Do Residence

Invisible from the street, the project provides a contemporary home for a young family. It seeks to explore the concept that brickwork need not be just a solid barrier and celebrates brick as an individual architectural element that can be stretched, pulled and manipulated to create pattern and permeability. Simple interlocking architectural forms link with the retained Federation-era dwelling and allow it to stand without disturbance. The simple forms of the new structure seek to celebrate brickwork as the dominant feature.

The project uses dark and light coloured brickwork to differentiate between forms and contrast with the classic red brick of the existing dwelling. Brickwork is playfully manipulated through the use of “hit and miss” screen patterns that provide visual privacy, diffused light and solar shading. Custom triangulated cuts form brick patterns that reference the triangulated form of the site and standalone workshop.

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Perry Lakes Residences

This group of houses was located in of the ‘Steeplechase Green’ part of the Perry Lakes redevelopment. Owned by one family, the three dwellings included a home for a young couple with a family, an investment property for their parents and a two-storey ancillary dwelling.

Our first challenge for this project was meeting the requirements of the Perry Lakes Design Guidelines, which governed all home designs for the redevelopment. Strictly modernist, the guidelines referenced the VII^thBritish Empire and Commonwealth Games, held at the original Perry Lakes Stadium in 1962. Our design would need to capture the glory days of 1960s architecture, while still providing for current Australian lifestyles – and current expectations of comfort and amenity.

We built a contemporary vision around iconic modernist design, with a focus on flat rooflines, minimal ornamentation and a soft, pastel palette. Each of the dwellings was designed as a series of concealed-roof white ‘boxes’ floating over face brick podiums. This allowed us to maximise the vertical space and also make use of eaves and overhangs to protect the home from the summer sun. The creation of a double-height alfresco external space further protected the interior of the home – the living areas have a cool, sheltered aspect without feeling enclosed.

Central to our reimagining of the unique 1960s aesthetic was finding ways it could be made sustainable. The dwellings are all designed according to solar passive and energy efficient principles, with north-facing aspects to capture the winter sun while keeping out the worst of the summer heat. An adjustable Vergola on the upper level provides control over sun protection, and a small plunge pool offers the perfect retreat for cooling off on hot days. We also used the concrete breeze-block screens and articulation typical of modernist houses, employing these signature materials in ways that would enhance the sustainability of the structure.

The resulting homes are uncompromisingly modernist in style, but with all benefits of contemporary design. Living spaces are roomy and varied across the homes – there are always places to escape for privacy, shade or work. In the main house, the master bedrooms are separated from the secondary bedrooms to better suit current family life, and it features a spacious study for working remotely. Each dwelling remains a celebration of Perry Lakes’ proud heritage, and also a showcase of what it means to live there now.

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Chelmsford House

This property was a coveted classic Federation-era house on a corner block in North Perth. The owners wanted to open up the home to the outside, to make the most of the fantastic location and the WA lifestyle for their family. They also wanted more room for a few unique touches which would make it their own.

We needed to rethink the space as a whole, bringing new life to every area of the home – both interior and exterior. We pushed out to the boundary next to the front bedroom, using this otherwise wasted and awkward space as a long ensuite. Similarly, we built a new, discrete section off the kitchen to house a scullery which leads into the laundry and drying court. We also moved the master suite into the new upper level, giving the parents a secluded retreat from the rest of the home, with a private study, ensuite and walk-in-robe. The wide staircase behind the kitchen allowed for a floating bookcase, making this often-transitory space a place where the family can stop and spend a little time.

The veranda, gun-barrel hallway and four rooms at the front were retained. We converted one bedroom into a new bathroom and added a new bedroom at the rear. The L-shaped extension at the rear of the house links the existing structure to a new double garage off the rear laneway. We also built a high masonry wall to maintain privacy from the street. Together, these elements create a new, sheltered courtyard with a north-east aspect, making the most of the winter sun while protecting the home from the harsh south-westerly weather. At the rear, Kyle Hughes Odgers street art completes the picture.

The finishes and the choice of materials were very important for this home, offering a way to unite the new and the old, as well as the inside and the outside. External timber joinery and cladding connects with the timber elements internally, and polished concrete floors provide a seamless transition between the two. Details were carefully chosen, referencing the various time periods evident in the home’s history; from the Edwardian etching on the shower to the 1970s-inspired blue tiling in the upstairs ensuite.

