Clare Cousins Architects’ familiarity and expertise with brick created them the organic selection to lengthen this 1930s interwar house in Glen Iris’ heritage Summerhill Estate Precinct.
The short was to broaden the home’s art deco attributes, when better accommodating a youthful family members, and creating a popular yard. ‘While they loved the residence and the space, our clients experienced outgrown the inward-dealing with two-bed room home and sought a spacious and light-weight-stuffed residence with a examine. It was important to the clientele to maintain the character they cherished of the existing house and carry this via into the new extension,’ claims Oliver Duff, director of architecture at Clare Cousins.
The unique art deco architecture is mirrored in the curving new addition, made from monolithic cream brick, with sheets of glass beneath reminiscent of a waterfall. Handmade Krause bricks have been decided on specifically to resonate with the character of the existing dwelling, with gorgeous detailing realized by builders Primary Tasks.
Although the original household sat neatly in the streetscape, the rear was disconnected from the backyard, which was beforehand positioned perfectly down below the residence. The architects tackled this issue via a series of inner stage variations, overcoming the site’s steep fall and subtly defining spaces inside.
At the rear, a slender outcrop of the lush yard built by Eckersley Garden Architecture now creeps to the centre of the residence. Freeform sandstone paving ties in with the earthy noticed gum utilized liberally indoors.
The home’s primary rooms have been sensitively current, retaining options this kind of as steel framed home windows, period joinery, and etched glass lavatory home windows. New aspects reflect the character of the present property and the identity of the owners, such as an outdoor on the upstairs deck, and round openings amongst the deck and the yard down below.
The venture was accomplished in March 2020 — just in advance of Melbourne’s to start with Covid lockdown. ‘The appreciation of seeing our customers relocating from their non permanent lodging into their new mild-crammed and roomy dwelling and backyard — where by they could come across sanctuary to function and take it easy — was unbelievably gratifying in these a tough time,’ states Oliver.