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A daring picket-fence inspired extension in Melbourne

When it comes to renovating heritage homes the ‘black box’ addition has become an almost ubiquitous feature of the urban landscape which is why this white beauty caught our eye this week. The work of Austin Maynard Architects, the home is in Melbourne’s Northcote and has been dubbed ‘Picket House’ in homage to the fence that surrounds it and the design that clads it.

Picket House

Located on the top of a hill, Picket House was originally a run-down Edwardian timber home with a wonky 1970’s era lean-to at the back. The old part of the house has been re-roofed and internally upgraded and now houses three bedrooms, a study and a bathroom.

The new addition has living, dining and kitchen spaces in an open-play layout as well as a pantry, powder room and laundry. “The living area is double height to maximise light and volume. The house has been converted into a delightful family home filled with warmth, volume and light,” says Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard Architects.

Picket House
Dining and kitchen
Gorgeous kitchen details
Gorgeous kitchen details

Home to professional chefs Zoe and Merez, and their two young children, the new abode is fabulously family friendly. The first floor has a multi-functional open space (currently used as a playroom) with a walkway out to an external deck. “Initially the owners had one specific renovation goal – they wanted a deck at the back of their house,” says Andrew who explains that the unsalvageable 70’s lean-to was cleared to make space for the extension.

Deck
Deck

“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,” says Andrew. And as the design progressed, the picket fence motif became the external cladding too.

The staircase connects the home's many levels
The staircase connects the home’s many levels
Upper deck
The top floor houses an open plan space currently used as a playroom

And in contrast to the extension’s all-white exterior, the interior of the new abode is fabulously colourful and combines a variety of pieces that the owners had collected over the years – furniture, art and old Danish light fittings add to the stylish milieu.

Dining and lounge
Dining and lounge

“The owners of Picket House have great taste and were wonderfully bold in their choices of colours and finishes. Within the new addition a rich palette of materials and textures including brass detailing, mirror, terrazzo, a timber ceiling, polished concrete, deep navy cabinetry and wall finish create warmth, personality and character to the ground floor living space.” 

Laundry
Laundry

Photography: Tess Kelly

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Housing of the future? Sustainable stacked ‘terraces’

We’ve profiled many Austin Maynard Architects projects before, and they are always strikingly unique. And today’s project tour is no exception. Located in Melbourne’s Brunswick, Terrace House is a multi-residential building that is comprised of 20 beautifully designed, sustainable residences that were designed with the environment and affordable housing in mind. Comprised of two and three bedroom residences, with 55 bike parks and three commercial spaces at ground level, the project represents a startling vision for the future.

Terrace House
Vibrant colours differentiate Terrace House from the inner city landscape

“Terrace House is the reimagining 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,” says Andrew Maynard.

Terrace House
Inside one of the terraces

The project is also the first time that Austin Maynard Architects has acted as both architect and developer. The practice had previously been approached by large developers looking to leverage the firm’s brand but the team had other things in mind.

“The developers were disinterested in solving fundamental climate and housing problems. Instead of profits, we focussed 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,” says Andrew.

Every terrace looks out to the streetscape

The project was bankrolled, not through major banks, but through ethical investors – many of whom were past clients. “Our clients chipped in, at significant risk, as did many of us at Austin Maynard Architects. After a search, we found an engaged land owner who wanted to do something positive within the neighbourhood they called home.”

Kitchen
Kitchen

Located on Sydney Road, a busy high street in Brunswick, the project sits on a thin, long block (10×57 metres). Typical inner-city apartment buildings cannot be arranged on a block this size without the homes facing inward, towards each other, or compromising on 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,” says Andrew. Traditional terrace house plans were referenced in the design – the homes have large external outlooks, a front verandah, study and a shared ‘backyard’ on the roof.

“These are highly sustainable terrace homes in an engaged community, at a relatively affordable price, with super-low running costs, and without the constant demands for maintenance and the poor thermal performance of typical terrace houses,” says Andrew.

Rooftop backyard
The rooftop ‘backyard’
The rooftop is a fabulous community space

The community consultation aspect of the design process was an interesting one. Kicking off in 2016, the practice surveyed potential purchasers and found that 55% of respondents were first home buyers and 75% of respondents were under 45.

“The vast majority wanted a shared laundry and a rooftop clothesline, 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,” says Andrew. Interestingly, almost no-one requested air-conditioning, with the knowledge that the building would be highly thermally efficient. Also, most respondents wanted a car-free home as almost everyone commutes via public transport, bicycles, walking and Uber.

