This property was a house attached to a much-loved old corner shop in North Perth, a well-known feature of the neighbourhood which the owners wanted to retain. With plans to expand their family, they were looking for a way to create the spacious home they needed, while still enjoying the inner-city location they loved.

Our design restored the deli, located on the north-east corner of the block, and retained key elements of the existing home on the opposing south-west corner. The old shop would become the couple’s new photography studio, while keeping its character and original shape. We then carefully removed the structure from the centre of the block to make room for the new home. This central space became the heart of the new home, where the family could spend time together, as well as the boundary between the business and the private areas of the house. We added an upstairs level for the bedrooms, with the master bedroom incorporated into a mezzanine off the open plan living area. A roof terrace can be accessed as both a private retreat off the master suite as well as an additional outdoor space for entertaining on warm WA nights.

The design raises a ‘folded visor’ over the old shopfront without touching it, in response to the owners’ desire to make the addition visually ‘theirs’ without compromising the original form. We also kept a firm distinction between the old and new parts of the house, and the home maintains its inner city feel with urban materials and views of the streetscape.