The result is a home that uses every available space to add something to the lives of the family who live there – the highest achievement of any renovation.

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Marine House

The owners of this 1960s beach house were looking to augment the available space to display their impressive art collection, and to do some upgrades for comfort and sustainability. They also wanted to reconnect the home to its coastal surroundings, while remaining protected from the elements.

We knew one of our biggest challenges would be to honour the home’s architectural legacy, which had great significance for the owners. The house had a lot of history. It had been in the owners’ family since 1973 and had seen a number of renovations over the decades. The existing relationship between the old and new elements of the house was the perfect starting point; we could select the best of what was already there, and use it to help shape our concept. Central to this was the use of arches, referencing both classical Italian architecture and the work of architect Carlo Scarpa.

First, in the rear courtyard, we added a new vestibule and an arched gallery space connecting the home to the basement garage. We pared back the old 1990s Italianate folly, carefully selecting materials and details to maintain consistency with the existing home. We also allowed the existing arched wall at the rear of the house to breathe, removing the bifold doors and extending the inside space out into the garden. At the front of the house, a new ‘glass slipper’ porch lightly touches the existing façade. This offers protection from the harsh sun and wind without disrupting the visual continuity of the frontage and its beautiful blade columns. The integration of a balcony into the roof of the porch also allows the owners to enjoy the sea air and endless ocean views from the upper level.

Inside, we took particular care to reconcile the old and new elements of the home, especially when refinishing the wet areas. A warm and luxurious palette of bronze, copper, granite, smoked eucalyptus and walnut timbers offsets the existing and new timber and concrete finishes. We also installed a new ducted air conditioning system which, coupled with insulation and double/low-e glazing greatly improves the comfort and energy efficiency of the home. The finishing touch was a bespoke lighting scheme, incorporating a new skylight over the master ensuite and flexible track lighting for the home’s magnificent artworks.

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Binary Brick Bungalow

A young family moving from another part of Mount Lawley, the owners of this Mount Lawley lot had big plans for the most unassuming house on the street. It was easy to see the appeal of this property, situated high on the mount with incredible views – both east to the hills and west to the city skyline. But along with the dream block came a run-down Californian bungalow which the owners were very keen to renovate.

The property falls within a heritage precinct. This meant our first challenge was to develop a design which would give the clients the modern extension they wanted, within the strict heritage guidelines. Our design worked around this with a new wing down one side of the home, similar in style to the existing frontage. This addition disguises the main extension, a clean modernist box which is cantilevered out over the rear garden at the back.

With the final design approved, we set about harmonising the two very different faces of this unique home. The use of red recycled brick grounds the home into the heritage precinct, and this material was extended out to provide structure and continuity within the rear garden. This area is one of the owners’ most cherished features, giving the family room to live, grow and play against the backdrop of the city. The fire pit forms another outdoor ’room’, with ample seating for guests under the WA sky. The raised level of the pool also acts as an intrinsic pool barrier, allowing us to reduce the use of pool fencing and amplify the open feel of the garden.

Inside, a modern industrial aesthetic reconciles the old and new aspects of the home. Warehouse-style fittings in the kitchen and tiles with a rusted steel effect in the bathroom add warmth, interest and detail. A combination of industrial and natural materials brings the rest of the home together, with a harmonious palette of polished concrete floors, grey-stained plywood, jarrah screening and concrete-look benchtops.

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Highgate Residence

This unique property in the heart of Highgate was a handsome Edwardian home, beginning to show its age. The owners were seeking a contemporary renovation which would give them the space and amenity to age in place comfortably. They loved the Federation feel of the house and wanted to retain as much of its heritage character as possible – without so many of the quirks and drawbacks typical of a heritage home.

And there were a lot of quirks to manage. The home, situated on a previously subdivided lot, concealed a sizeable under-croft space – the lot actually sloped down a full storey from the street frontage to the rear laneway. Its most intriguing feature was a three-storey turret at the rear of property, which offered spectacular views of the city skyline.