Terrace House

Photography: Derek Swalwell and Maitreya Chandorkar

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A unique multi-generational home in inner-city Melbourne

“Living in bustling, vibrant Fitzroy, our client asked us to help her with a tree-change, without changing postcode. Her priority was to have a big veggie garden and a farmhouse, while remaining in the city,” says architect Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard Architects. A unique response to rising city property prices, the home’s owner also wanted to be able to accommodate her son and his wife with space and privacy for all.

Terracotta House
The Fitzroy property has a thriving veggie patch

Occupying just 453 square metres of land, this inner-city ‘compound’ features a renovated heritage cottage up the front (where the owner’s son and daughter-in-law live), a communal building in the middle (with adjacent veggie garden), and the owner’s two-storey abode up the back which is affectionately referred to as Terracotta House in reference to the owner’s love of gardening.

A truly adaptable, multi-generational home, the house features a subtle mix of shared and private spaces. “It really is a multi-generational home like no other,” says Andrew. Where typically a young family looks to accommodate retired parents, in this instance it’s the owner that is helping her son and his wife live close to the city (and thus work) in a suburb that they would otherwise be unable to afford. 

Original cottage
The renovated original cottage sits at the front of the block

The original house, a timber clad Victorian workers’ cottage, faces the street – it sits at the front of the block and was renovated as part of the project. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area and the cottage exterior remains untouched to retain the street’s character.

The original cottage remains at the front of the block

Located in the centre of the block is a shared pavilion that features a laundry, toilet and multi-use space. This versatile building functions as a library, guest room, writer’s studio, music room and general social space. “By creating a type of village square, or what the owner jokingly calls a ‘compound,’ she and her son’s family reside individually, in separate homes, on a shared block. With enough distance and garden between each cottage they both have privacy and space, but also the reassurance of help and support close by,” says Andrew.

Shared pavilion
The shared pavilion

At the back, with an independent entry from the rear laneway, is Terracotta House. Built boundary to boundary (east/west) filling living spaces with northern light, it features a living room, kitchen and dining, bathroom and study/guest room on the first floor while there’s a main bedroom and ensuite upstairs. 

Dining room
Terracotta House dining room
Kitchen
The Terracotta House kitchen

Inspired by the owner’s love of gardening, one of the most striking aspects of the home is its richly coloured and textured materials palette – recycled brick and terracotta tiling abounds. “Beautiful and emotive, a nod to the owner’s love for gardening, the application of terracotta tiles as a wall cladding came from exploring the possibilities of using materials in an unexpected way.”

Terracotta House
The Terracotta House living room features Willie Weston wallpaper
Diagram
An aerial diagrammatic view

Photography: Derek Swalwell

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Two terraces combine in Melbourne ‘mountain’ home

Designed by Austin Maynard Architects and located in Melbourne, this new five-bedroom family abode incorporates the front of two pre-existing terrace homes with a fabulous rear build that is most notable for its mountain-like roofline.

“The owners were preparing to renovate and extend their tired single-fronted terrace in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, when the house next door came up for sale,” says Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard Architects, the firm that designed the project. The newly purchased home, despite being dilapidated and unliveable, was subject to heritage restrictions that required the street frontages of both homes to remain. “We were asked to combine the neighboring properties to create a family home and garden for a family of five,” says Andrew.

The two existing terraces are linked by a glazed entry
The two existing terraces are linked by a glazed entry

The roofline captured from the garden at the rear
The roofline captured from the garden at the rear

The entry leads from the front garden to a lounge, kitchen and dining room. The parents’ bedroom, walk-in robe and ensuite are located above the kitchen. There’s plenty of clever design in the kitchen including a glass splash back that slides to reveal a hidden pantry, appliance storage shelves and food preparation area behind.

Kitchen
Kitchen

Dining
Dining

Parents' ensuite
Parents’ bedroom and ensuite

Beyond the kitchen, dining room and concealed laundry, a two-storey kids’ zone houses three bedrooms and a bathroom accessed by a spiral staircase. Below is a rumpus room, study and multifunctional utility/garage space.

Rumpus room
Rumpus room

“The rumpus room opens out to the garden and also to the street, future-proofed to become self-contained with its own direct street access. Behind is a dedicated craft/study area, designed to allow for both maximum creative mess and quiet secluded revision,” says Andrew.

The kids' study has an abundance of toy storage
The kids’ study has an abundance of toy storage

Arguably the hallmark of the home, the exterior roofline looks like a series of mountain peaks – a design response that came about organically. “Initially it looks to be a fanciful design, an architectural mountain range, but at its core the house is responsive and strategic. The roof form is contextual; every rise and fall is tuned to minimise overshadowing and visual bulk,” says Andrew.

