Wurundjeri Country
Zoe and Daniel loved their postwar clinker-brick house and their garden filled with fruit trees, but their property had far more potential than was being realised. They engaged Zen Architects to design a spacious, sun-filled house behind their existing home and between the trees, creating a family home that invites play and exploration in nature.
We designed the building to flow with the long, narrow, sloping site. The floor steps with the falls in the land and the ceiling peels upwards at each junction, with high-level windows framing sky views and allowing northern light deep into the interior. Each level also defines the main spaces within the home.
Three bedrooms, a bathroom and a second living area are on the first level. A brick wall curves around a courtyard to the east and provides a textural internal finish to complement the plywood ceilings, joinery and hardwood floors. On the next level down is the kitchen and dining area with a large, communal island. Steps lead down to the light-filled lounge, sunken below the level of the deck and pool. Large north-facing windows provide a view and connection to the large playful and productive garden, and the concrete floors and brick wall harness the heat of the winter sun, creating a cosy retreat.
Zoe and Daniel’s new home is connected to the existing house but independent in function and use. They have since converted their original home into an office and studio, further optimising the potential of their site.
Builder: Parallel Group
Photography: Derek Swalwell