention, time and thought to be invested into every single design aspect. Detail discernible in every trim, facet and fixture down to the ergonomic door handles, forged from brass and bound in leather, a nod to the owners love of golf. On both levels the layout is formed as a loop. In the centre of the donut is a block that contains the lift, stair, service rooms, storage and secondary spaces (robes). The block is clad in timber on the lower level, executed with mathematical accuracy.  Carefully set-out on the module of a timber board, every vertical piece is placed full width, with not a single cut board. On the lower floor the height of the timber boards form a defined line, a datum, above which is textured green plaster wall. On the upper level this is reversed, with textured green plaster walls and a timber-lined bulkhead above. On both levels all the doors to rooms and cupboards are concealed flush within the walls, whether timber or plaster. The primary bedroom at the rear of the building spans the same width as the kitchen/dining/living space, with an expansive picture window framing the heritage Oak trees outside. At one side is a desk, at the other a fire and in the centre is a custom bed, crafted to house a large TV screen that rises up from the base.

The request for a bath tub, and the desire for an internal garden, were combined to create a lush spa area complete with sauna. An abundance of greenery, together with an optional full length curtain, encloses the huge tub, softening and adding privacy.Mirrors were used throughout the home to further reflect views and light. The spa features a full mirror wall to give the illusion of endless garden. Tinted black mirror is used on the reverse of the concealed doors, in the corridor rooms, to maintain and elongate the view even when closed.  

The home has separate walk-in-robes and separate studies. Hers in the main bedroom, with floor to ceiling bookshelves reflecting her love of reading. The other is located on the upper floor, with a lounge area and big screen, all finely detailed in timber and glass. A polished plaster ceiling helps to bounce light around the apartment while the floor is crazy paved stone, ground and polished to also reflect light and add texture. The materials - timber, stone, antique brass and marble, were selected for their natural beauty and authentic quality, reflecting craft and a sense of the handmade.

The bathrooms each have a distinct aesthetic character. Either in pink or green, the marble, stone, tile and paintwork match and compliment harmoniously. The practicalities of arriving home and leaving the house have been thoughtfully considered. A bench seat at the entry area (opposite the lift and stair) is positioned between a concealed cupboard and a cloak room. The cloak room is large enough to accommodate a pram, suitcases, the dog beds and a features enough joinery to store a multitude of shoes and coats, with an inbuilt metal tray beneath a series of umbrella hooks, designed to collect water.

THE COMPLETE WORKS

The metamorphosis of The PentHouse extended to every aspect of the home - appliances, furniture, furnishings and lighting. The aim was to seamlessly compliment the larger scale renovations in every detail, both in material and form, to achieve perfect congruence. Working alongside the client in prioritising function and comfort, pieces were chosen not only for their visual aesthetic and exceptional quality but for their enjoyment of use.
Rugs and carpets were selected to mirror the interior colour palette, to work in tandem with specific furniture pieces in defining spaces for work, rest and creativity. The clients desire for continuity and a wholistic approach to the project extended to light fittings and the opportunity to celebrate local designers and makers.

CANDLES AND FIRELIGHT

There are several ‘fireside moments’ at The PentHouse, most dramatically in the main bedroom, the living area and the upper terrace (a fire pit coffee table). In early discussion the owners spoke of their years living in northern Germany and the many winters they’d spent in Scotland where they grew to love the celebration of the dark. “My happy time is the end of daylight savings, when its okay to hunker down and candles and firelight are king.” The overall ambiance they sought could be surmised in a single German word ‘Gemütlichkeit’. Meaning, (according to translation) ‘a state of warmth, friendliness and cozy togetherness. It describes a sense of belonging and comfort, combining physical coziness with social well-being, often experienced in relaxed, unhurried settings like cafes, pubs, or with friends, similar to the Danish concept of Hygge.’

REAL LUXURY

“Real luxury is defined as an experience or state of being that prioritises time, peace, and authenticity over material, showy possessions.”

If you have an generous budget and an incredible place, it poses the question, what is the responsibility of the architect? You can provide as much house as possible, in whatever form you like, but you can also deal with issues like mental health and wellbeing. Austin Maynard Architects firmly believe that the new luxury is authenticity. Authenticity of material. Authenticity of experience. We’ve moved beyond the aspirational era, where people felt the need to show off wealth and prestige with brands and labels. Instead true luxury is paying for a really comfortable and authentic life - sincere, beautiful, thoughtful materials and thoughtful spaces. Good, thoughtful design can improve your life. This was Austin Maynard Architect’s approach when designing The PentHouse.

• Completion Date

  December 2025

• Total Floor area

  469m2

  • Comprising Level 3, 286m2

  • Level 4, 183m2

• Collaborators

  • Builder Comb Construction

  • Engineer Ipsum Structures

  • Building Surveyor Floreancig 

• Sustainability

  • 100% fossil fuel free

  • All Electric Building

  • Average NatHERS Rating of 8.1 Stars

  • Airtightness achieved 2.1-2.3 m3/hr/m2 @50Pa

  • No Carpark

• Awards

  GOLD - The Good Design Awards
  WINNER - ArchDaily Building of the Year
  WINNER - ‘Multi-Residential Dwelling’ Sustainability Awards
  WINNER - Sustainable Architecture Award, The Australian Institute of Architects 2022
  COMMENDATION - Multiple Housing, Victorian Architecture Awards
  SHORTLISTED - National Architecture Awards - Sustainable Architecture

• Press

  • “Terrace House creates a series of homes that re-imagine a past inner-city suburban life, where rows of workers cottages generated and nurtured a close community. Modeled on this plan of traditional terrace houses, stacked and elevated, the building holds and balances a light, open, and communal domestic intimacy within an exposed, almost infrastructural framework to great effect.

    At the point of entry, it is immediately apparent this building’s primary focus is geared towards the wellbeing of its residents and the planet, with bike parking, gardens, and spatial generosity adjacent to the ground floor circulation and an architectural techtonic that exposes its systems, economy, and structure.

    The lean, dematerialised multi-residential building by Austin Maynard Architects excels in making all aspects of its base materials and constructed volumes hard working and incredibly efficient while maintaining and enhancing a sense of domesticity and communal wellbeing. Extending building materials for maximum economy and concise structural systems reduces the carbon footprint while holding a sophisticated and playful language. The fossil-fuel-free building is commended for its integration of various passive and technological systems including universal use of ERV, airtightness, high insulation, and PV, resulting in a NatHERS Rating of 8.1.

    It is also important to register the effort taken by the architects to carefully craft opportunities for the growth of an interconnected and sustainable residential community. This is a building that achieves a great deal while rigorously reducing its use of resources.”
    
    – 2022 Victorian Architecture Awards: Sustainable Architecture, jury citation
    
    

  • "This fossil-fuel-free building fills a much needed gap in the housing market. Austin Maynard Architects has considered what it means to live in a Terrace House, extracted many of those highly appealing elements and wielded them to drive this design. This is a project that invites intrigue and encourages conversation in its mission to contribute to Brunswick with gusto.”

    – The Local Project

THE WHAT

Terrace House is an ethical, beautifully-designed, highly sustainable and 100% fossil fuel free building in Melbourne, comprising twenty (2 & 3 bedroom) residences, with 55 bike parks and three commercial spaces at ground level. Austin Maynard Architect’s first multi-residential project as both architect and developer, Terrace House takes a revolutionary approach to housing and delivers quality apartments that are environmentally, socially and financially sustainable. Terrace House, is the re-imagining of a former inner-city suburban life, where rows of workers cottages generated and nurtured close community. Street parties, shared childminding, communal gardens, neighbourly lending and borrowing, conversations over the washing line and unlocked front doors - these ideals are the basis of Terrace House. These are not apartments, these are homes - terrace houses stacked six storeys high.

BOTH ARCHITECT & DEVELOPER

Over the years developers have approached Austin Maynard Architects, seeking our unique, joyful and award-winning design. At Terrace House we committed to doing it all, ourselves. We committed to being both architect and developer. Instead of profits, we focused on deliberative design, working directly with the residents to form a community and help them author their collective future. With the design of the building we set out to tackle the big issues, climate change and the lack of affordable housing; to be a really good example of urbanism and to be financially sustainable. To achieve this we democratised investment capital. We asked ethical investors to bank-roll us. We went to past clients and asked them to help us house others in the community. Our clients chipped in, at significant risk, as did many of us at Austin Maynard Architects. After a search we found an engaged landowner who wanted to do something positive within the neighbourhood they called home.

BEAUTIFULLY LARGE HOMES

Located on Sydney Road, a busy high street in Brunswick, Melbourne, Terrace House is sited on a thin, long block (10m x 57m). Typical small inner-city apartment buildings cannot be arranged on a block this size without the homes facing inward, towards each other, using saddlebacks or compromising bedrooms. We believe homes should have an aspect out from the site, into the surroundings, and to the sky, not facing each other at close proximity. The response to this unique site led to generous homes and the opportunity to emulate traditional terrace house plans. Homes with big external outlooks, a front verandah, a study and a shared ‘backyard' on the roof. These are highly sustainable terrace homes in an engaged community, at a relatively affordable price, with low running costs, and without the constant demands for maintenance and poor thermal performance of typical terrace houses.


IT’S ALL RELATIVE


A terrace home, as a typology, is an efficient type of free-standing housing. With homes up to 130m2 - Terrace House is large relative to other apartments, yet they are highly efficient relative to the typical Australian home. The average Australian home is 233m2, and generally inefficient in its use of space and energy, poorly designed and unsustainable. Terrace House fills a much needed gap in the housing market. Notably more affordable than similar sized, un-renovated, homes in the area. Large enough for families, but still with the shared resourcing and community that apartment living can bring.


INFORMATIVE DESIGN

Terrace House is an evolution of apartment living. As architect and developer, it offered Austin Maynard Architects a way to create ethical, sustainable, cost-effective housing, while also allowing the community to craft an outcome that suits their needs and wants. In June 2016, we made available a survey to potential purchasers, the results of which strongly informed the design of Terrace House. All respondents expressed a willingness to purchase homes designed by Austin Maynard Architects. 55% of respondents were first home buyers and 75% of respondents were aged under 45. The vast majority wanted a shared laundry and a rooftop clothes line, to ensure that they had larger living spaces. A rooftop garden was very important to most respondents. Everyone was concerned about climate change and wanted a highly sustainable and resilient development. Almost no-one requested air-conditioning, with the knowledge that Austin Maynard Architects would be designing a highly thermal efficient building. The vast majority of respondents wanted a car free home as almost everyone commutes via public transport, bicycles, walking and Uber.

“Our path to Terrace House began in 2013, in conversations with friends about architecture, good design, urban planning and the future of Melbourne. How communities, thoughtful policy and planning decisions can shape really liveable, exciting communities that are also future-proofed. With Austin Maynard Architects we found we shared the same strongly held convictions about the environment and social justice, we joined the list for Terrace House and in 2017 our ballot was successful. We are not the sort of people who ever felt that need to buy a house. The only reason that we have bought anything is because it’s sustainable, community-focused and ‘location, location location’. Terrace House is premised on good design, on liveable apartments and we love that it tries to up-end the paradigm of development in Melbourne at the moment.”

– Paula, resident of Terrace House

THE COMMUNITY

Brunswick is a wonderfully diverse suburb, with residents from a range of different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicity and lifestyles. Issues of equality, sustainability, the arts and ethics are high priorities of many locals. The majority of Terrace House purchasers are Brunswick residents and many are renters in the area who have been unable to find suitable or affordable options to purchase. They already have an established social network here, but cost issues are forcing many to relocate to the outer suburbs, further from the city, from their familiar neighbourhood and infrastructure. Terrace House fills the gap in the market and maintains the spirit of community. As a consumer, what I really think Austin Maynard Architects has designed and built here, first and foremost, is a community. A thoughtfully designed and constructed community of like-minded people, who have been brought together by shared values and empowered by co-design. By involving us all in design decisions, AMA have given residents the permission to make this building our own; to take the design principles and run with them.”

– Paula, resident of Terrace House

RESPONSE TO BRUNSWICK’S BUILT HERITAGE

Brunswick is one of the most eclectic and multi-cultural suburbs in Melbourne. It has a rich and diverse heritage that remains to this day. Terrace House is a love letter to Brunswick’s eclectic heritage and specifically to its often undervalued Mediterranean-Australian built history. Sadly, arches and brown brick are not in fashion at the moment and as such we are seeing the erasure of a very important part of post-war Australia.Terrace House borrows from the plethora of unique arches of various types and epochs along Sydney Road, in a respectful and playful way. We studied these facades and have created a modern interpretation of the context, yet using light, utilitarian materials on the eastern and western facades that reflect Brunswick’s industrial past. Although we are very fond of the masonry arch balconies of neighbouring buildings, the lack of natural light provides poor amenity to the inhabitants, compared to the metal mesh and gardens established at Terrace House.

Undertaking yet another thoughtless, boxy development is exactly what Brunswick does not need. Neither does it call for a direct copy of heritage structures. Instead we have designed a green lung that borrows the forms and rhythms of the area. The utilitarian concrete and metal mesh provide the backdrop for substantial gardens on the east and west facade, and elegant, simple graphics of the North and South facades. The balustrading is simple vertical posts, which ensure that the balconies are not scalable by youngsters whilst providing abundant light to the inhabitants. Our vision is that Terrace House will become a vertical community garden within a masonry context. Our aim is to provide a tall garden full of life.

AN URBAN RESPONSE TO TRANSIT AND PARKING

As determined by the transport plan, increased car usage on the street at the rear of Terrace House (Saxon Street) should be discouraged. A relatively narrow, ‘no-through’ road with a pedestrian park at the end, meant it could not effectively tolerate car usage. In fact, increased car activity would not only be an ineffective transport outcome, it would be to the detriment of the area. Saxon Street is an important public space and artery to public infrastructure, such as the school, the swimming baths, the train station, bike path, library, council building and other services, all tightly packed in this unique public realm. Furthermore the purchasers of Terrace House articulated a commitment to sustainable transport options and most have a history of non-car usage. With a reliable public transport system, car sharing on their doorstep, and with 55 secure bike-parks inside, the by design “no car no garage” urban response to transit and parking is the ideal solution for the residents of Terrace House, and importantly for the broader community.

STAIRWELL GRAPHICS

We were already fans of Melbourne based design studio Hermann Studios - of his clothing and his mural - we even had the t-shirts, so when we heard the company director, Griff, was successful with his ballot and would be moving into Terrace House, we approached him with an idea. “The idea was to design a series of graphics in the building that would communicate earth and man and how they all intersect. It was a really good brief to work from, with that imagery, and so I kept it abstract but also symbolic. I really wanted to communicate the earth and then a human abstract of form and then unify them. They don’t all communicate that, some have plant structures entering the human head and other ones have a globe - you can interpret it as you want, art is subjective, but it was a great brief.”

– Griff, head of Hermann Studios and resident at Terrace House

SUSTAINABILITY

“Over its life span this building will emit -7000 tCO2eq less than average or standard buildings providing the same functionality. This is equivalent to:

• 42,000 trees planted

• 1842 cars taken off the road for a year

• 932 zero energy Australian homes for a year

• 203,855,455 balloons of CO2 gas removed from the atmosphere”

  From Hip V Hype 120 year life cycle assessment 2021

Terrace House addresses 10 key Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) categories in design and operations. The following is a summary of how each has been considered and what has been achieved, the results of which culminate in a building that will have reduced environmental impacts in the long term and will offer residents comfortable living conditions and reduced running costs.