Lounge
Lounge

The roof is low against abutting gardens (to avoid overshadowing) and high where the neighbours have built against the boundary. “In creating height in all the areas, both internally and externally, the mountain profile emerged,” says Andrew of the roof that is covered in slate, chosen for the patina that will develop with age and the lichen that will establish itself on there. “It will create a beautiful canvas beyond its utilitarian function,” says Andrew.

RaeRae
Slate tiles cover the roof

Another interesting aspect to the home is the way that it engages with the often-forgotten rear laneway – created with a view to engaging with the street and neighbours, there’s large openings, direct access and windows too. “There’s lots of garages but also extensions, subdivisions and newer builds that have capitalised on the dual frontage aspect in the laneway. Rather than defend from the street, the design opens to this public space.”

The house from the laneway
The house from the laneway

Photography: Peter Bennetts

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Real reno: Striking shingle-clad extensions in Canberra

We’re big fans of Austin Maynard Architects and their latest project further cements the firm’s place as one of the most innovative in Australia. Having already won two significant awards (the prestigious Canberra Medallion and Gene Willsford awards), Canberra’s ‘Empire House’ is also a finalist in the upcoming Design Files Awards.

Designed in opposition to the current trend (to build swiftly and cheaply), this home is a relatively small, bespoke home filled with unique features and beautiful architectural detail and craftsmanship. A post-war bungalow, Austin Maynard Architects decided to preserve the original cottage and add a sympathetic extension instead of heading down the McMansion route.

The existing cottage is connected to the master bedroom pavilion via a glass hallway
The original cottage is connected to the master bedroom pavilion via a glass hallway

“Empire House is an exercise in considered intervention and restraint. It would have been easier, and a lot less fun, to demolish and start again. 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, unsympathetic addition,” says the firm.

Kitchen
The extension houses a new timber-clad kitchen

Owned by a couple of well-travelled professionals, who occupy it with their teenage daughter, the family wanted a long-term family home that would catch the sun and Austin Maynard Architects added two light-filled pavilions (with kitchen, dining, bedroom and ensuite) with this in mind.

Dining
Dining

The kitchen/dining and living spaces are now located in what was the old garden and the new design has a much better connection with the outdoors. “We opened up to the outdoors and celebrated the exterior, giving clarity and creating a discussion between the old and the new,” says the firm.

The original bungalow
Period features were retained in the original part of the home

As for the original part of the home, the original hearth and fireplace in the living room were retained, along with light fittings, windows, timber picture rails and skirtings. The kitchen was relocated from the old part to one of the new pavilions and the other pavilion houses the master bedroom and ensuite. The pavilions are connected to the old house via transparent glass-lined hallways.

Bathroom
Bathroom

Bathroom
Bathroom

One of the most striking features of the renovation are the shingles that clad the new pavilions – made from Colorbond (in Surfmist), each one was handmade and hand-fixed. “They form a snakeskin-like covering that merges roof and wall in one surface, contrasting with the white rendered brick of the old part of the house,” says the firm of the unique feature.

The old and new parts of the home are connected via glass hallways

Photography: Derek Swalwell & Austin Maynard Architects

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Real reno: Secret cellar & hidden garden revamp terrace

The inner-city Australian terrace renovation is well-trodden ground but the latest project from Austin Maynard Architects puts a playful, imaginative spin on it what it means to transform a dark, narrow and poorly ventilated house for modern living. With a hidden cellar, secret garden and hidden room in the roof, the project is practical, original and fun.

The original terrace and modern extension are separated by an internal courtyard
The original terrace and rear extension as seen from the street

Located in the Melbourne suburb of North Fitzroy, the owners of the house decided to renovate in late 2014 with particular focus on the living space. “They wanted an entertaining zone that avoided the embarrassment of having to lead guests down a dark corridor, past bedrooms, a bathroom and through a dim, cluttered study. They shared the house with their teenage son and wanted to have somewhere self-contained that was fun for him to live,” says the project’s architect Mark Austin.

Kitchen
Kitchen

Originally from Scotland and England, the owners often have family stay for long periods which meant adaptable spaces and privacy were a chief renovating concern too.

Lounge and rear garden
Lounge and rear garden

Sporting an original mid 1980’s extension (a typical, long rectangular addition stuck on the back), the rooms were completely internalised, the floor plan convoluted, and fresh air was in short supply. “The old addition stretched to the boundary, with light sourced from thermally weak polycarbonate skylights. The 1980’s renovation failed to solve the big problem terrace houses suffer from – an entry way filled with junk, dark corridors past private bedrooms and windowless walk-through living zones,” says Mark.