We took our cues from the existing forms and materials of the home; we knew our biggest challenge would be to integrate the new extension with what was already there. We envisaged a folded copper shell or carapace, floating above and protecting the rear of the house. This offered not only a response to the imposing turret, but a surface on which to work in constructing the new spaces of the house. Where the existing spaces were robust and enclosed, we wanted to bring the extension out into the open.

This copper shell gave form, function and feeling to many of the new elements. Beneath it, the existing central passageway now opens onto a new open-plan living area, the middle level of the new three-floor plan. Transitioning into rooftop terraces, it includes a suspended pool positioned over the new garage and basement spaces. Raised planter beds frame and soften the rear terrace with greenery. All three floors are connected by a bridging stair element, delicately housed in glazing between the turret and the new areas.

We were also careful to include future-proofing and convenience into the design, with CBUS control for lighting/electrical/operable screens, louvres and windows, as well as a lift. Photovoltaic solar panels, a solar hot water system and double-glazing help to reduce the energy requirements of the home significantly.

Our palette of materials was chosen not to mimic those of the original heritage home but to balance them. Many of the heavier elements – the bold face brick, the fireplaces and chimneys, the sturdy turret – were counterweighted with glass elements and innovative lighting design. The charcoal-toned and copper skins, concealed from the street by the original façade, will weather and gain character over time. We also made efficient use of space, reclaiming some of the attic cavity for a walk-in-robe and the top floor of the turret as a new study. The final, folded curve of the copper carapace even protects a private balcony, offering views of Hyde Park and the city.

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Throssell Street Residence

The owners of this compact Perth block fell in love with its location, tucked in among the Federation-style homes next to idyllic Hyde Park. A multi-generational family, they wanted a low-maintenance home with a sense of space and a real connection to both the leafy park and the city lights.

Our three-floor design is built around the central concept of the faceted, sculptural roof form. Clad in charcoal-toned steel sheeting, its peaks and falls reference the familiar gable and hip roof forms of the surrounding homes. At the eastern end of the house, the roof facets up above the open-plan living, study and balcony areas, giving the front of the house a sense of elevation and opening these areas up to the glorious WA blue sky. It also offers views of the Hyde Park tree canopy and city skyline, while sheltering the home from the worst of the summer sun on the south side.

We knew immediately that the inner-city block would bring its own challenges. The lot adjoins with neighbours on three sides, with rear laneway access. Aware of the potential for this to create a ‘boxed-in’ feeling, we maximised the available space by digging out a basement level, with a wine cellar and a ‘den’ for the owners’ young adult son. The deep excavation necessitated close negotiation with all three neighbours as well as the diversion of the existing sewer line servicing the front house. Our final solution involved injecting soil stabilisers and prefabricating steel elements to cope with the tight access.

The finished home perfects the balance the owners were looking for. Every space is bright and open, bringing natural light even to the deep interior of the basement level via steel catwalk grates. Glare and hot afternoon sun – not to mention privacy on the compact block – are effectively managed with switch-glass panels, careful placement of windows, overhangs and screens. The neutral palette of the interiors was the finishing touch, bringing a sense of effortless space to the home, with Carrara marble and the warmth of pale oak.

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Cleaver Street Residence

With one child already and twins on the way, the owners of this Federation-era home in West Perth needed to make the absolute most of the space they had. The existing home had only three bedrooms and suffered from a slightly ‘hemmed in’ feel, due in part to previous renovations.

Our design aimed to bring light and life into every corner of the home, giving the family maximum use of the space. First, we used an existing two-storey wall as the backbone for a tall, thin tower. This sliver-like extension incorporates the new kitchen/dining and laundry areas, as well as stairs to the new upper level. The master bedroom and ensuite share the upstairs with a small open study, overlooking the soaring void space and dining room below. To maximise space in the master bedroom, we needed a little ingenuity. By opening a door into the existing roof cavity, we were able to reclaim it as a spacious walk-in-robe.

Privacy is crucial in any family home. Our design incorporates a number of features offering an easy transition between connection and seclusion. The master bedroom can become a quiet retreat via a pair of internal shutter panels. The noise of the lounge and hallway areas is likewise easily separated from the kids’ bedrooms opposite with large, glazed black-steel French doors.