• Indoor Environment Quality

  • Low VOC & formaldehyde materials

  • Fresh Air: Natural ventilation and energy recovery ventilators

  • Thermal comfort (ceiling fans, insulation)

  • Daylight

• Energy Efficiency

  • Insulation and high performance glazing

  • Thermal mass

  • Average NatHERS Rating of 8.1 Stars

  • Air tightness – Target ≤4.0 m3/hr/m2 @50Pa – Achieved 2.1-2.3 m3/hr/m2 @50Pa

  • Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV’s)

  • Lightwells with Cool Mist

  • Condensing clothes dryers and drying lines

  • Apartment master switch

  • LED lights throughout

• 100% Fossil Fuel Free

  • All Electric Building

  • No Gas

  • Induction Cooktops and Electric BBQ

  • Electric Heat Pump for hot water

  • Solar PV System

  • Embedded Network with 100% Green Electricity

• Water Efficiency

  • High Water Efficiency Fixtures & Appliances

  • 10,000L Rainwater Collection for Reuse

  • 5,000L Fire Sprinkler System Test WaterCollection Tank for Reuse

  • Water Sensitive Landscaping

• Stormwater Management

  • Reduction of Stormwater leaving the site during a storm event

  • Improved quality of Stormwater leaving the site achieved through a combination of soft landscaping and rainwater tank.

• Building Materials

  • Concrete with Cement Replacement

  • 100% Recycled Water

  • Recycled Clay Red Brick Façade

  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved Timber

  • Steel from Responsible Steel Maker (WSACAP membership)

  • PVC: Best Practice Certified

  • Durable and Sustainable Materials

• Transport

  • No Carpark

  • Access to Public Transport (trains, trams, buses)

  • 55 Bicycle Parking Spaces

  • Car Share within 20m

• Waste Management

  Waste Management Plan

  Dedicated Waste Room with:

  • Recycling Facilities

  • Shelf for Batteries & Electronic Waste

  • Wormfarm

  • No Waste Chutes

  • 90% of construction waste recycled

• Urban Ecology

  • Landscape Designed for Improved Site Ecological Value

  • Veggie Garden

  • Soft Landscaping for Reduced Heat Island Effect

  • Reduced Light Pollution

• Innovation

  • No jaw-dropping-ground-breaking Innovation Initiatives (that might not work)

  • Simply thoughtful design

• Management

  Construction

  • Environmental Management Plan

  • Contractor Environmental Education

  • 12 Months Building Tuning Process

  Operation

  • We have given the residents the tools for sustainable living

  • The initiatives that have been utilised during construction, and built into this project for its future operations, are exemplary. We are incredibly proud to be have made a positive contribution to the environment and the community.

• Completion Date

  November 2021

• Area

  • Site Area 597m2

  • Total Floor Area 3225m2

• Collaborators

  • Builder Kapitol Group

  • Project Managers Armitage Jones

  • Engineers
Structural Adams Engineering

  • Engineer - Services BCA Engineers

  • Engineer - Fire Omnii

  • Engineer - Acoustic - WSP

  • ESD Irwin Consult

  • Traffic Consultant Ratio

  • Planning Consultant Hansen

  • Access Consultant Architecture and Access

  • Landscape Architects Openwork

  • Building Surveyor Steve Watson & Partners

• Photography

  Maitreya Chandorkar & Austin Maynard Architects

• Quotes

  • Terrace House is the result of past Austin Maynard Architects clients, staff and allies putting their own money at risk to create community-focused homes that are equitable, ethical, cost-effective, robust and resilient in the face of the growing climate crisis. Amongst our incredible investors, who risked so much, are past clients at Union House, Grant House, Mills: The Toy Management House, Mash House, Sproule House and Walker House. Also the patriarch of Melbourne architecture Emeritus Professor Leon Van Schaik supported and helped fund Terrace House as did fellow architects Scale Architecture, Phooey Architects and more. All of them champions of ethical housing who have been incredible supporters of Austin Maynard Architects in the past and whom we look forward to sharing future adventures with.
    
    – Austin Maynard Architects

  • “One of us is a public servant, the other is a school teacher. In our income bracket options for home ownership are limited to cookie-cutter suburban sprawl with a lengthy commute to work (likely requiring a car), or an inner city shoebox not suited to raising small children. We would certainly never be able to afford an architect-designed new build, let alone one in Brunswick. Terrace House has given us peace of mind that we can live car-free and carefree in a 20 minute neighbourhood, walking distance to all the amenities we need, and that we will be able to raise our children in a stable community of owner-occupiers that like us values equitable outcomes, environmental sustainability and great design.”
    

    – Paula, Resident of Terrace House
    

  • “This building is the future, setting the tone for what is possible; to see how good it is to live a bit more simply and more sustainably, in a very tight knit community, in an area where everything you need is within walking distance. It’s a great place to be and everyone is so warm and open and equally happy to be here. It’s a perfect home.”
    

    – Griff, Director Hermann Studios and resident of Terrace House

• Sustainability

  • The majority of the original building has been preserved and repaired with insulation installed in the roof and double glazing to the existing windows.

  • Clarke is fossil fuel free, 100% electric, with a 6.6KW solar system on the roof, battery provision and an electric car charging point. 

  • An electric heat pump hot water system and an electric heat pump hydronic heating system, with heating coils are laid within the concrete floor at ground level and panels installed at first floor.

• Alone Together

  The owner’s brief detailed two major objectives - functionality and space to harmoniously co-exist. “Alone Together” was the prevailing theme. They asked for intimate retreats and areas spacious enough to accommodate large family gatherings.

THE WHAT

A family of four, work-from-home professionals and their two teenage daughters, concluded after ten years and the Covid lockdowns, that their living situation was no longer working. Clarke is the renovation and extension of a single-storey weatherboard cottage once void of light, definition, separation and all hope of personal space. Drawn to deliberative design, simplicity and functionality, inspired by their year living in Japan, the family asked for more considered and purposeful space. “Something different.” Modern but not stark or boxy, bright and airy but also cosy and comfortable, areas to come together and entertain and private spaces to retreat, suited to each individual. In realising all aspects of the brief and embedding the solutions into the language of the building, the extension became an unusual stepping and overlapping shape. To unify, a batten screen is set over, providing shade and privacy (to both the owners and their neighbours) and bringing together new and old in a simple meeting of forms. 

THE WHO

The owners purchased the house, their first property, fifteen years ago. It had undergone a basic update, was north facing, close to shops, transport and local school and had a pretty weatherboard-cottage frontage. For a decade it served the family, until one day it didn’t. With the children and their friends growing “bigger and louder” and staying up later, the home they all inhabited, to live, work and play, began to close in on them. They were all in each others space. And then Covid happened. Ascertaining this would be the only major renovation they would ever do, the owners contacted Austin Maynard Architects. “We loved the studio’s work and their whole design ethos - the creativity and sustainability.” Though they don’t consider themselves daring people, with AMA engaged, they decided to “just go for it”. To “trust the process and let it rip.”

THE BRIEF

The owner’s brief detailed two major objectives - functionality and space to harmoniously co-exist. “Alone Together” was the prevailing theme. They asked for intimate retreats and areas spacious enough to accommodate large family gatherings. The indoors and outdoors would seamlessly merge. They wanted a highly practical and socially active living/kitchen/dining, with a laundry, a pantry, a dedicated home office and a second study / guest bedroom. With recent studies showing around fifty percent of 18 to 29 year olds still living at home, they hoped to provide their teenagers with their own ‘apartment’ - or at least the feeling of one.Inspired by their love and experience of life in Japan, simplicity was key. The design would be uncomplicated and practical to allow for all aspects of their day-to-day life, working from home, riding their bikes, doing laundry, to be easy, accessible and enjoyable. 

THE RESPONSE

The old house presented great character and was in generally good condition, requiring only necessary work to thermally and structurally improve the fabric (re-stumping, repainting, re-plastering, new flooring, heating and electrical). The bathroom and ensuite had already been upgraded and a redo was not required. The alteration and addition begins with the configuration of new side entry, to bypass private space and re-orient access into the centre of the house. The gate opens into the first of three pocket gardens / light-wells, inviting in airflow and views of greenery, penetrating here through to the laundry and the home-office at each side. Off the entry a perforated steel staircase leads directly up to the ‘apartment’, comprising two bedrooms, a central bathroom ‘box', a secret pink craft room and a study/TV/retreat, with a generous hammock utilising the high ceiling.

To define the original part of the house in respect to the addition, the external materiality of painted weatherboards is continued through internally. Not typically used as an interior wall finish, it’s application draws the exterior inside, creating visual and spatial separation between the old and newly built and confusing the perception of inside and out. Bluestone paving is used as internal flooring inside the entry to further reinforce the intent. In strategically avoiding the expansive open-plan living from feeling as the owners feared, “too cavernous” the lounge room extends off the main entertaining zone. Providing just the right amount of space, the form is slightly raised and protrudes, like a pavilion, into the garden.

THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE

For every architecturally designed home, there are a stack of unattractive everyday necessities - bins, bikes, lawnmowers, air conditioning units, hot water tanks - poised to defile it. At Clarke these unavoidable everyday items have been factored into the fabric of the building, turning them into design assets. This thoughtful incorporation at concept stage, guarantees optimum placement, purpose and performance. All services are gathered and housed together along the eastern boundary, out of sight behind a large sliding batten screen to allow for access when necessary. On the western boundary, opportunity presented by the previously underused side laneway is maximised.  Further on from the new central entryway, also concealed behind a large sliding batten screen, is a storeroom, wherein lives the bikes and bins. Adjacent is a gate opening to another light well / pocket garden beside the living room and kitchen, super handy for taking out the trash. 

POCKET GARDENS

Double fronted homes like these typically have a central hallway ‘spine’, running front to back, with rooms on each side. The owners didn’t want to lose the joy of seeing garden from the entry. More than just protect the visual flow front front to back, the design of Clarke expands on the theme, creating views of garden from a multitude of angles. Lightwell pocket gardens are implemented strategically within the layout, bringing definition, greenery, natural light and air flow to the internal spaces - minimising the need for air conditioning. 

THE PINK ROOM

When considering a renovation, addition or a new home, it’s standard to start with a list detailing your plans and goals. When the owners of Clarke first contacted Austin Maynard Architects to discuss their renovation ideas the last item on their list read: “And my daughter wants a secret room. And you guys do secret rooms.” The Pink Room is hidden behind a push panel door at the top of the stairs, utilising the attic space within the roof of the old house. Addressing and respecting the different personalities of the children, the younger is able to freely express her artistic creativity and indulge in messy projects without disturbing the more “zen” nature of her older sister, within their shared common area.

THE BATTENS

In realising all aspects of the brief, from wants to needs, the extension became an unusual stepping and overlapping shape. To unify, a batten screen is set over, bringing together the addition in a simple meeting of forms, while providing shade and protection, restricting overlooking, and creating a covered verandah. The angle of the battens is generated by following the pitch of the old house roof. Though not the same building, or the same materials, it's the same pitch with battens all running in the same direction to create a visual language, a discussion and shared DNA. Building a two story addition creates the problem of overlooking and the battens solve this issue. The continuation of the battens is carried down to as a continuous form, to read as a flat facade. Services and a bike/bin store are incorporated into the addition on either side, concealed behind sliding batten screens. The screen and the full height glass windows in the lounge pavilion also slide away at the corner, to fully open up into the garden.

SUSTAINABILITY 

As with all our projects, sustainability is the core consideration. Whenever possible the existing fabric is retained and repaired to improve and increase performance and thermal efficiency. The majority of the original building has been preserved and repaired with insulation installed in the roof and double glazing to the existing windows. Clarke is fossil fuel free,100% electric, with a 6.6KW solar system on the roof, battery provision and an electric car charging point. An electric heat pump hot water system and an electric heat pump hydronic heating system, with heating coils are laid within the concrete floor at ground level and panels installed at first floor. The new rear structure has been re-oriented to maximise north and east sun. The batten screen creates shading to the large glazed openings ensuring the summer sun does penetrate and heat up the interior spaces, but in winter, makes full use of the solar gain, heating the thermal mass of the concrete floor.

The windows are high performance, thermally broken, double glazing throughout. The walls of the new addition are fully insulated, so too in the walls of the old part of the house, where internal lining was replaced). The highest R value available for the structurally depth; R2.7. R.6 is installed to all roofs. Internally the home contains LED light fittings throughout (where new was required), low VOC finishes and coatings and ethically sourced materials. A 3000Lt water tank is installed at the end of the garden. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) report recycles rainwater to toilets and laundry and determines overland flow management. Natural light and cross ventilation to all living spaces have been maximised, with large openings. Ceiling fans installed in all bedrooms and within the teenage retreat, further reducing the reliance on mechanical cooling.

OWNERS STATEMENT

“Our home served its purpose for the first ten years but then it quickly become apparent we needed more space. The plan was to contact three different architecture firms but after first meeting with Austin Maynard Architects that was it. We loved their work and their whole design ethos - the creativity and sustainability. We trusted the team to come up with a design that would work from a functional and from an artistic perspective. To design something modern and different, not just the prevalent box on the back. We felt this would probably be the only major renovation we'd ever do, and we should just go for it. Let it rip and and trust the process. Everything we wanted has been factored in and everything has a place. It feels like a large house but no space is wasted. There isn’t a section of this house that isn't used. The house accommodates different people's personalities - some of us are neat and some not so neat, so there’s a lot more harmony. The kids have their private retreat but the house is so nice they want to be downstairs too.

There are big scale surprises and beautiful small scale details. We love the openings through the large sliding glass doors and the light-well windows that open up fully, bringing in more green areas and beautiful cross breezes. You don't need to put the air conditioning on. The view to the east and the open sky and big gum trees was so important and now we have the TV room raised up and facing out, which is stunning at all times of day. The design is so functional for how we live. We struggled with our bikes and now its super easy to jump on and go.

We love the small details too, like the niche recesses for our chopping boards and stepladder, the built in cocktail bar and bar fridge and the secret glasses compartment in the end of the island bench. The interiors were an invaluable part of the Austin Maynard package, it wasn’t just the shape and form of the house, it was so much more, on so many more levels. The design encourages entertaining, it’s so easy it makes us feel very relaxed and happy having people over.  The house affords us choice about where we want to be, together or separate. We often go upstairs when the kids aren’t here to read a book on the net. The light is so lovely up there, it’s another retreat for us. It wouldn’t become a redundant space because we would use it. We could totally take it over.”