The new extension
The new extension’s roofline is reminiscent of a corrugated cardboard architectural model

“In these instances, the challenges are always the same. How do you adapt the old layout to modern living? How do you get light and air into the home and make it sustainable? How can you make all this work within the spatial constraints of a terrace house on a long thin block? And, most importantly, how do you create a home full of joy, delight and warmth?” says Mark.

The parents' bedroom
The parents’ bedroom

The parents' retreat
The parents’ retreat

The clever result ultimately reduced the original footprint but created more garden and natural light, plus easier access with the front door moved to the side laneway. “By stripping the 1980’s extension, eight metres of brick wall was exposed and the character and history of an old sailing boat mural was discovered and celebrated. Our aim of creating vibrant architecture is never at the expense of heritage,” says Mark who separated the old home and new extension with a courtyard which brings light and air into both spaces.

Internal courtyard
The hidden internal courtyard

One of the home’s most creative design solutions is the addition of a cellar in the kitchen, that sits under a sliding island bench. “Like a train carriage, the storage section of the island bench rolls along tracks to extend the bench when the cellar is not in use or nestles beneath when access is required. The cellar is completely hidden and secret, unless you are actually using it,” says Mark.

Hidden wine cellar
Hidden wine cellar

Hidden wine cellar
The wine cellar is accessible via a movable island bench

“In the old part of the house the teenager’s bedroom took advantage of the high ceiling with a suspended platform bed space and a lounging net. Above the bed a hatch leads up to a secret ply-lined roof space, a whole secret room his parents will likely never visit. Exactly what every young teenager needs or is it?!” says Mark.

Teenage retreat
Teenage retreat

The parents’ light-filled retreat is located upstairs in the new part of the home with a bedroom at one side, a lounging area with mezzanine reading platform at the other and a bathroom in the centre. “Should needs change, or to maximise resale, the retreat can easily become two bedrooms and a bathroom with the use of strategically placed partitions,” says Mark.

Bathroom
Bathroom

For the past 15 years, Austin Maynard Architects have been successfully battling issues of inner city living and the regeneration of ageing building stock. We’ve learned how to deal with dark terraces with bad circulation and gained the experience and skills to address the challenges.”

Photography: Derek Swalwell & Austin Maynard Architects

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Architecture alert! A unique circular VIC beach house

“With curtains for walls and a compact plan, our 4.5 metre radius shack was an attempt at building a vertical hard tent rather than a holiday home,” says Austin Maynard Architects’ Andrew Maynard of the firm’s latest, highly original project that is nestled in wild bush and rugged sand dunes on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula at St Andrew’s Beach.

Austin Maynard Architects circular beach house

“Australians have some of the biggest houses in the world and holiday houses are increasingly becoming carbon copies of the suburban home.  The owner of St Andrew’s Beach House recognised this. He challenged us to design him a ‘bach’ which is a New Zealand word used to describe a very modest, small and basic shack, or shed,” says Andrew of the home that is clad in sustainable timber designed to weather.

Kitchen
Kitchen and dining – I love the pops of green throughout the home

A sleepy spot with nothing much nearby save for a corner store and brewery, the home is serene and secluded and the beautiful coastline is within walking distance. “The owner was fortunate enough to own land abutting national parkland, close to the foreshore and directly within the sand dunes,” says Andrew.

Lounge room
Lounge room

And with no ‘front’ per se, the two storey home boasts views that extend in all directions. “The shape of the house grew from a response to the views and the simplification of the interior spaces – there are no corridors. Corridors and circulation space are, in our view, a waste. A corridor free home lends itself to a circular design,” says Andrew. The ground floor is comprised of a kitchen, living and dining, bathroom and laundry while the first floor houses the sleeping zone – access is granted via a forest green perforated metal spiral staircase that sits at the core.

A green perforated metal spiral staircase connects the two levels
A green perforated metal spiral staircase connects the two levels

Staircase detail
Staircase detail

An interesting choice that gives maximum flexibility, the upstairs level is essentially one large bedroom zone separated by curtains. “Rather than design a series of sealed bedrooms, each with ensuite and walk-in-robe, the sleeping zone is informal, casual and relaxed, where floor space is the only limitation,” says Andrew.