Given we were using every available inch of space, it was important to preserve as much light and air as possible in the final design. The new two-storey addition drinks in the light, with the east-facing void shelled almost entirely in glass. Outside, the new terrace and lush pergola extend seamlessly from the kitchen/dining area, softening the outlook and offering a shaded outdoor living space. A series of sculptural south-facing loft windows also scoop light into the upper level, venting hot air during summer and drawing in the cool afternoon breezes.

The finishes and fittings bring this home to life, combining a contemporary aesthetic with a nod to classic, prestige materials. Gold feature tapware in the kitchen is accented beautifully against green Dulux ‘Cool Current’ lacquer. Stone-look ultra-compact porcelain panels add a touch of sophistication (and durability for busy family life), while timber veneer brings warm walnut tones to the cabinetry. The finishing touch was the striking Perch Light Branch light fitting in the dining room, illuminating the heart of this unique family home from within.

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Magnolia Residence

The owners of this North Perth home fell in love with its Federation-era charm. With plans to start a family, they wanted a renovation which would not only add room, but also give them spaces to cherish together into the future.

Our design opens up the rear of the home with a spacious, light-filled, single-storey addition. The external timber cladding wraps under the eaves and continues through to the interior surfaces, uniting the open-plan common living areas with the outdoor spaces. Large sliding doors make it easy to open these areas up to the north-facing courtyard and remodelled terraced garden. We made the most of the limited vertical space with the playful use of blockwork, creating bands and articulation both inside and outside. Blackbutt timber in window frames, doorframes and cabinetry transitions gently through to the jarrah flooring and details of the original home. The combination of natural timber with the industrial concrete blocks and flooring also gives the new spaces an earthy, modern feel, which the owners loved.

The functional elements of the home were crucial for a growing family, but it was important that they not detract from its Federation-era character. The carport has a sleek, flat design with slender-profile columns, to keep it from obscuring the front of the home. The contemporary laundry, scullery and study areas are tucked away behind ‘secret’ black-panelled doors, and French doors allow the front of the house to be easily secluded away from the family and entertainment areas. Beautiful furnishings and window treatments by Jane Ledger Interiors complement the architecture perfectly and add the finishing touches to the design.

Invisible from the street, our addition gives this traditional house new life as a welcoming, contemporary family home. The owners have maintained the character home they love and created a warm, light-filled space to share together – with plenty of room for a couple of new additions of their own.

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Adair Residence

Set on a quiet suburban street of Coolbinia, this 1930’s Deco bungalow was the perfect candidate for restoration. The owners were a young couple with children on the way, so the original home’s compact layout was quickly becoming problematic.

We began with the best of what was already there. The magnificent jacaranda tree in the backyard became the centre of our design, which combined a ‘pavilion in the garden’ renovation concept with a careful restoration of the original home. On the ground level, we created new bedrooms and bathrooms, reinforcing and extending the hallway axis right through to the garden, with northern light brought in from high-level. On the opposite side, the walls are conceived as a face-brick ‘garden wall’, wrapping in from the low retaining wall around the alfresco area. This heavier masonry gently holds and protects the living spaces, blurring the line between inside and out. In contrast, the upper level projects out above the backyard with a zinc ‘box’ addition. Within this box, the master bedroom floats over the garden. Curtain glazing drinks in the light and brings the room right up into the boughs of the jacaranda.

With such a wonderful garden, it was important to unite the inside and outside spaces. We made use of the void spaces in transition areas – and between floors – to create a sense of continuity. Clever use of light allowed us to both bring the outside in, and to smooth the transition between old and new spaces. Small touches throughout the home – like green-glass fish scales in the bathroom and a wall of books interspersed with coloured glass tiles – create a sense of whimsy and private contemplation.

Sustainability was a crucial consideration for the renovation. Many of the home’s design features do double-time managing its heat and energy requirements. The use of orientation, thermal massing and insulation in the new bedroom and living areas earned these spaces a NatHERS rating of 8.0 stars. The zinc box form provides shade for the alfresco area, and openings are protected by eaves integrated overhangs. The west-facing glazing in particular required careful consideration, as it was important to open the house out to the rear garden without also opening it up to the scorching summer heat. We also re-used as much of original fabric as possible and carefully restored the original portions of the home, to minimise the use of new materials.

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