• Completion Date

  January 2025

• Collaborators

  • Builder CBD Contracting

  • Landscape Architect McNuttNDorff Landscapes

  • Engineer WebbConsult Engineers

• Sustainability

  • No gas 

  • 5000L underground water tank to rear garden 

  • 7.7KW solar system with battery provision 

  • Electric heat pump hydronic heating system (in-slab to new concrete floor) 

  • Electric heat pump hot water system 

  • Electric heat pump pool heating 

  • LED light fittings throughout 

  • Oriented to provide north and east sun, eaves and awnings protect glazing from the hot summer sunThermal mass to the ground floor makes use of the winter solar gain 

  • Ethically sourced timber 

• Awards

  WINNER Horbury Hunt Residential Award, 2025 Think Brick Awards
  WINNER Residential Architecture Award - Alterations & Additions. ACT Institute of Architects
  SHORTLISTED National Award. The Australian Institute of Architects
  SPECIAL MENTION Architizer A+Awards, Residential Renovations & Additions

• Press

  "Hotham House is representative of an incredible effort to retain and reinvest. Seeking to preserve and enrich its existing built history, this project is a careful and considered updating of an original and identifiable Canberra house. As a significant re-working of the existing structure has been undertaken, additional build forms have been added in a sympathetic manner ensuring a celebration of the existing structure remains. The addition of two wings to each end of the house and the addition of a garage capture spatial and programmatic additions for a modern single dwelling house. These forms are referential to the original structure without being derivative, with changes in materiality and texture providing both contrast and sympathy to the original house.

  
  Internally the re-configured circulation created on axis brings light and legibility to the existing house and its additions. While thoughtful permeability through the individual spaces allows for operability between spaces as the occupants’ requirements or uses evolve. Level and spatial changes within house create a unique quality not offered in the original dwelling. The project embodies the architect’s commitment to understanding and preserving the historical value of this house and the ability to uncover its full potential for its next chapter of life."
  
  – ACT Awards Jury citation

• Video

  Experience Hotham through an Archimarathon home tour here, where Andrew Maynard and Kevin Hui take you through all the design details.

THE WHAT

Embedded within lush foliage on an established suburban street just off the National Circuit, with a direct view of the flag over Parliament House, Hotham seeks to slow-down and consider Canberra’s past, present and future built environment. Working to demonstrate the importance of responding to, rather than erasing the cultural and architectural fabric of Australia’s Capital city - a city which ‘embodies the Australian spirit and symbolises Australian life and achievement.' Hotham is Austin Maynard Architects second completed project in Canberra following on from Empire, winner of the prestigious Canberra Medallion. Seeking again to preserve and enrich the City’s important built heritage in the midst of rapid development, Hotham is the considered re-working of an original Inter-War bungalow that respects and celebrates the historic character of both house and location. Protecting the past and procuring a long-lasting future, Hotham is a robust and responsive family home that fulfils the owners desire for a “unique and interesting” house that positively contributes to the local area. Aligning with our commitment to true sustainability, radical sufficiency and the integral design consideration of embodied carbon, Hotham works to showcase the value alternative to low-cost redevelopment. 

THE WHERE

Hotham is located in (Old) Deakin, a leafy inner-suburb of Canberra, within the Parliamentary Triangle at the heart of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin’s visionary masterplan: To create a “picturesque and liveable” urban environment following the natural contours of the land, with concentric circles (Circuits) and radiating tree-lined avenues (Crescents) that would foster close community. In the 1920s and 1930s, the residents of Deakin were predominantly senior public servants, diplomats, scientists, academics and philosophers, living in homes that showcased early examples of Inter-War Functionalist style -  brick architecture, asymmetrical massing and simple geometric shapes. In the decades that followed some of the most celebrated architects of their time, Harry Siedler, James Burrell and Gilford Bell, all designed homes here. Directly across from Hotham is a home designed by important 70s/80s architect Bert Reid, whose work represents another moment in Deakin’s seminal architectural timeline. Fighting to safeguard the future of these significant buildings are The Deakin Residents Association (DRA), a local community group who formed over a decade ago, united into action by the surge in inappropriate development. The members are ardent and active advocates for Deakin to remain a garden suburb, with a key focus on environmental issues and protecting Deakin’s streetscapes. 

THE BRIEF

The owners of Hotham - a professional couple (doctor and lawyer) with two young children, had a compact and cosy brick bungalow on a sizeable block in a wonderful location, but needed more living space for their daughters to grow and for their interstate family to comfortably stay. After visiting Empire house at The Canberra Design Festival Open Homes and finding it “beautifully detailed and thoughtful” they contacted Austin Maynard Architects. The owners asked us to design them a house that was interesting and not stock-standard, that would allow their children to live and develop “in a healthy, happy and inspiring environment.” Somewhere “unique, creative, playful, functional, and with some surprises.” 

With one a keen cook and one an avid gardener, they asked for the kitchen to be the heart of the home - generous and highly functional, with direct connection to the garden and views out to greenery. The house had to be Canberra weather-proof, built using solid, robust and low maintenance materials and, where possible, recycled or re-purposed. The owners did not want a massive house but hoped the space would feel generous, open and light. Importantly there would be no space that wouldn’t get used. Although the original old brick cottage was not heritage listed and had no overlay protection, the owners felt a sense of attachment, responsibility and pride. Despite the difficulties and potential for being more financially costly, they chose not to more simply demolish and rebuild but instead choose a sensitive architectural response. Ultimately, the owners of Hotham wanted to make a positive contribution to the character of the neighbourhood.

THE RESPONSE

Hotham is a sustainable and sympathetic alteration and addition, built from resilient, textural, natural materials and some carefully recycled (re-using the old red brick and re-instating the original old roof tiles.) At the home’s core is the original brick cottage, with two pavilion ‘wings’ extending either side connected by glass links. Similar in size and scale but different in purpose, one pavilion houses the bedrooms, cosy, internalised and comforting, the other serves as an expansion of the play and entertaining space, open and connected. The old building provides a dedicated guest bedroom and a peaceful sitting room before opening through into the new, surprising and spacious open-plan living, dining and sitting room, gently zoned by foliage and minor level changes. More than just merging indoor and outdoor space, garden has been brought inside to form a lush and leafy internal oasis, with garden visible and discoverable from every vantage point. Frameless glass at each end of the long corridor - spanning all three built elements - creates the perception of endless green space, continuing on forever. The corridor is the backbone of the house, the central spine from which spaces branch off rather than crash through. The links extending between the old and the new are formed mainly of glass with flooring mirroring the external crazy paving. The visual separation and full view of open sky and foliage, gives the sense of walking through garden to enter a different building. 

Housed in the pavilion to the right, is the main bedroom, with built in cabinetry and beautiful ensuite bathroom, and two further bedrooms for the girls. The two bedrooms are a mirror image of each other, with identical cabinetry and built in desk space and each with their own door out to the garden. The dividing ‘wall’ between them is a large heavy curtain, allowing the space to be open and shared or closed and private. The pavilion to the left has more practical and social function with a laundry and boot room (providing plenty of storage for hats, coats and bags) and a multipurpose rumpus room. The rumpus has curtained fourth wall (opening the room up to the covered entertaining zone and outdoor fireplace), a secret netted play space in the ceiling and a concealed door within the cabinetry opening to a bathroom. Viewed from the street Hotham is deliberately understated. The home sits quietly beneath the canopy of large established trees, protected and retained by purposefully designing around them. The new elements were modelled on the existing form, copying and borrowing the exact roof forms and angles of the original bungalow. By sharing the same DNA and layering vistas back to the street Hotham shares the same language and appears very much part of the chronology of the street.

EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE

The architecture is mature and restrained, yet joyful. Providing spaces to explore, inhabit and experience, the design promises intimacy, surprises and discovery rather than having everything, all at once. The discipline lies in creating moments to allow the inhabitant to sit within the picture rather than just look at, or through it. By orientating towards, or framing the view, a far more visceral and intimate way of interacting with the outside is created.

“When we studied architecture it was the age of deconstruction and the idea that you are basically an elaborate sculptor. I completely disagree. We are not sculptors, we are weavers, adding our bits. What’s great about Hotham is precisely that - weaving the external built fabric, then it’s all Austin Maynard Architects on the inside. We haven’t had to be ostentations on the outside. At Hotham there are surprises that are not instantly obvious but slowly discovered.” 

– Andrew Maynard

CAPTURED CARBON

A crucial factor in the architectural weaving over architectural re-writing is the acknowledgement and response to the real issue of captured carbon. Where once the focus was on saving energy, selling fancy new things as being super low carbon in operation, the root problem lies in the upfront, embodied carbon in anything existing and the carbon created in making anything new. The most sustainable buildings are the ones that make the best ruins, they just don’t want to knocked down. Hotham is a super resilient building,  it will be here for a long, long time.

MIRROR MIRROR

Research has shown that there are numerous psychological and developmental benefits to siblings sharing a room. In 2022 a study conducted by the US's National Sleep Foundation found that more than half of those surveyed (parents, guardians or caregivers) agreed that children who share a room are better at socialising. Experts also agreed that when sharing, it’s important to designate certain areas per child, as well as allow for common spaces. The concept of Alone Together runs through many of our projects. At Hotham this is acutely realised in the girl’s bedrooms. Each room is a mirror image, identical in size, each with their own door in and their own door out to the garden. Here there is the option to be alone or together, to open up the space to play, study, talk or have a ‘sleep-over’ simply by pulling open the fourth wall curtain that divides them. 

THE FIRST DOCTOR  

In researching the history of the house and “wading through” the original plans and documentation, the owner’s discovered the cottage had been built in 1937, commissioned by the then government, for a Doctor Lodge. Already emotionally invested discovering the original owner was also a doctor had resonance. “We felt a sense of connection to the history of the house and wanted to retain the legacy.”

SUSTAINABILITY

Canberra is inland, with massive diagonal shifts leading to extremely dangerous UV by day (with potential for solar gain) and freezing by night. The seasonal changes are also extreme with the most brutal of summers and the iciest of winters. Therefore the emphasis at Hotham is on insulation, thermal mass and thermally broken window frames. Hotham is a well insulated box which has the capacity to open up to maximise fresh air and cross ventilation. All windows are fitted with the highest quality double glazing. The house is orientated to provide north and east sun, with eaves and awnings to protect the glazing from the hot summer sun,. Throughout the colder months the sun streams in to heat the concrete slab which radiates warmth well into the night. For freezing cold periods there is also an electric heat pump hydronic heating system within the concrete flooring. 

The large garden increases the permeability of the site and also radically reduces heat sink in the area. A 5000L underground water tank in buried in the rear garden. An audit of the trees was conducted prior to the initial sketch design. To save and protect the significant tree in the front garden, the connection between the rear door of the garage and the door of the boot room is a light, open pathway designed to protect the tree’s roots. Hotham is 100% electric with a 7.7KW solar system with battery provision. There is an electric heat pump hot water system and electric heat pump pool heating. Passive solar principals are maximised by the design. LED light fittings are used throughout and all timber is ethically sourced. The red bricks were recycled and the original roof tiles were carefully removed and reused again to cover the roof of the new extension. Re-using proven resilient materials responsibly factors in captured carbon and ensures longevity of the building.

• Completion Date

  January 2025

• Collaborators

  • Builder Preferred Builders

  • Landscape Architect Harris Hobbs Landscapes 

  • Engineer Coot Consulting Engineers 

  • Building Surveyor Capital Certifiers 

• Photography

  Tess Kelly, Anne Stroud

• Area

  • Total site area: 1620 m2

  • Original Floor Area: 186 m2 

  • New Floor Area: 361 m2 

• Awards

  NOMINATED ArchDaily ‘Building of the Year 2025’ Awards, ‘Houses’ and ‘Best Applied Product’ categories.
  SHORTLISTED Houses Awards 2025

• Ageing in Place

  Advances in medicine and a rise in life-expectancy has resulted in people remaining in their homes for longer than ever before. Factor in the statistical spike in sole occupancy after the age of 65, and the contributing causes to the growing housing crisis are evident. 

  Studies in the US have shown that the financial benefits of creating a second dwelling on your land are only part of the incentive, as many older households have formed strong attachments to their suburbs and communities and simply do not want to leave. In Australia, research by the AHURI (Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute) shows the same is true here. Retirees and empty nesters are looking to alternative solutions in housing in a bid to lead simpler lives, focus on what matters, reduce costs and free up physical and mental space. To make a positive environmental impact by taking up less room.

• Video

  Experience RaeRae through an Archimarathon home tour here, where Andrew Maynard and Kevin Hui take you through all the design details.

THE WHERE 

Parkside is located on Alfred Crescent in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, one of the most  significant and important heritage protected streets in the northern suburbs. A number of homes here, Parkside included, present dual street access, typically with the front entrance on the shaded southern street and a garage facing (blocking) the sunny northern park. Seizing the opportunity, the block has been subdivided and reconfigured, retaining the original house and adding a new building at the rear to provide two separate family homes. Although directly responding to the housing shortage and the urgency to increase density within the inner-city suburbs, Parkside is the antithesis of a quick-fix solution. Embracing the notion of smaller, but better, Parkside is a resilient, efficient, longterm and flexible home that increases connectivity and liveability while respecting the heritage and character of the area. 

IN A NUTSHELL

Parkside is an environmentally adaptable and deeply sustainable home intended for aging-in-place. This compact two-storey house realises the owners longstanding retirement plan; to downsize into their own backyard. Parkside embraces harder-working design elements and plays with natural light and vertical space, providing single-level living, plus a guest bedroom, bathroom and art studio on the first floor, accessed via a sculptural bright yellow spiral stair. The central courtyard invites sunlight, fresh air and greenery directly into the open-plan layout, while the park opposite serves as their garden - an abundance of grass, trees and flowers they have the fortune to use and look at, but don’t have to maintain.

PAST AND PRESENT

The owners of Parkside, Bryan and Marija, purchased a single-fronted Victorian terrace in Fitzroy almost twenty years ago. Drawn to the vibrant location, the 50 metre deep block and the dual street access, they saw the potential for future subdivision. The plan would release the original family home at the front of the site and make better sense of the northern orientation at the rear, opening views of the park that were previously blocked by a garage. With the housing crisis continuing to deepen, their decision to downsize into their own backyard meant doubling the density of the block, although not at the expense of their neighbours, or the heritage of the area.  Parkside is an exemplar of maximising potential and liveability rather than maximising fast profit. The high-value inner-city block could have been developed cheaply for greater investment return, instead the owners asked for a highly-considered home that would “inspire and bring joy” and ensure they could remain in the suburb they love.

“I celebrate Fitzroy and I embrace dense population, I think more population gives us better transportation, better facilities. Like ParkLife which is fantastic. I think it’s great sharing a roof, garden, laundry, bike store, and having community. I like the environment and Fitzroy has got that, it’s always been important to me. It is a retirement - I’m well into my 80s, but that doesn’t mean stopping - it’s just stopping being 9-5.” Bryan Mackenzie.

THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY

The benefits of remaining engaged within a vibrant community are immense. In Japan, for example, loss of social interaction and lack of community ties has resulted in a ‘Lonely Death Crisis’, with more than 68,000 (mostly elderly) citizens, dying alone and left undiscovered. Efforts are being made to reduce these statistics, and one answer might be to increase generational connection.

According to a report in the Scientific American, collated from research conducted by the University of Arizona, youthful energy can have a significant positive effect on the older population. Through general association and engagement young people can effectively pass on some of their vigour, improving a more senior individual’s cognitive abilities and vascular health, happiness and mood and even increasing their life span. Remaining actively engaged is one key to increasing quality of life and the owners of Parklife are acutely aware of this. They chose to stay put in their vibrant neighbourhood, install a spiral staircase to climb up and down, and most importantly, embrace the sights and sounds of living opposite a park and a playground, reverberating with life and youthful energy. 

THE WHO

Parkside is the home of Bryan Mackenzie, founder of Enzie spiral staircases, and his Artist wife Marija. Enzie stairs have featured in numerous Austin Maynard Architects projects over the years (Kiah, BrickFace, Kill Bill, Dorman) so when Bryan sought an Architect to design his own home, we were honoured he came to us.