The upstairs sleeping zones are separated by curtains
The upstairs sleeping zones are separated by curtains

Sleeping zone

“An open deck area, within the tube, unites the spaces when the bi-fold doors are opened. Most Australians want a deck or veranda,  instead of adding something to the outside, like that of the classic old Australian home, at St Andrew’s Beach House the deck has been eroded out of the form itself, creating a two story space that’s both outside and inside,” says Andrew.

Austin Maynard Architects beach house

Photography: Derek Swalwell

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Modern concept: Check out this multi-generational home

Nestled among the McMansions and mock Georgian townhouses of the Melbourne suburb of Kew, Charles House is strikingly different, not only in aesthetics but functionality too. Designed to service a family for at least the next 25 years, this highly original new build is intended to accommodate the ever-changing needs of its inhabitants and eventually house grandparents too.

“They wanted a home that could adapt to their young children’s needs as they grew into adulthood, and a place where they could comfortably accommodate grandparents in the near future. They asked for a practical, low maintenance house and garden, filled with light and water features and blurred distinctions between the indoors and outdoors,” says the architect responsible for the project, Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard architects.

The multi-use, adaptable ground-floor space

The ground floor layout offers fabulous flexibility and features a music/living room plus a student den or granny flat/apartment complete with its own bathroom and wheelchair-friendly garden access. “This is a truly adaptable space that can either extend the family’s living areas, or be closed off to be its own independent zone. For now, this space is for the family to share music, to read and to rest but in a few years, it will become a home to grandparents,” says Andrew.

Kitchen and dining room

Upstairs, all the rooms can be opened up or isolated depending on requirements. “Upstairs, the kid’s bedrooms open up to each other, onto hallways and the living area, as well as the study. As the children grow and change, their spaces can adapt to suit their level of engagement with their home and their family,” says Andrew. The parent’s retreat is separated entirely, accessible via a bridge.

Children’s bedrooms

From the outside, the most striking design feature is the use of slate cladding – a council building covenant demanded that any new home built on the site had to be clad in the material (perhaps as a nod to the older homes in the area that feature slate roofs). “The beauty, skill and detail usually lost to the sky up on the roof, can be appreciated close up,” says Andrew who engaged seasoned craftsman to clad the home’s exterior and some interior surfaces too. “They were excited by the challenges of applying their craft to vertical walls, rather than just the roof. Each of the patterns used on the various facades are patterns recommended by the contractors, from their years of experience working with slate,” says Andrew.

Bathroom

Lounge room

And, given the state of the economy, it’s highly possible that we will see more of this type of dwelling — something that isn’t lost on Andrew. “Multi-generational housing is a double-edged sword. It is wonderful in many ways – a diverse family home is often a healthy family home. However, multi-generational homes also reflect the nature of our economy and the dire consequences of housing un-affordability,” says Andrew.

Bridge access to the parents’ retreat.

Photography: Peter Bennetts

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Modernist Melbourne home blurs lines between inside and out

In contrast to the large homes that surround it, THAT house is modest in size but also perfectly formed. “We were asked to provide the family with just the right amount of space,” says architect Andrew Maynard of Austin Maynard Architects, of the home that truly brings the outside in and is the embodiment of smart design.

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Not only does ample glazing provide myriad views of the outdoors there are also lovely internal green spaces too. “A tree penetrates the roof whilst a garden bridges the kitchen and dining,” says Andrew who is, interestingly, not a fan of open-plan living and the house is an expression of that.

9 AMA ThatHouse_18

“We aimed to have secluded spaces within shared spaces. The ground floor of this house is ostensibly open, however the arrangement of spaces allows the owners to be together, or secluded, or any level of engagement in between,” says Andrew of the three-bedroom home that boasts a kitchen, lounge, dining, living and study (or fourth bedroom) too.

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The concept of being ‘alone together’ underpins the clever design of this home – the arrangement of spaces and clever use of doors allows for adaptable use of the space.

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Given the house is so open, privacy was a key issue and upward blinds were part of the solution. “How many times have you seen huge windows with their blinds permanently down? A downward blind provides no privacy until it is completely down while an upward blind enables you to eliminate almost all view into a home while still being able to look out to the garden, and the street beyond,” says Andrew. This not only allows you to control privacy but you can potentially let more light in too.

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We love the extensive use of spotted gum timber-lined cabinetry which also contributes to the feeling of bringing the outside in. “It hides services and a variety of storage,” says Andrew.

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Proof that bigger is not always better, THAT house is a masterpiece of clever design that is almost half the footprint size of surrounding homes.

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“With good design and planning, modest size homes are not compromising. If fact, they can be far superior to their bulky, poorly-considered neighbours,” says Andrew.

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