Reading the View

Posted Thursday, 24 June

We are delighted to have recently received a commendation from the Australian Institute of Architects for our work on this residential alteration and addition.

This small alteration project is built around three key principles;

a love of reading and books as symbols of personal and professional life,

a progressive series of views and spatial expansion,

and an emphasis on outdoor living and minimising built footprint.

One of the great aspects of the project is the wisteria-covered courtyard. Its careful lifting and expansion allowed the vine to provide a ready-made canopy to the outdoor living space. The project sits within the lexicon of many alterations that adapt the rear of 19thC villas, offering layouts suited to a more contemporary use of living spaces, and a stronger relationship to the garden.

It celebrates the relative freedom of this back-end typology and incorporates a ‘pavilion’ tower as a casual nod to these types of verandahs and lean-tos. A reference to a James Turrell work, this roofline culminates in a sky-window over the main space.

In contrast, two reading/sitting rooms with bi-fold windows are placed on the perimeter of the living areas, encouraging closer interaction with the outdoor and distant hills.

All photographs by Aaron Citti Photography.