“I knew Austin Maynard Architects through their use of our stairs over the years and I liked what they were doing - I still like what they’re doing. Marija and I had complete trust in the team. I’ve always been a frustrated Architect but I felt confident leaving things completely up to them and they were really fantastic. It’s so well designed; we really appreciate the care and level of detail. The light, the air the convenience and the comfort of living, makes life much more pleasant and enjoyable; our brief was absolutely fulfilled.”

THE BRIEF

Presented with a northern facing block directly opposite open parkland, the brief was acutely focused on making the most of the views and the light. Bryan and Marija asked for a sustainable, functional and contemporary home with two bedrooms, plus a studio space for Marija’s art work. There would be a large kitchen and dining area, open and flexible, to easily accomodate 20 plus people for their regular group dinners; a bathroom on both levels, a concealed laundry and pantry, an open-air ‘dry off space’ outside the shower, a herb garden and, of course, an Enzie spiral staircase. 

Downsizing from a larger family home they also wanted lots of drawers and recessed storage to “conceal as much as possible” with only their art and books on display. A crucial part of the brief was fundamental functional design, as the owners surmised that the feature of good architecture is that “it can be customised to people’s requirements”. With Parkside the focus was space, light, flexibility and storage solutions rather than maximising square meterage. “As a perception of success and wealth, you can build a house three times the size you need,” says Bryan. “Or else build efficient, well designed and high quality. Size and cost per metre are irrelevant in terms of the value of good design. It just depends what you place most value on.”

SPIRALLING

From very early on in conservations it was apparent that the design of Parkside would feature an Enzie staircase. The only question was whether it would be a spiral or a helical. Marija chose a yellow spiral stair, for its form, bold colour and light, translucent quality. Though Parkside has been designed to facilitate single-level living as an option, the stair,  Bryan says, “keeps us fit and inspires us.” An award-winning authority with fifty years experience in his field, he explains that a spiral stair may look scary but it is proven to be safer than a traditional, conventional straight staircase.  “Even people with disabilities have confirmed that,” he explains, “because you have a handrail in front of you all the way. A spiral is easier to climb due to the ergonomics, it turns your whole body with it, rather than against it.”

SEE THE LIGHT

All good design begins with great site analysis. With Parkside, context, land size, orientation, potential views and neighbouring buildings have been diligently considered to ensure maximum potential with minimal negative impact. Although the block has been subdivided, the original workers cottage and the new build both have access to light and private open space. With the challenges and restrictions presented by working within a relatively narrow block, the design sought to pinch light wherever possible and with every nuanced opportunity. 

Parkside’s internal courtyard has been designed to line-up flush to match the neighbour’s light well. This alignment between the two courtyards allows greenery and light to be freely shared between the two properties. The central courtyard, with a Japanese Maple tree, serves in lieu of a traditional backyard. This internal open space affords an aspect of sky and garden providing cross ventilation and visual connectivity through a green space. This allows air and light to flood directly into the kitchen and main bedroom. The design of Parkside emphasises flexibility, light control and ventilation, achieved though a combination of operable panels, a central courtyard and strategically placed skylights and louvres. This confluence of strategies allow the owners complete control of their environment, their light, privacy and their connectivity. 

A large skylight above a two-storey void in the dining area harnesses even more light; fitted with rotating louvres to control and deflect direct sun, necessary during warmer months to prevent overheating. The materiality of the spiral stair beneath - constructed almost entirely from perforated steel - serves to filter the light through from all directions, rather than inhibit or obscure. The landing walkway at the top of the stair is also forged in the same perforated yellow steel, linking the art studio with the guest bedroom and bathroom at the rear.

While the guest bedroom is more private, the studio has full height windows (overlooking the park) and a series of sliding wall panels allowing the whole internal side of the room to open up to the void. This layer of flexibility allows for multidirectional aspects of natural light as well as spatial connectivity to the living area below. The front facade of the house is divided into a series of full-height modules - fixed timber panels, fixed glass panels and operable panels; each identical in size and arranged in an alternating pattern. Behind the operable panels there are windows that can be opened to allow ventilation throughout the house. The operable timber panels are adjustable, operated on an automatic remote system, as are the full height external window blinds, affording full control over sunlight and privacy.

“The first thing I do every morning is open up the shutters and blinds. I can’t do anything until I’ve done that. I love the openness to the park, it’s absolutely magic. It’s like being in the country.” - Bryan. 

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is an integral core principle in all our work, a value-code that was shared and equally prioritised by the owners of Parkside.  Fossil-fuel-free/100% electric, the house is oriented to make the most of the northern and eastern sun, warming the polished concrete floor, acting as a thermal mass, (assisted by hydronic heating coil in the floor) to radiate warmth in the cooler months. Double glazing within steel frames is installed and north facing windows all have external shading to block direct sun reaching the glass in the summer. Rotating louvres protect Parkside’s only west facing window and a horizontal louvre system protects the skylight over the void.

Ceiling fans are installed in all the bedrooms, studio and living area for air-flow without resorting to air-conditioning. Cross ventilation to passively cool the house has been integrated, with all ground floor windows opening onto the courtyard and windows on the first floor venting the house vertically through the void.  All services are located in the rear and on the lower roof at the back of the house. A wall mounted clothes line is set up in the courtyard for air drying clothes. Parkside is fitted with LED light fittings and has an energy efficient refrigerator, oven and induction cooktop. Low VOC paint was used everywhere, and low VOC coatings were used on the timber flooring of the first floor. Flooring is sustainably sourced and certified.

A Solar Boosted Hot water system is located on the roof at the rear. All gardens are permeable surfaces that absorb water within the site. In the central courtyard a 3,000 litre water tank is buried, harvesting water from the roof to use for flushing toilets and watering gardens. All fittings within the bathrooms, laundry and kitchen are flow restricted to save on usage. A WSUD (water sensitive urban design) process was carried out resulting in a rain water system that filters and restricts the amount of storm water being discharged onto the street. The highest value insulation available for the structural thickness is employed within the walls and roof, and a ventilated facade system reduces opportunity for condensation build-up and thermally separates warm external finishes from insulated internal walls.

• Completion Date

  2024

• Owner's Statement

  “It’s a joy to live here. It’s so easy and every day I wake up I feel grateful that we have this beautiful home. I feel that every day. There are so many elements that are beautiful - the light, the clean lines, the visual impact, it’s actually an artwork. The house for me is like an artwork. People walk in and they say: ‘Wow!’ People expect it to be a typical terrace house but it’s not at all. It’s a real surprise, it’s exciting. There’s all these little revelations. It’s so well designed. It’s magnificent.”
  

  – Bryan

• Collaborators

  Built by Dimpat

• Photography

  Tess Kelly

• Grand Designs Transformations

  Check out Helvetia on Grand Designs Transformations here (episode 5, series 1, beginning at 23 minutes)

• Sustainability

  • Retention of existing built fabric – all existing walls, floors and roof of the Victorian house which were deemed salvageable or in good solid condition, were repaired and restored rather than demolished and rebuilt with new construction.

  • The wastage of materials from previous iterations of the building, from the original 1880s structure, through to the 1960s and 1980s renovations, were avoided, minimising the project’s overall carbon footprint.

  • Productive garden on the roof over the carport with Biofilta Foodcube wicking bed planter boxes.

  • Double glazing

  • Hydronic heating coils

  • High R value roof insulation was installed throughout.

  • Fixed shading is installed to the northern and western glazing of the lightwell

  • 3,000 litre water tank is buried, to harvest water from the roof to use throughout the house for flushing toilets and watering gardens.

  • A 3kW Photovoltaic solar system

  • LED light fittings throughout

  • Low VOC finishes and coatings

• Awards

  Building of The Year 2024 -Nominated, Archdaily
  Dezeen: Top 5 Houses
  New Atlas: Top Ten Houses of 2023
  Winner: Residential Architecture Award - Alterations & Additions Victorian Institute of Architects Awards 2023
  TOP 5 Finalist - Archello’s House of the Year
  TOP 5 Finalist - Archello’s “For the Planet Award”

• Press

  Jury citation
  
  Helvetia emerges as a beacon of thoughtful architectural reinvention. Once a dark Victorian terrace, twice reconfigured and long in disrepair, it has been reimagined through a series of subtle yet transformative interventions. The surgical removal of problematic central spaces and a playful pivot towards the side laneway has led to a spatial metamorphosis, introducing multi-level gardens, improved connection to the outdoors, flexible spatial zoning, and a theatrical entry experience.

  A true exercise in sustainability, the renovation champions reuse over demolition. The existing brick structure is not discarded but revitalised and repurposed, preserving the building's history while bestowing a new vitality. Internally, the removal of partitioning walls creates openness and adaptability. A generous lightwell, etched out of the building's core, bathes the interior in natural light. The home's layout embraces the rhythms of its inhabitants, creating an urban haven that is playful and practical. Every detail, from re- glazing of the restored bay window to the reimagined balcony terrace, contributes to an elevated living experience.

  This project is a testament to the restrained yet impactful decisions of Austin Maynard Architects. Seamlessly integrated into the streetscape, Helvetia's curious details, like the fishpond entry, curved downpipes and subtle graphics, ignite intrigue and hint at an architectural treasure waiting to be discovered.

  Nigel Bertram FRAIA, Jury Chair
  Aimee Goodwin RAIA, Juror
  Chris Haddad RAIA, Juror
  Julie Pham RAIA Grad, Graduate Juror
  
  “Happily, the serious but subtle business of retention and reuse that underpins Helvetia's latest transformation has done little to dampen the exuberance associated with Austin Maynard's work. Lightweight, playful transitions and details continually reinforce the structure's newfound permeability. Perforated and grated steel details form delicate bridges across a range of thresholds and levels, including the spiral stairs that wind up to the elevated gardens on the patio and garage roof. These elements respect, reference and reinscribe aspects of Helvetia's more recent architectural adaptations, adding to, rather than editing out, the building's transformations over time.”

  “A commitment to principled repair and retention shaped the subtle but serious adaptive reuse of this historic Melbourne terrace.”

  Houses Magazine

• Video Tour

  Watch an Archimarathon video tour of Helvetia House here, hosted by Kevin Hui & Andrew Maynard.

The name ‘Helvetia’ is formed onto the original parapet at the front of the building and also printed on the toplight above the front door. Originally home to the Duscher family in the late 1800’s, Helvetia is the Latin word for Switzerland. At the foundation of environmental sustainability are ‘the three R’s’ - “Reduce”, “Reuse,” “Recycle”. Too often people attempt to buy their way to a sustainable solution. Solar panels, ERVs, heat pumps, grey water systems are purchased as a means to finance an escape from climate catastrophe. All of this tech is important and vital, however, no building can be truly sustainable if a functional structure was demolished in its place. The capitalist reflex, to buy our way out of the problem, simply won’t work.

In retaining the bricks, concrete and steel at Helvetia 17.7 tons of embedded carbon, equivalent to 321,970 Balloons worth of C02 omissions, were negated. Helvetia is an examination in ‘Reuse’, and also in ego restraint. Helvetia is an exercise in making the most of what you have, before spending money on sustainability tech. Helvetia is one of the most considered, detailed and dynamic ‘before and after’ projects Austin Maynard Architects have completed so far.

THE WHAT

Helvetia is the alteration and renovation of a double storey Victorian terrace in Fitzroy, Melbourne. The residence had been separated into two dwellings in the late 1960s to operate as a boarding house and reconfigured again in the mid 1980s into a three bedroom apartment at ground level and a one-bedroom with large studio at first floor. Muddled, confused, dark and in a sad state of disrepair, the challenge was to resurrect Helvetia. In removing two rooms (above and below) from the dilapidated centre of the building and utilising the side laneway, Helvetia has been transformed into a light-filled family home, with multiple gardens, a flexible floor plan, central entryway and dramatic sunlit atrium.

THE WHERE

Right on the edge of the CBD, Fitzroy was once a low-rent suburb, gritty and urban with small workers cottages, cobbled laneways and a smattering of slightly grander double fronted homes. When the artists, in search of cheap rent, moved into the area so too did bohemian chic and steady gentrification, bringing with it a rise in desirability and property prices. Fitzroy’s history and its progression is visually evident as strict heritage overlays abut areas of minimal restrictions, creating a strange juxtaposing of sites protected adjacent to sites developed. Fitzroy retains its gritty character and within this urban environment our clients dreamt of an oasis, light filled, green and joyous.

THE BRIEF

The owners of Helvetia wanted to convert their house back into a single dwelling and to make the dark and awkward home more liveable. They asked for an environmentally sustainable home that would be practical, functional and aesthetically pleasing; filled with natural light and surrounded by well-designed green spaces and a productive garden, with strong visual connection to the outside. They asked for three modestly appointed bedrooms with built in robes “but no ensuites” and lots of creative and defined storage space to house and work on their hobbies and display their travel collections. The living/dining area would be open plan, with a galley kitchen that continued out to an external bench top with BBQ and wok burner. The owners professed a love of vertical spaces and a desire to have an inbuilt fish tank.

SMALLER FOOTPRINTS

When working on a project with a heritage overlay the standard response is to retain the frontage in accordance with policy, and demolish everything else beyond. At Helvetia we discovered some serious issues at the core, but no cracks or structural damage to the solid 1960s rear extension. Rather than allow our architectural vanity to prevail by tearing down and replacing the (albeit it uninspiring) 60s built form, and encouraged by the owners to limit the carbon footprint, we thought ‘why not use the existing brick fabric and work with the skin we’ve got?’

Like most Victorian terrace houses, Helvetia was gloomy with dark corridors and internalised rooms. The resurrection required major surgery, from the inside out. One of the rare occurrences where the client was happy to take away floor area, we removed two rooms completely and created a substantial lightwell through the centre of the house. The vertical expanse of open space introduces a flood of natural light. Fixed timber awnings control the western and northern sun and, along with the oblique steel blades of the entry gate and the light reflected off the fish pond, cast beautiful shadows throughout the afternoon.

Internally most of the dividing walls were removed to open up the areas with sliding doors and curtains to offer flexibility of use and function. All internal finishes were renewed throughout, a new concrete slab with hydronic heating was poured into the open plan living/dining/ kitchen and all exisiting windows were replaced with thermally efficient double glazing.

Upstairs the original large bay window in main bedroom, overlooking the rear garden, was retained and restored. Built in cabinetry with concealed sliding bedside tables and a hidden sliding door, forms the division between the bedroom and the walk in robe /desk area. Some inclusions were also made to the studio, already a large multifunctional space, facing north and overlooking the street. The addition of two windows let in light and provide a visual link to the rest of the house, while a curtain creates a cosy TV lounge, or extra guest bedroom when required.

AN INTERNAL OPERATION

At Helvetia we inherited a resilient building, not pretty, but structurally stable. The house however, had a problematic area in the middle; a recurring leak in the roof causing water damage, rot and mould to the upstairs bathroom and down into to the dining room below. Unlike another of our projects, Newry House, which underwent keyhole surgery (minimal invasion for maximum results), Helvetia had a tumour that needed to be cut out. Instead of a scar, we left a beauty spot, the atrium.

