Designed by Rob Kennon Architects, East West House sits on a deep site near the top of Richmond Hill in Melbourne, Australia. An original Victorian heritage building was restored, with a separate contemporary but contextually responsive extension introduced at the rear of the house.
The existing Victorian detailing was stripped back to highlight the elegant fireplace arches, Baltic pine flooring and timber mouldings. Freestanding (not built in) bespoke joinery neatly fits into the existing fireplace recesses to clearly define the old and new.
The new structure is visually separated from the heritage building by a glass link, with hidden utility spaces behind. A series of glazed connections, incorporating a large sliding glass door, a fixed door, a picture window and a frameless section, provide each space its own special interaction with the immediately adjacent garden.
To reduce its mass, the upper storey is constructed as a timber framed setback pop-up, out of the triangular masonry form. The bedroom receives filtered northern and western light through batten shutters, which control the heat in warmer months.
Internally, the new living, dining and kitchen areas are associated by the consistent use of solid oak flooring, walls and joinery. The tight oak grain brings natural warmth to the space. The fine detailing of the junctions, joinery doors, recesses and fittings provoke an appreciation of the considered way in which the space has been crafted. Further, the changing volumes, lighting and varied glazed connections to the garden differentiate the various functional spaces.
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Ground floor, First Floor, Section © Courtesy of Rob Kennon Architects |