THE ATRIUM

The owners, both medical professionals, dreamt of an inner city “sanctuary”- a home that would exist in stark opposition to their “sterile work environment.” Addressing one of the primary issues of a terrace house, whereby guests enter at the front of the home and have to pass by private bedrooms to reach the entertaining zone, the side laneway was utilised and the front door re-sited. The new entry creates a stark contrast between gritty cobblestones and lush garden. Step through a soaring white metal screen into a green oasis, cross a steel blade bridge over a pond streaming with fish and lilies, and arrive at the new front door, right in the centre of the house.

The size and scale of the atrium exists in the area that used to be the dining room and bathroom above - the once diseased part of the house. The two-story high steel screen precisely replicates the original external form and pitched roof line of the Victorian terrace. The metal screen blades are strategically placed to appear solid at oblique angles and open when viewed straight on. The angled blades provide complete privacy from the main street, whilst affording passive surveillance in the laneway.

THE CENTRAL ENTRY

Having relocated the front door to the side the new central entry ensures all the circulation is condensed into one spot. Turn right for entertaining/ living, left for private bedrooms, or straight up the stairs to the studio/study and main bedroom. The staircase, formed as a sculpted piece of furniture, has been specifically designed for display and store with lower treads opening as drawers for shoes removed at the door. The volume under the stairs is maximised for larger items while the balustrade is open shelving, lining up perfectly with the steps. At the top of the stairs the landing is constructed of perforated metal to further enhance and celebrate the abundance of natural light and voluminous space afforded by the atrium. The contrast between the old entry and corridor - once dark, closed in and always requiring artificial light, is fundamentally different.

GRAPHIC

A study conducted by Bernard E. Harcourt in the Michigan Law Review explored the social influence conception of deterrence known as ‘broken windows theory.’ - ‘A core tenet of broken windows theory is that a poorly maintained environment inspires criminal behaviour and explicitly that graffiti attracts more graffiti.’ *The side wall at Helvetia is high and long and runs alongside a busy alleyway, constantly in use. A large, exposed expanse, in an urban side street setting, the wall was potentially a very inviting blank canvas. The approach to deterring probable defacement lay in the broken window theory. The design of the graphic is simple, clean and, ensuring the owners had enough surplus paint, easy to maintain. The graphic has been designed to be part of the architecture, almost shadow-like, simple shapes referencing the curves and pitched roofs of the building.

AN URBAN FARM ON THE ROOF

Typically in high-density urban environments green open space is a rarity but at Helvetia we maximised all possibilities to create five gardens. From the landscaping at the front of the house, to the central atrium, the back garden, to the large balcony terrace off the main bedroom, and the sizeable vegetable garden over the carport at the rear of the block. The urban farm on the roof is practical and sculptural and brings, according to the owners “life and beauty to the heart of a very dull laneway.” Barrel vaulted wire mesh keeps out the possums while allowing attachment for creepers and climbers. The cylindrical spiral staircase is enclosed in translucent polycarbonate to ensure the shed beneath is kept dry. In amongst all the mesh and bountiful produce it has the look of a sci-fi tube elevator.

The east facing balcony garden was existing, part of the 1960s renovation, and had held its charm. The original external staircase from balcony to back garden was replaced by a less intrusive spiral stair. Curved steel mesh covers and encloses the terrace, a framework for deciduous creepers which will soon to cover the balcony, providing privacy and shading in the summer and eastern light in the winter.

LITTLE MOMENTS OF ART

Internationally renowned product designer Dieter Rams theorised that great design was invisible. “Good design is as little design as possible,” he said: "Less but better.”

There have been many occasions, sometimes months after we finish a project, that the owner tells us they’ve noticed something, or realised how well-thought-out a certain design element is. If a function is not always required, the element should almost disappear rather than be something purely for the sake of it. Beautiful design has a calmness and serenity. Art can be creative and energetic but there comes a need for respite; for exploring nuanced layers and discovering little moments of art.

At Helvetia there are number of unassuming design elements. Quietly functioning, practical aspects that relay Dieters Ram’s view of ‘less but better.’

• The Produce Tray

  The productive garden at Helvetia yields in abundance, more than the owners can consume. Generous and community spirited, they wanted to share their harvest with the community. Built within the new brick wall, above the letterbox, at the front of the house is a specially designed steel tray. It sits quietly in the wall when not in use, but when rotated becomes a tray, allowing neighbours to help themselves to produce.

• The Playful Ladder

  To access the solar panels on the roof we needed to install a ladder on the side balcony terrace. As an affordable alternative to a regular metal ladder, we using galvanised steel as sculptural, playful rungs that merge and converse with the white mesh covering.

• The Structural Posts

  When it comes to structural posts, the norm is erect a steel frame then add a window frame next to it. At Helvetia the structural posts are arranged to become the window frames. Chocks in the timber post/window frame showcase the owner’s smaller treasures as well as add bracing to the structure. The angled timber is repeated where sliding doors have been installed:one solution or element to do multiple tasks. Using angled timber, instead of framing to synergise the overall language.

• The Down Pipe

  A down pipe on the side of the house created an interesting challenge. How to ensure the rainhead flows into the legal point of discharge, on a busy laneway, without being vulnerable to damage or looking unsightly. Turn it into a theatrical moment. The pipe is curved, conversing with the curves of the graphic, turning a problem into a little bit of art.

• The Original Columns

  So many aspects of Helvetia were saved, repaired and restored, rather than replaced, including the original columns at the front of the house. They were carefully removed and taken away to be restored and in the process the original timber was discovered. The clients wanted to retain the home’s rich history, and so the upper half of each column was left stripped to expose the beauty of the original timber.

SUSTAINABILITY

The main sustainability objectives adopted at Helvetia were the retention of existing built fabric and the opportunity for increased garden area. All existing walls, floors and roof of the Victorian house which were deemed salvageable or in good solid condition, were repaired and restored rather than demolished and rebuilt with new construction. The wastage of materials from previous iterations of the building, from the original 1880s structure, through to the 1960s and 1980s renovations, were avoided, minimising the project’s overall carbon footprint.

Five distinct garden areas were created, to encourage as much plant growth on the site as possible, including a productive garden on the roof over the carport with Biofilta Foodcube wicking bed planter boxes. Where the condition of the external fabric was beyond salvation, it was upgraded with thermally efficient materials. All the windows were replaced with timber framed double glazing and the poor quality ground floor structure was replaced with a concrete slab for thermal mass, containing hydronic heating coils. Where new walls were installed a high degree of insulation was included and a high R value roof insulation was installed throughout.

North facing windows were installed within the atrium lightwell, to provide direct solar gain into the living area and study above. Fixed shading is installed to the northern and western glazing of the lightwell, where the existing house and new laneway screen do not provide shading from the summer sun.In the back garden a 3,000 litre water tank is buried, to harvest water from the roof to use throughout the house for flushing toilets and watering gardens. A 3kW Photovoltaic solar system is installed on the roof with panels tilted to the east and west to provide power in the early morning and late afternoon. Internally the home contains LED light fittings throughout, low VOC finishes and coatings and ethically sourced timber flooring and veneers.

OWNER’S STATEMENT

“It took sixteen years for us to come to the late epiphany (pre-pandemic) that a forever home would be essential to maintain our wellbeing. Our pre-existing double brick, double fronted, double storey Victorian Terrace could be fittingly described as a mongrel. The front half of the house was twisting in one direction with the back half steadfastly fixed on solid foundations. A major renovation was required, rejuvenation was beckoning and we needed a sanctuary. In the search for an architect, Austin Maynard Architects were fully aligned with our philosophy and had the track record to demonstrate talent and passion for sustainability. Their works were respectful of the past but not constrained by conformity or classical styles. There was genuineness in the sustainable philosophy of practice. Each of their houses had their own uniqueness in design cleverly incorporating the needs of their clients with an infusion fun and extraordinary aesthetics.

The outcome of our engagement with AMA speaks for itself. Our sanctuary has been created and the effect on our lives has been profound. The house has an uncanny ability to draw a passing glance back, then saturate the senses with its elements and invite exploration for delight and surprise. The connection of the inside of the house with the outside has allowed that joy to be shared with visitors, neighbours and passers-by alike. Our brief has been fulfilled in ways we have never imagined and are still discovering!”.

- Vaan & Hilton, owners of Helvetia

• Completion Date

  January 2023

• Area

  • Site Area: 227 m2

  • Floor Area: 287 m2

• Collaborators

  • Builder Weiss Builders

  • Landscape Design Chin Liew

  • Engineer Co-Struct

  • Building Surveyor Code Compliance

* References

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1290289?seq=1

• Sustainability

  In the context of apartment buildings within the Brighton area, Slate House pushes the sustainability envelope. One of the few, if not the only, fossil fuel free multi-residential building in Bayside, Slate House utilises the general principals of ESD.

  • Overall NatHERS rating of 8.2, with a 7.7 star average per apartment (exceeding the 6 stars requirement, at time of construction)

  • Slate House has a Melbourne Water STORM: rating 110% (again exceeding 100% requirement, at time of construction), and harvests or absorbing all the water that falls on the site.

• Awards

  BUILDING OF THE YEAR 2024 - Nominated, Archdaily
  GOLD - The Good Design Awards 2023
  WINNER - 2022 HIA best apartment complex
  WINNER - Sustainability Award, Bayside City Council’s Built Environment Awards 2023
  High Commendation - Medium Density, Bayside City Council’s Built Environment Awards 2023
  Shortlisted - Residential Multiple Housing, Victorian Institute of Architects Awards 2023.
  Finalist - The Urban Developer Industry Excellence Awards: Development of the Year (Small Scale Residential)

• Press

  "The team behind Slate House has adapted a refreshing approach to developing apartment buildings that we hope to see more of in the future. It manages to create a sense of freedom without wasting any space - incredible work."

  – The Good Design Awards jury

A MODEL FOR MELBOURNE’S “MISSING MIDDLE”

Slate House stands as a sensitive and highly sustainable response to the challenge of creating density within Melbourne’s suburbs. Slate House demonstrates how two land parcels, each with a single dwelling, can be subtly densified to accommodate 14 carefully designed, sustainable, home-sized apartments. This innovative approach not only addresses the need for increased housing density but proves that development can be crafted sensitively to fit within its context.

Slate House is a culmination of our best ideas from the past twenty years, teamed with the learnings from our multi-residential projects Terrace House and ParkLife. At Slate House we designed a beautiful and sustainable high end apartment building, using form, material and domestic scale to converse with the context, heritage and rich built history of the area. Proving that eco can also be luxurious, Slate House is Brighton’s first fossil-fuel-free multi-residential apartment building.

IN BRIEF

Slate House is a new three level, high-performing, high-end apartment building of 14 spacious homes, in the bayside suburb of Brighton. Austin Maynard Architects first completed multi-residential project as Design Architects, working with considered Developers Lucent, Slate House delivers thoughtful and refined homes, with focus on aesthetics, context and sustainability. Achieving an outstanding NatHERS rating of 8.2 stars, Slate House is Brighton’s first fossil-fuel-free multi-residential apartment building.

THE WHERE

Brighton is an affluent and distinctive Melbourne suburb, famous for its brightly-coloured bathing boxes. Houses here are mostly large, either contemporary modern builds, Victorian villas or Edwardian homesteads. New apartment buildings are typically monolithic, near identical off-white concrete structures (linear or boxy), with mild variations in landscaping.

In designing Slate House ‘The Where’ was paramount. Recognising and appreciating the suburb’s long-standing and prevailing character led to a building that sits quietly within its context; sensitive to the size and scale of houses in the area, and to its direct neighbour Kardinia House, a heritage protected home of historic significance.

Slate House is sited on a T shape block, allowing for two frontages, each exhibiting a different identity. The main entrance on Bleazby Ave is pedestrian, befitting of the quiet and leafy cul-de-sac. The Male Street frontage, a busier and wider vehicle thoroughfare, incorporates the entry to basement parking, but has the appearance of a much more private residence, relative in scale to the larger homes along the street.

THE WHY

We understand the need for development, to make more homes available for our rapidly growing population but surely we can do that without erasing the characteristic built fabric of an area. Multi residential buildings can be more than white boxes stacked high that either ignore or worse dominate, their siting. Apartment buildings will always be bigger, but do they have to speak a different language?

Twenty years ago a City of Bayside Heritage Review stated Male Street’s ‘aesthetic significance and historic interest,’ noting a high level of integrity and cohesion in terms of scale and set backs. Ten years later the statement was revised to include ‘the integrity of the precinct has been somewhat diminished by a few recent developments.’ The documents also highlighted the significance of the former Primitive Methodist Church (now converted into apartments) which dominate the northern end of the street, constructed of polychromatic brick with a steeply pitched slate roof. The church, along with other churches and school buildings in the area (with similar pitched roofs) together with the Brighton beach boxes, were all important influences in the design of Slate House. We looked to Architecture that spoke of scale, texture and character to inform the design. We aimed for the building to appear domestic, small and loveable. The intention was a synthesis of the prevailing heritage character and domestic context, to show there was an alternative to the overbearing and clinical modernist box.

THE MATERIALITY

The design of Slate House is the careful articulation of built form to fit gently within the street character. To reference and respond to the context, an audit of buildings in the area was taken. Slate, terracotta, brick and white masonry were most prevalent. By utilising these three distinct materials in the construction of Slate House, we were able to break down a large building into smaller volumes. Forms reminiscent of the bathing boxes (little pitched roof houses), were wrapped in these contrasting materials and stepped back to reduce scale. Rather than appearing as one form that has landed, it poses questions of singular buildings.

Slate House is one apartment building arranged into three seperate blocks, connected by common entry walkways. The concept of dividing the larger form into three seperate elements ensure greater efficiency and resulted in light filled corridors with only three front doors on each level. Each block is articulated with slate cladding providing legibility and is continued internally to make the corridors feel like outdoor space. The materiality is simple, honest and beautiful. Natural raw materials, slate straight from the quarry, robust tiles, bricks and timber, free of coatings and toxic chemicals, that require minimal maintenance and will endure many life times.

INTERIORS

It’s frequently assumed that sustainability comes with a certain roughshod aesthetic - exposed services, rough and raw finishes, but, as our project Garden House testifies, it can be wonderfully luxurious. Slate House is a high-end residential apartment building with interiors that are suitably sophisticated and refined. Rather than the expected white on beige on grey palette we opted for beautiful handcrafted architecture, hand-cut tiles, rich colours, textural finishes and natural sustainably-sourced materials. Dark navy bespoke joinery, fluted Tasmanian oak cladding, fluted glass and brass handles.

Dramatic cabinetry and high ceilings and more subtle moments, such as the shelf beside the front door, perfect for a parcel or a plant. Every corridor has just three apartment doors, so no waiting forever for the lift. These common area, are glass filled at both ends with a continuation of the hand fixed slate tiles on the walls. It offers a sense of community without being overly dense, there is space and individuality.

DOWNSIZERS

Although the appeal of Slate House is broad and wide ranging, local ‘Downsizers’ are particularly drawn to the project because it has a texture that relates to their own homes. The sustainability credentials and incredibly low ongoing running costs resonate with the intelligent downsizer who understands climate crisis. Long time residents have witnessed their lovely suburb under siege, wrecking character and identity to make way for cookie cutter town houses and apartments with minimal environmental conscience or integrity. Slate House responds directly to the teal movement happening in conservative areas like Brighton. Proof that the a desire for efficient, high performing, fossil fuel free living is not merely a northern suburb leftie thing.

SUSTAINABILITY

In the context of apartment buildings within the Brighton area, Slate House pushes the sustainability envelope. One of the few, if not the only, fossil fuel free multi-residential building in Bayside, Slate House utilises the general principals of ESD. Attaining an overall NatHERS rating of 8.2, with a 7.7 star average per apartment (exceeding the 6 stars requirement, at time of construction) Slate House has a Melbourne Water STORM: rating 110% (again exceeding 100% requirement, at time of construction), and harvests or absorbing all the water that falls on the site. The design of Slate House draws on the forms and context of the local neighbourhood. In this way the building is sensitive to the future use of adjoining sites - the building does not detrimentally effect the current amenity of the neighbouring buildings or any future building proposed. This sets a precedent for other apartment buildings within the area.

The majority of the apartment’s heating and cooling is passive, through design, materials, and window size/placement. Living spaces are oriented to the north where possible, and utilise as many full height windows as possible, allowing the winter sun to passively heat internal spaces, thus reducing the reliance on the heating system.

Operable window locations facilitate cross-flow ventilation as well as exhausting off air throughout the hotter months. All windows are double glazed and have a low-E coating. Fixed awnings and screens are located on key windows to protect against the Summer sun with vertical screens to the western face where the sun is lower in the sky and harsher. Ceiling fans are installed in the living area and bedrooms to provide efficient cooling during summer. High quality insulation, made using recycled glass, was also used throughout all internal walls, floors and ceilings: R2.7 in the walls and R6 in the roof. High quality materials such as brick, concrete, aluminium framed windows, metal roofing and slate tiles were selected to construct a home that will last and reduce ongoing maintenance. Materials that have no applied coating and do not require re-painting at regular intervals. All joinery and flooring is E0 and low ZVOC paints and coatings are used internally. Carpets are 100% wool. Bricks salvaged from the existing house on the site were cleaned and re-used within the construction. Rainwater from all roof areas is harvested and directed to a 20k litre water tank (located under the slab of the basement), for toilet flushing and garden irrigation throughout the building.

A 14kW photovoltaic solar power system has been connected to supplement electricity use, with the capacity for future connection to storage batteries. The design utilises low-energy LED lighting throughout and low energy usage appliances. A centralised heat pump, heating and cooling system is installed for efficiency as well as a centralised heat pump hot water systems. There are no gas appliances within the building. Bike parking facilities are provided within the basement and a visitors bike rail is provided at the development entry.

LUCENT

The developers, Lucent, approached us to see if we would be interested in designing a new apartment building in Brighton. They had identified a new type of purchaser who demanded more than the two bedrooms, two bathroom. These buyers wanted sustainability, low ongoing running costs and fossil fuel free homes. Lucent were already accomplished with several completed Nightingale projects in the north and wanted to take those core ideas and way of thinking about housing and develop in a more conservative location south side. It was a big gamble.

We thought they were gutsy bringing us in. Our project Terrace House, for which we were both architect and developer, was still in construction. Slate House allowed us to concentrated solely on the design of the project. We considered how the council would receive the plans and how the neighbours would react. We were able to de risk substantially because of the appropriate way we dealt with context and heritage.

CLIENT/ DEVELOPERS STATEMENT

“The natural assumption in the (Brighton) area is that a development has to be luxury, it has to be high end; there’s less focus on aesthetics. We wanted to offer a beautiful place to live that was site specific with outstanding sustainability credentials. All the design concepts we saw in the early stages came back the same, except Austin Maynard Architects who came back with a pitched roof. Placed in the context of the street, and specifically the heritage home next door, it resonated with us. The monolithic look is popular in Brighton but we knew that market was very well looked after. What didn’t exist was an apartment complex that felt like an architecturally designed home. The design, layout, attention to detail and the playfulness has been been really well received. Residents are getting an award-winning Austin Maynard Architects building that references their body of work. Everything is well thought out. Whether it’s a small house, large house, or multi residential, Austin Maynard approach each one uniquely.

The journey has been unbelievable, it’s been an awesome experience. I drive past this building quite often and I think it’s beautiful. I know the community well, and I measure it on this - when I tell people I developed a site in Brighton and they say which one? I tell them where, and they always know it, straight up. The building with the pitched roof. The fact that they can identify if straight off, they know your building, suggests that it’s different and it’s been well received. That gives me a lot of joy. I get a lot of pride from that.”

– Panos Miltiadou, Managing Director of Lucent

• Developer & Project Managers

  Lucent

• Area

  • Site Area 1392m2

  • Total Floor Area 2783m2

• Completion Date

  2022

• Builder

  Swell

• Collaborators

  • Engineers
Structural - KPA Engineer (services) - Form

  • ESD GIW Environmental Solutions

  • Traffic Consultant Ratio

  • Planning consultant Ratio

  • Waste Management Consultant Ratio

  • Access Consultant Access Studio

  • Landscape Architects & Arborist John Patrick Landscapes

  • Acoustic Consultant Cogent Acoustics

  • Building Surveyor Florenancig Smith

• Photography

  Tess Kelly

• Sustainability

  • Fossil-fuel-free/100% electric

  • 7kW Photovoltaic solar system is installed on the roof, with a HUAWEI battery and electric car charging provision

  • Double glazing within thermally broken window frames

  • An external roller blind protects Lang’s only west facing window and rotating louvres and a first floor overhang protect the east facing glass

  • Ceiling fans 

  • The home is fitted with LED light fittings and has an energy efficient fridge, oven and induction cooktop

  • Chemical-free No VOC white paint was used everywhere, and low VOC coatings were used on the timber

  • 3,000 litre water tank is buried, harvesting water from the roof to use for flushing toilets and watering gardens

  • A WSUD (water sensitive urban design) process was carried out resulting in a rain water system that filters and restricts the amount of storm water being discharged onto the street

  • The highest value insulation available for the structural thickness is employed within the walls and roof

  • Ventilated facade system reduces opportunity for condensation build-up and thermally separates warm external finishes from insulated internal walls

  • A green roof provides an additional level of insulation to the ground floor and visual link to garden space on the first floor

• Awards

  • Nominated ArchDaily ‘Building of the Year 2025’ Award for House & Best Applied Product

• Video

  Watch an Archimarathon tour of the Lang House here, where Andrew Maynard and Kevin Hui talk through all the details.

THE WHAT

Lang 靚 is a new double storey house in South Yarra, Melbourne, that reflects the owners’ vision for “a wellness-enhancing home that is architectural and inspirational.” The result of exploring “a different sort of mindset,” the design purposely avoids hallways and corridors and instead maximises potential for open space, natural light and greenery, on a relatively small inner-city sized block. Arranged around three distinct garden zones with large openings, the connections between internal and external spaces are interwoven; providing the inhabitants (a family of four) with an ‘airy calmness’, to pursue the things they love - reading, cooking, socialising and kicking a ball in the backyard.

With the focus on creativity, efficiency and unique storage solutions, Lang celebrates clutter-free living and ‘forever home’ adaptability. Beyond the equitone cladding and fluted glass frontage the internal space is voluminous and bright, with kitchen, dining and living room expanding the full length, while the width incorporates an internal courtyard garden. A soaring and sculptural curved timber ‘tree-trunk’ contains bathrooms above and below, while the entry features a pull-down Murphy bed, concealed storage and privacy curtains, to pivot as a guest bedroom. Upstairs there is a dedicated laundry and outdoor drying zone, two bedrooms and a bathroom, and a main bedroom, with walk in robe and ensuite. A multipurpose rumpus room occupies the area in between, serving as a playroom for the owner’s two young children, with future potential as a study, teenage hangout or parents’ retreat.

THE BRIEF

The owners provided a thorough and well-researched brief; specific in their goals, aware of the site limitations and encouraging creative solutions and architectural flair. They were “determined” to live in a home without hallways and corridors,” to avoid feeling boxed or compartmentalised and to circumvent poor ventilation and heat retention in summer. They asked for their home to be highly pragmatic and efficient - in energy, cost and use of space, but also to show uniqueness and creativity. To make “something different.” They wanted multi-functionality, an abundance of natural light and a connection to greenery in every room, as well as a reading nook, concealed study, hidden pantry, lots of storage and a garage (to fit one car and four bicycles). Their suggestions included curved elements, playing with light and shadow, contrasting textures (such as wood and concrete) and creating a void between the two storeys.The owners summarised their brief in three words: ‘Wellbeing. Efficiency. Inspirational.’

TOUGH ON THE OUTSIDE

Lang’s external structure is deliberately austere and resilient, befitting its location on a residential street just off the busy main thoroughfare of Punt Road. Clad in durable, anti graffiti, heat resistant equitone, the form is rectilinear grey boxes with sharp edges. The equitone sheet is arranged in a chevron pattern, visually striking and tactile, the owners say “people frequently stop to take photos and touch the walls.” In Chinese and Cantonese, Lang 靚 means ‘pretty’.

DELIBERATIVE DESIGN

Massed on the western side of the site, the house steps down to the east to protect the neighbour’s light and garden. Analysing and assessing exisiting conditions generated much of the form - the intelligent reaction was to concentrate the height and mass against the adjoining neighbouring bulk on boundary. A slight gradient on the site, sloping from back to front, also leant itself to an internal level change that defines the edge of the living area and becomes a perfect seat (45cm high) in the kitchen and garden. A large fluted glass panel was incorporated into the sheet cement facade, to provide privacy and passive surveillance, whilst allowing for an abundance of natural light. At the rear of the house, the second level (main bedroom) deliberately extends half a metre further out, to provide passive solar shade for the lounge area beneath.

SOFT CENTRE

In contrast to the tough exterior, the interior is softened by natural timber and tonal materials, lush foliage and gentle curves. A soaring and sculptural timber ‘tree-trunk’ contains the bathrooms above and below, linking the two spaces and creating cohesion. The ground floor area is open plan but subtly nuanced, gently pinched by the bathroom and an internal garden, which is enhanced and magnified with the use of mirror. The garden downstairs is reflected upstairs in the beautiful green ‘Amazon Depths’ (Dulux) colour of the inbuilt cabinetry in the main bedroom.

MAXIMISING SPACE

The owners were originally concerned that their small inner city block wouldn’t be large enough to create the home they envisaged. To maximise the space horizontally and vertically, large windows and openings were used on three sides while a void was created along the fourth wall. A white perforated steel section of stair continues the transparency of the void, allowing for a further increase in air circulation and volume.With large openings at each end, the garage is an extension of the ground floor space, with budget allocated to the ground material. Rather than a standard slab, concrete sleepers create a flow to extend the courtyard and entertaining area through to the street. A considered extension of space.

DETAIL AND CONSIDERATION

Architectural involvement in any project is typically evidenced in the detail, and certainly at Lang every detail was thoroughly considered. From the circular light fittings veneered in the same timber as the staircase and cabinetry; to the chevron grey tiles in the ensuite which reference the texture, pattern and colour of exterior facade; to the bedroom light fittings custom powered-coated in soft peach, picking up the colour of the bathroom vanity. There are curved details that add coherence and uniformity, overtly used in the curvature of the timber clad bathroom, the bow of the concrete step, the curtain rail privacy screens and the island bench, and more discreetly in the shape of the shower hand rail and custom cut mirror. Many of the considerations had logic, such as siting the laundry upstairs, closer to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Where a setback was required on the western boundary we created a small balcony directly off the laundry, ideal for an outdoor clothes line and a place, out of sight, to efficiently stack all the services.

Though deliberately open plan there are two areas within the ground floor layout that can be curtained off to allow for privacy when required - a reading/study corner and guest accomodation with double bed and dedicated storage. Responding to the brief for clutter-free flexibility, a number of elements are secret, concealed or detailed to appear as flush wall panels. In the entry wall there is a secret door to the garage, and also a concealed cupboard for storing coats, shoes and bags. Within the kitchen /living cabinetry, beside the usual integrated white goods, there is a dedicated wine store, an appliances bench and a sizeable study with shelving and inbuilt desk. Another highly considered detail is the steel support column, brought inside to avoid disrupting the fluted glass window at the front of the house. Appearing more ladder than column by design, it serves an open shelf, for keys and trailing plants. Upstairs, where the need for bedrooms meant ‘cells’ could not be avoided, the doors are full height, floor to ceiling, to create the sense and feeling of having no corridors.

THE LONG GAME

“Everything is very specific to our preference. We really knew exactly what we did and did not want. To another person’s eyes this might not be the ideal, but for us the functionality and the aesthetic is exactly what we wanted.”

– The Owners

Architects are often employed to design homes for their clients to live in ‘forever’. To design homes that fulfil the owner’s goals while incorporating foresight and adaptability, to future-proof or to safeguard longterm sale return. At Lang the owners played the long game from inception. Although they had two young children, they avoided any specific, age-centric short-term design concessions. Instead they looked at the big picture and incorporated multi-functionality as a core basic, to ultimately achieve their own personalised, unique home. For (their) ever.

AMA ‘PICK’N’ MIX’

In 2024 Austin Maynard Architects marks 21 years in practice, with an expanding, diverse portfolio that reflects the decades. The intent is to design unique homes specific to each individual client but in the process we have also, inadvertently created the AMA pick’n’mix. The owners of Lang took, they say, “great care in finding the right architect”, and it was AMA’s “level of detail, originality and playful quirkiness” that most appealed. They revealed they had looked at every photo on our website and picked out their favourite bits. “Like a catalogue,” they say. At Lang, this includes the elevated seat /step (Mills), the concealed study (Garden House) and the internal garden (Newry). “A lot of things we saw on the website, we liked it, then we proposed it on the brief.”

SUSTAINABILITY

An integral part of the client’s brief, and a core principle of AMA, sustainability was a major factor in the design and build of Lang 靚. Fossil-fuel-free/100% electric, a 7kW Photovoltaic solar system is installed on the roof, with a HUAWEI battery and electric car charging provision. The house is oriented to make the most of the northern and eastern sun, warming the polished concrete slab, which acts as a thermal mass, (assisted by hydronic heating coil in the floor) to radiate warmth in the cooler months. Double glazing within thermally broken window frames is installed and north facing windows all have eaves or rotating louvres, to block direct sun reaching the glass in the summer. An external roller blind protects Lang’s only west facing window and rotating louvres and a first floor overhang protect the east facing glass.

Ceiling fans are installed to all the bedrooms and as well as the living space for air-flow without resorting to air-conditioning. Cross ventilation to passively cool the house has been encouraged, with all ground floor windows opening onto garden and windows on the first floor venting the house vertically through the void. All services are located in one spot on an external terrace adjoining the laundry at first floor which also has wall mounted line for air drying clothes.

The home is fitted with LED light fittings and has an energy efficient fridge, oven and induction cooktop. Chemical-free No VOC white paint was used everywhere, and low VOC coatings were used on the timber. Flooring and veneers (used in fixed panelling and cabinetry) are sustainably sourced and certified.

All gardens are permeable surfaces that absorb water within the site. In the front garden a 3,000 litre water tank is buried, harvesting water from the roof to use for flushing toilets and watering gardens. All fittings within the bathrooms, laundry and kitchen are flow restricted to save on usage. A WSUD (water sensitive urban design) process was carried out resulting in a rain water system that filters and restricts the amount of storm water being discharged onto the street. The highest value insulation available for the structural thickness is employed within the walls and roof, and a ventilated facade system reduces opportunity for condensation build-up and thermally separates warm external finishes from insulated internal walls. A green roof adjoining the bathroom and southern first floor bedroom provides an additional level of insulation to the ground floor and visual link to garden space on the first floor.

OWNER’S STATEMENT

“We spent effort in finding the right architect. We shortlisted and interviewed and looked at portfolios, and we could really see ourselves living in an AMA designed house. We looked at the level of detail in the interiors and we saw a little bit of playfulness and quirkiness around the interior design.

Our vision was to create a house that addresses wellbeing, efficiency and inspiration and we can definitely say that our vision has been translated into every detail. The house provides us with a sense of calmness being surrounded by natural materials, lots of natural light and views to greenery throughout the house. We were originally concerned that our small inner city block will not be large enough to create a home that we envisaged but now we can say that the design has exceeded our expectations. Originality was really the key. Everything is very specific to our preference and that comes down to the architect’s originality; not just catching a trend or doing what’s fashionasble but understanding the client’s unique use of the space and unique aesthetic taste. To another person’s eyes this might not be the ideal layout, but for us the functionality and the aesthetic is exactly what we want. The kids enjoy the many different creative spaces in various ways and adults have spaces to entertain, work and rest. We’re very happy with our home, absolutely.”

• Completion Date

  2024

• Collaborators

  • Builder Dimpat

  • Landscape Architect Normark Landscapes 

  • Engineer CO-STRUCT

  • Building Surveyor Code Compliance

• Photography

  Tess Kelly

• Area

  • Total Site Area: 230m2

  • Total Floor Area: 254m2

DENSITY DONE BETTER

Shawcross is the adaption, reuse and extension of one of Fitzroy’s most important heritage buildings. Part of a study into the responsible densification of our inner-north neighbourhoods, it presents a vision for super-sustainable, all electric, fossil fuel free homes in the heart of Fitzroy.

• Canberra Medallion Citation

  ”Nestled within established suburbia, Empire speaks on multiple levels to the greater concerns within the current built environment of our city.

  Canberra is experiencing rapid change as the suburban residential scale 'govies' and bungalows are making way for multiple levelled residences and amalgamated blocks. At a civic scale, office blocks, award winning institutional buildings and public housing developments are being demolished or proposed for demolition with the push for higher, faster, larger. Our beloved green spaces — the lungs of the city - also face an uncertain future in many areas as land is sold and developed. Our built and natural heritage is at risk of being swallowed in the drive for redevelopment of all facets of our community.

  Enter Empire. The provocation of Empire lies in the challenge it casts not to build bigger but to be smarter, more considerate and respectful of neighbours and our past whilst lunging forth into a new and exciting future. At no point do the new insertions by Austin Maynard Architects seek to dominate or push their agenda onto the original inter-war style bungalow. The heritage of the existing home has instead provided a delightful springboard and reference point for all design inclusions. This is evident in the continuing datum lines, repurposing of apertures, considered cladding details and colours, and the reinvention of the surrounding informal garden by Bush Projects in keeping with the history of the suburb.

  Empire is a refreshing experiment in quality over quantity, with value placed on craftsmanship and detailing to create relatively compact, bespoke additions to the existing home. This has resulted in highly liveable spaces inside and out for all seasons.

  As the 2019 jury, we unequivocally believe that Empire is the worthy recipient of the Canberra Medallion.”

• Sustainability

  • Emphasis on insulation, thermal mass and thermally broken windows

  • All new work aims to maximise available daylight and optimise passive solar gain in winter, while ensuring that summer sun does not hit the glass

  • All windows are double-glazed

  • With active management of shade and passive ventilation, demands on mechanical heating and cooling are drastically reduced.

  • A large water tank has been buried within the garden

  • All roof water is captured and reused to flush toilets and water the garden

  • The real sustainability of Empire comes from saving and working with the original build – knocking down and replacing with an 8 star building will never be as sustainable as retaining and re-using

• Awards

  Winner The Canberra Medallion, The Australian Institute of Architects
  Winner The Gene Willsford Award, The Australian Institute of Architects
  Winner HIA Project of the year, Housing Industry Association
  National Commendation 2019 National Architecture Awards
  
  

  National Award Commendation

  “Empire is a deftly executed project that balances fine craft and detail with an intelligent response to the larger issues of suburban living.”

• Video

  Experience Empire through an Archimarathon home tour here, where Andrew Maynard and Kevin Hui take you through all the design details.

THE MASTERPLAN

Canberra is home to some of the best examples of post-war and modernist architecture in Australia. Empire house is located in a culturally significant and important area of the city, on a ring-road that forms part of architect team Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin’s masterplan. The houses here are a product of an aspirational time in Australia. As architects we felt an incredible sense of responsibility to protect and preserve the original modest cottage, rather than following the trend of demolishing Canberra cottages and replacing with large mcmansions.

SETTLE DOWN

The owners of Empire Canberra are well-travelled professionals with fantastic and diverse taste. They had previously commissioned acclaimed architect Enrico Taglietti (an Institute Gold Medalist) on a project in the 1990s. Like us they are ‘lefties’. It was our polemic project, the Styx Valley Protest Shelter - a literal platform for environmental activists, that led them to contact the Austin Maynard Architects office. They owned a modest, inter-war style bungalow in an amazing location and wanted it to become their permanent base. They asked us for “a longterm family home that catches the sun.” The result was two added pavilions, sympathetic to the existing post-war house, but distinctly contemporary in detail.

AN EXERCISE IN RESTRAINT

Empire House is an exercise in considered intervention and restraint. It would have been easier, and a lot less fun, to knock down the existing cottage and start again. The two new pavilions sit comfortably adjacent to the existing house and place the inhabitants in a beautiful, established garden that is characteristic of this Canberra suburb. The aim was to retain as much of the existing character of the site as possible and avoid the common trend of knocking down or adding a dominant and unsympathetic addition. The two biggest issues were - how do we have a conversation with the original building without attacking it or infecting it? And how do we create sunny spaces when the steep site levels and orientation of the house overshadows much of the garden. The answer was to go in with a scalpel, making some big moves, without damaging too much. We cleared the site lines and created a corridor straight through the house, allowing still spaces and activity zones. We opened up to the outdoors and celebrated the exterior, giving clarity and creating a discussion between the old and the new.

A TALE OF TWO PAVILIONS

The house was in fairly good condition overall, though the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms were oddly positioned and in poor state. The original hearth and fireplace in the living room had a great feel and were retained, along with the light fittings, windows, timber picture rail and skirting. The kitchen was relocated and separate living and sleeping zones, or pavilions, were constructed.

The new living addition is a pavilion in the garden that maximises passive solar gain, connected to the existing house via a corridor ‘link’. A large north facing roof window spans across the pavilion, and is protected by operable louvres. The master bedroom pavilion is a similar approach of addition accessed via a link. This pavilion is visible from the street, so it was important to respect the character of the existing house, but create a distinctly contemporary piece of architecture. The white shingle form rests on a datum of red brick, responding to the materiality of the existing house.

SHINGLES

The craftsmanship of the white metal shingles, each one hand-finished and hand fixed with mathematical precision, is the distinguishing feature of Empire House. The material creates a relationship, a language and a discussion between the two eras, while making it incredibly transparent where the old and new elements meet. Preferred Builders took great care in executing very refined details - particularly the concealed box gutter and the oversized shingle ridge capping. The detailing of materials externally are reflected internally, as the builders approached the inside with the same skill and care - most evident in the Blackbutt timber lining.

FUTURE PROOFING

Cars are always a massive issue - typically visually dominant and taking up valuable living space. In light of an automated future on the horizon, which will radically reduce car ownership, it make obvious sense to have other uses for a garage or carport. The car port at Empire House serves as an outdoor space to inhabit by humans, rather than a space entirely dedicated to a machine.

SUSTAINABILITY 

Canberra has more defined and extreme seasonal climes than other Australian cities. It’s a lot colder in winter here, so there was a lot of emphasis on insulation, thermal mass and thermally broken windows. Throughout the colder months the sun streams in through the north facing window, heating the concrete slab which continues to warm well into the night. The large garden increases the permeability of the site and also radically reduces heat sink in the area. Passive solar principals are maximised by the design.

All new work aims to maximise available daylight and optimise passive solar gain in winter, while ensuring that summer sun does not hit the glass. All windows are double-glazed. With active management of shade and passive ventilation, demands on mechanical heating and cooling are drastically reduced. A large water tank has been buried within the garden. All roof water is captured and reused to flush toilets and water the garden. Where possible Austin Maynard Architects have sourced local trades, materials and fittings. The real sustainability of Empire comes from saving and working with the original build. Knocking down and replacing with an 8 star building will never be as sustainable as retaining and re-using.

The Gene Willsford Award – Judges Notes

“Empire is an exemplary piece of architecture demonstrating the unwavering commitment of a client, the considered and evolving vision of an architect and the fine hand of experienced craftspeople. With the compact addition of a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen to an existing inter-war style bungalow in Forrest, Empire celebrates the practice of architecture through timeless, elegant, playful incisions. The spatial qualities of yesteryear are largely retained and reinvigorated for a new generation of occupants. Loosely defined spaces emerge where old meets new, providing informal conversation points and quiet spaces through the journey of the home. Decisive slices into the existing home speak of a deft hand understanding the importance of responding to history, rather than erasing it.

The seamless transition from the built form into the surrounding garden is a crafted and considered realm in its own right. Rainwater is celebrated and detailed exquisitely, from the cleverly integrated box gutter over the bedroom wing to the custom designed tapered rain head tucked away at the rear of the kitchen. Empire is a gift from its owners to the street. The considered proportion and materiality of the delicate shingle-clad additions hint at the memory of the past whilst embracing future possibilities.”

OWNERS STATEMENT

“Our new living space improves our wellbeing beyond anything we had imagined.”

– Lindy

• Completion Date

  2019

• Collaborators

  • Builder Preferred Builders

  • Engineer Ken Murtagh

  • Landscape Architects Bush Projects

• Area

  • House Area 233m2

  • Total Site Area 941m2

• Sustainability

  • Optimised passive solar and external venetian blinds.

  • Double studded with double thickness wall insulation, underfloor insulation, an insulated concrete slab.

  • Double glazed windows with thermally broken aluminium frames.

  • 50% fly-ash content cement, making it much lower in embodied emissions than standard concrete.

  • Recycled brick.

  • Retained most of the original garden.

  • Maintain 10-15 degree heat variation to outside for reasonable periods without active heating or cooling.

  • Fossil fuel free – No Gas

  • Hot water, space heating and cooling, hydronic heating, pool heating - is all supplied by highly efficient heat pumps.

  • Induction cooktops and electric fan-forced ovens (and a steam oven).

  • 17kW of solar panels, facing North, East and West - to maximise solar output throughout the day.

  • Produces 100kWh of electricity/day. The average Australian home uses 20Wh of electricity/day.

  • 2 Tesla Powerwalls - that store 26kWh of electricity.

  • The house effectively is self-powered.

  • Excess electricity back into the grid. Garden House is a sustainable power station.

  • Tesla Model 3 charged by batteries, so effectively it runs for free.

  • Fully automated smart home. Blinds, lights, fans and HVAC can be controlled from anywhere.

  • The hydronic heating runs off a Nest thermostat which automatically optimises usage.

  • The house has heat recovery ventilation which is constantly bringing in fresh, filtered air at the same temperature of the interior of the house.

  • 15,000 litres of water tank storage, stored under slab in garage.

  • Tank water used to irrigate garden and for toilets.

  • Zoning: only need to heat or cool the section of the house being used.

  • Compost: Hungry Bin which can get through 2kg of food waste / day

  • Vege patch/herb garden: Irrigated from 15kl tank.

• Awards

  Best Project - Archilovers 2021
  Commendation - The Victorian Institute of Architects Awards
  Finalist - Australian Sustainability Awards 2021
  Nominated - Dwell Design Awards 2021, Dwellings.
  Building of the year - Nominated, ArchDaily.com

• Press

  Located on a rare, inner city battle-axe block, Garden House presents to the street as an unassuming gable front with little clue of the oasis that lies beyond. Retention of established trees provided a driver for the arrangement of linked pavilions, each intermingled with wandering garden spaces. This provides the setting for logical yet seamless integration of sustainability initiatives, both natural and technical. Internally, considered and playful spaces flow from one to another, with personal history brought to the site from a brick quarry.
  
  Jury citation

• Video Tour

  Watch an Archimarathon video tour of Garden House here, hosted by Kevin Hui & Andrew Maynard.

The average Australian house uses 19kwh of energy per day. Garden House produces 100kwh per day and has a 26kwh Tesla battery. A high-performing, hi tech, inner-city oasis, Garden House is our most sustainable home yet. More than just a house, Garden House is a power station, pushing far more sustainable energy back into our shared energy grid than it uses. This is the future of sustainable energy. Electrified homes, powered by the sun, powering our shared energy grid. (1) With a Prime Minister championing the polluting coal industry, and limited federal targets to curb carbon emissions, homes like Garden House enable Australians to singlehandedly change our carbon heavy power grid. “One in four Australian homes have rooftop solar panels, a larger share than in any other major economy” New York times “As Australia, California and other parts of the world seek to increase their use of renewable energy, they will have to invest a lot more in batteries or other forms of energy storage, experts said.” “In Australia, battery prices are expected to fall 10 to 15 percent this year,”“We’re easily generating way more than what were using,” the owner said, adding that the battery had helped keep the lights on during a storm in August that caused a citywide blackout. Climate change, he said, “is going to create more of these storms.”

THE WHAT

Located on a long and narrow street, lined with long and narrow blocks, in inner-city Melbourne, Garden House is an unexpected oasis. Hidden from the street and accessed via a pedestrian laneway, this new family home sits within lush established greenery. Designed for a family of five with the capacity to regularly entertain dozens of people, the home comprises of four distinct elements appearing as separate buildings, ‘invisibly’ connected via mirrored glass corridors that reflect the well established garden. A two-car garage and workshop faces to the street, with an all purpose rumpus room behind and home office above. Living/ dining / kitchen (with hidden pantry and laundry) open out to the garden. The main bedroom has an ‘open balcony’ lounge area and ensuite while the children have a dedicated space, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a TV room and a netted play-stair.

THE BRIEF

The owners came to us with a highly detailed and specific brief. They wanted a sustainable, “super modern”, longterm family home, that could change and adapt over time. They had a fantastic and usual block. Facing the street was a tired, single-fronted cottage, with a 1980s addition at the rear that opened out onto a sizeable and wholly unexpected private garden. The owners - eco- conscious and “a little quirky” - wanted to save as much of the existing garden as possible and build within it, a ‘homely’ house that was highly sustainable.

BIGGER ON THE INSIDE

By nature of its location and by design, Garden House belies its size and scale. At street-view the shingled, simple and domestic scale garage appears to be the house, in its entirety. A pretty, white shingled cottage with a perfect pitched roof. Walk down the side pedestrian alleyway and the main front door opens up to reveal a much bigger property concealed within - like discovering Narnia at the end of a literal yellow brick road.The owners cited our 2015 project Tower House as inspiration. They liked the way we dealt with visual bulk, by breaking down the home into smaller components. They wanted a home that allowed for large scale entertaining, space for their three children to grow up and a dedicated office/conference room, but they didn’t want the feeling of a big house.

BREAK IT DOWN

So the challenge was: How do you design a home big enough to accomodate a large family and yet not have it look like a large family home. How do you keep an intimate personal scale but then be able to have the flexibility of suddenly being full of people? The response was to break up the bulk of the house into four smaller scale zones, office, kitchen/living, dining and kids area - with smart interactions. Each zone is connected via mirrored glass links or bridges, reflecting the garden and essentially making them disappear - giving the impression of four separate buildings, set within lush greenery. Internally there are concealed doors allowing for spaces to be opened up or sealed off (between kitchen and dining, and the staircase and kids zone). Large openings connect the inside with the garden, with seasonal outdoor spots such as the fire pit, shaded outdoor table, sunny lawn and heated pool.

“Our home doesn’t feel too huge, it feels homely and cosy. It’s like a little eco system, the more people the more sense it makes. It’s a multitasking house, doing four things at the same time. There’s logical space for it and it all works.”

– The Owners

FINDING THE HOUSE THROUGH THE TREES

The initial sketches of Garden House were dictated by the random siting of three significant trees. The proposition was to save the trees, and as much of the establish plant-life as possible, whilst maximising passive solar gain and northern outlook by building along the southern boundary. With the guidance of an arborist and detailed surveys of tree root zones and trunk dimensions, the structural solution evolved. Garden House is not simply built around the trees, but, in places, suspended - hovering above ground to protect tree root zones. Working around the trees resulted in a re-thinking of the typical circulation path. Quite often when designing there is one main path through the home and everything branching off it. At Garden House there is a more complex type of circulation borne out of saving trees. Without a defined circulation spine, the garden becomes the reference and orientation point.

INSIDE OUTSIDE

The main bedroom living area, (parent's retreat) is essentially an open balcony, referencing the apartment buildings and houses in Israel, where they owners have spent a lot of time. Instead of an external balcony, the room is opened up to the outside with bi-fold doors, allowing for direct views of the garden, rather than a view of a balcony. We’re often asked: What do the owners love most about their home? Their answer: The kitchen - with its hidden pantry, laundry and concealed work station, and the ensuite. “We spent a lot of time getting the kitchen area right and it works really well. We live in this space all the time and we’re really happy with it. I also love our bathroom. I love the aesthetics, the concrete and timber, it’s a good size and a really nice space to be in.” Overall though the owners say they are most proud of the fact their home is completely self powered. “And that’s achieved not through us sacrificing - there’s a heated pool, hydronic heating, ovens, cooktops - but there’s no guilt and no cost. We even have an electric car which is completely powered by the house. We pay nothing for fuel or power.” 

THE STAIRCASE

We’ve designed some great staircases but the stair at Garden House is our favourite so far. The owners hand-picked the recycled yellow bricks, used throughout, because of the happy memories they invoked - of grandparents homes and their days at Melbourne University. The transition from brick floor to stair, begins earthy, brick connected to the ground, then rises up, almost ruinous to join the timber treads. And then that view. It’s a bit of theatre - one of a number of vantages points, moments and experiences in the house that reference the garden. 

SUSTAINABILITY

Garden House was designed to function off grid. The owners, however, didn’t want a “silver and white” home filled with automated gadgetry that would confuse their parents. Instead, their home was designed to feel natural and connected to nature with the use of materials, whilst still being hi-tech and high performing. The house is sited to the southern side of the site, to maximise the availability of Northern sun throughout the home. All living areas have floor-to-ceiling windows with awnings over, to allow sun to heat the concrete floor slab in the winter months, radiating warmth throughout the day and evening. Awnings and overhangs above act as passive protection to the slab in the Summer months. Where openings required a more subtle and responsive approach to shading (watching TV or using a laptop etc) automated shading devices are employed. The external venetian blinds allow the owners multiple variations between open and closed, to fine tune the amount of northern sun penetrating the house throughout the year. The folding arm awning acts as a shading device for the dining room but also creates a covered external area adjoining the BBQ in the Summer months. All western facing windows are fitted with external roller blinds to provide protection against the low sun in Summer afternoons that can cause uncomfortable temperatures within the home unless mitigated. 

All external surfaces are highly insulated. Roofs contain an R6 bulk bat made from 80% recycled glass and contains no formaldehyde. Where walls are metal clad externally they are constructed as double thickness (two layers of timber stud frame) with each skin containing an R2.7 bulk bat made from 80% recycled glass. Where walls are brick externally a R1.4 ‘Dritherm’ cavity slab insulation is installed within the cavity between the two skins of double brick. The underside and all edges of the structural slab are lined with a 40mm thick rigid board insulation. Maximum effort was employed to reduce any gaps in insulation throughout the building ensuring a high performing thermal envelope. All windows are double glazed with high performing frames. The thermally broken aluminium frames contain Viridian Light Bridge or EnergyTech, with Low E coating, double glazing units, depending on orientation. Energytech double glazing is employed where windows face north to maximise U-value (insulation property of the glass) and SHCG performance (solar heat gain coefficient). The orange brick used extensively throughout is recycled, using pallets that were personally selected by the owner from The Brick Recyclers (in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir). The bricks, called Oakleigh Creams, matched a photo supplied by the owner of his grandparent’s 1950’s house, and were also reminiscent of the University of Melbourne buildings, that held an emotional attachment to the owner’s student days. The concrete used in the structural slab and footings contains a 50% fly-ash content cement making it much lower in embodied emissions than standard concrete. 

OWNERS STATEMENT

“We needed an architect with vision as we were specific about the things we wanted the house to include. We wanted a super modern, high performing, highly sustainable, longterm family home, with the ability to change and adapt over time. It had to be an architect who was creative and could think outside the usual ‘square house’ box. We found most architects were very similar in their designs, but with Austin Maynard Architects, each house was very different, with its own personality - you could tell the homes had been specifically tailored to the owners. Our brief was for a really super modern house, in every sense but still really warm, and that’s what we have."

• Completion Date

  2021

• Collaborators

  • Builder Sargant Construction

  • Engineer Hive Engineering

  • Landscape Architects Eckersley Garden Architecture 

  • Landscaping Cheeky Nature Landscaping

  • Interior Styling Simone Haag

  • Building surveyor Code Compliance

  • Energy Consultant Cundall 

  • Home Automation Zelo Group

  • Lighting Consultant Lights and Tracks

  • Pool Out From The Blue

• Area

  • Site area: 773m2

  • House area:  535m2

(1) How Coal-Loving Australia Became the Leader in Rooftop Solar - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/business/energy-environment/australia-rooftop-solar-coal.html

Built on a tight urban site with no additional footprint, this project focuses on sustainable repair to create a beautiful, long-term family home. Embracing light, shadow and nature, the design maximises shared living zones for kids and adults alike. It’s an un-precious, resilient space designed to weather real life, welcome community, and age gracefully alongside its family.

• Sustainability

  • Northern orientation- slab on round

  • Ceiling fan

  • In-slab hydronic heating

  • Shading of glazing

  • Double glazing

  • Water tank

  • Retention & renovation of as much of old house as possible

• Press

  Australian Design Review’s top ten Australian homes of 2022 – Learn More
  

THE WHAT

Picket House is a two storey addition to a freestanding Edwardian timber house, at the top of a hill in Northcote, Melbourne. The old part of the house has been re-roofed and internally upgraded and now forms the dormitory, with three bedrooms, a study and a bathroom. The new addition has living, dining and kitchen in an open play layout, with a pantry, powder room and laundry along the southern side at ground level. The living area is double height to maximise light and volume. The first floor has a multi-functional open space (currently used as a playroom) with a walkway out to an external deck.

THE BRIEF

The owners Zoe and Merez, professional chefs and parents of two young children, began their renovation plans with a simple aim, they wanted a deck at the back of their house. The exisiting, run down 70s lean-to at the rear of their property, though “had to go” and by extending the footprint a more prescriptive brief evolved; coupling the owners requirements with functional aspects and their desire for “an overall sense of warmth, volume and light”. The typical approach by Austin Maynard Architects is to find the opportunities within the brief and the site, to seek responses that surprise and delight rather than adopting typical approaches to residential design. At Picket House suggestions such as the flexible space at first floor level, the entry between the existing home and the new build, and the separation of sleeping quarters in the old house and living zones in the addition, all evolved during the design process.

THE WHY

The original property had been used as a share house for many years and was in a state of general disrepair. While the front of the house had great character and required straightforward upgrade and improvement, the old weatherboard lean-to at the back of the house was unsalvageable, removed and the rear yard cleared. Responding to site and orientation, the new addition is positioned on the southern side of the block, to maximise the garden space and allow northern sun into both levels. A vertical linking element between the old and the new building forms the new entryway, with staircase between the varying floor levels responding to the gradient of the block. To reduce height and ensure the southern wall along the street is at fence height, the addition has been sunken in the ground.

As architects, whenever we’re presented with a laneway, or a corner, it’s always exciting because it means we can add another dimension. Often you see houses on corners that have not responded to site or opportunity. Instead they stick to the typical linear layout, and build a huge fence along the street, as though they might one day have a neighbour on that side. Whenever we have the ability to change the orientation, we do. At Picket House we were presented with three frontage possibilities. By creating a new entry in the central link between the original home and the new addition, visitors to the house are invited directly into the entertaining, living and garden areas, rather than past private bedrooms.

LEVELS

The block is sited on a fairly steep gradient, with the front of the house at the top of a hill, sloping downwards to the rear of the block. This presented the opportunity to investigate levels between spaces and the idea of vertical connection.At several points the ground levels were pre-determined and could not be raised or lowered, such as the door between the old lean-to and original house and the footpath along the side of the block - but there was flexibility in setting new internal floor levels.

Having repositioning the front door at the side of the house, the entry floor level was set at kitchen bench top height, allowing a flow of space from the entry through to the kitchen and out to the BBQ zone. Half a flight up is the original doorway to the old part of the house, which is now dormitory. Another half stair up there’s a timber batten landing which provides a connection between ground and first floor, and an open entry way through to the rumpus and out to the external raised deck. Though it serves to access a total of four levels within the layout of the house, the central staircase appears, by design, small and simple

A VISUAL SHORTHAND FOR THE GOOD LIFE

White picket fences became synonymous with a dream suburban life in the 1940s & 50s. Highly culturally symbolic, thanks to films like ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, a white picket fence was, as the Smithsonian magazine surmised, ‘a visual shorthand for the good life.’ In the 1980s white picket fences enjoyed a revival as new urbanist developers sought to entice potential residents with a sense of safety and security. You can see through a picket fence, you can have a conversation through it, unlike a brick wall, a picket fence allows for friendly, neighbourly interaction.

Having relocated the new addition along the southern boundary to maximise northern light, we sought to address the outcome of added bulk along the street. Rather than add on a big high contemporary box, we took a lighter approach to the new build. We sunk the new addition to reduce height and embraced the suburban language of the area.For the visual, practically and financial benefit, we initially considered white pickets as an option to creatively reinterpret the need to a side fence. As the design progressed, the typical fence material of the paling/picket became the external cladding, concealing the lower level wall of the addition on the southern side, and wrapping the entire first floor of the addition.

Concealed shutters within the palings on the northern side provide sun protection, while on the western side the pickets have been rotated to provide outlook as well as some shading. The decking timber is trimmed at the edges to match the palings, as if fence palings were laid flat to become decking. The white picket fence is a relatable and easily identified element of the suburban landscape. A friendly device that defines the division between neighbours. The white palings at Picket House make it distinct from the old house but not a foreign object: an object clad in a suburban friendly coat.

THE LINK

A distinct separation was created between old and new with the insertion of a vertical black box covered in ‘archbar’. Over time, the link will be entirely engulfed with climbing vines, creating a green connection. Having removed the lean to, the external wall was re-clad in weatherboards to match. The external weatherboard cladding of the old house was re-done on the western wall to match the existing cladding and to finish the rear of the old house. This cladding (weatherboards and bargeboards) was run through internally along the entry wall to appear as though the new addition was slid up against the rear wall respectfully interacting with the old structure.

“We wanted to celebrate the architecture and the era of the original house, but make this new addition entirely different. I love how it became all about living, while the old part is dormitory. That’s where the link between the old and the new is quite dramatic. It’s not a huge space but having the light and the volume was so important. I love the progression of steps, coming down and seeing the levels and the light and the terrazzo. We just love this space. It’s a joy to live in a beautiful designed home that works for us.”

INTERNAL FINISHES

Within the new addition a range of materials and textures create a warmth and character to the ground floor living, kitchen and dining space. Brass detailing, mirror, terrazzo, a timber ceiling, polished concrete, navy cabinetry and wall finish complete the palette. Rather than a neutral interior materials and colours were selected to bring a warm personality to the living space. “We wanted a new build that had a 60s modernist vibe and that wasn’t easy for the builders we know. We had collected so many things over the years, furniture, art, all the Danish light fittings, which we’ve been holding on to for almost ten years, the old french chateaux doors. We’re really happy we were able to bring older elements into the new part.”

OWNER’S STATEMENT

“I came across Austin Maynard Architects website and I loved the detail and the playfulness. Every project responded directly to the family, with such imagination and also a very keen sense of design - not in a linear sense, but really creative, and we loved that aspect. I always remember the first email exchange we wrote something about ‘following the yellow brick road’, and all along the way it felt like there was a magical element.”

– Zoe & Merez

• Completion Date

  2021

• Site Area

  • Total Site Area 418m2

  • Addition 120m2

• Collaborators

  • Builder CBD Contracting

  • Engineer Adams Engineering

CONTEXT

Situated in a dense pocket of Richmond, the site sits directly adjacent to a public park along its northern boundary. This location provides access to established green canopies and northern light, requiring a design that capitalises on these natural assets while maintaining privacy from neighbouring properties. The owners needed a functional, long-term family home with dedicated zones for upcoming teenagers and adults to coexist independently, correcting an awkward existing layout. The brief requested a seamless indoor-outdoor integration on a single level, a premium kitchen for entertaining, a semi-industrial aesthetic, and contrasting material textures – such as stone, concrete, and timber – rather than bold colours.

THE RESPONSE

The design upends the original level disconnect by consolidating the living, dining, and linear kitchen onto a single, continuous ground-level datum. A polished, exposed aggregate concrete slab flows uninterrupted from the front entry to the rear boundary, where industrial steel-framed glass doors open completely to a gravel-and-paved courtyard fire pit. To preserve the outdoor courtyard space, the building expands vertically under a steep, asymmetric roofline. Suspended within the soaring central void is a black-floored, perforated steel walk-bridge that serves as an elevated study nook. This bridge breaks the scale of the volume, creating a physical separator between the communal ground floor and private upper bedrooms while preserving internal sightlines and acoustic connection.

Three high-set skylights flood the central void with northern daylight without compromising privacy. Externally, the building is wrapped in durable corrugated metal cladding, offering a low-maintenance, semi-industrial envelope that references Richmond's manufacturing heritage. Inside, the minimal white cabinetry and raw concrete floor are balanced by a prominent feature wall of vertical timber paneling that conceals services and adds structural warmth. The ground-floor glazing allows the rear corner of the home to open entirely, integrating the interior dining area with the retained trees, stone pavers, and landscape architecture of the courtyard. The building's footprint and the rear courtyard's layout were specifically configured to curve around and preserve the pre-existing trees. Rather than clearing the block, the architecture uses the mature green canopy to provide natural shading from the afternoon sun and maintain a connection to the adjacent park.