John Wardle’s Fairhaven Beach House stretches out towards the ocean

Angular zinc-clad volumes fold around a central courtyard and stretch out towards ocean views at this house designed by Australian architect John Wardle on the scenic Great Ocean Road in Victoria (+ movie).

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

Named Fairhaven Beach House, the three-storey residence is perched on the top of a hill. John Wardle Architects laid out the building with an uneven U-shaped plan to create a wall of windows facing the water and an east-facing courtyard that is protected from coastal winds.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

The route from the entrance to a large living room was intended as a dramatic progression through the building, passing by a cantilevered study and through a pivoting asymmetric door.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

“It is a dynamic, fluid journey through the house from arrival to the ocean view,” said the architects, whose past projects include a house on a working sheep farm in Tasmania.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

“It is choreographed to increase anticipation before reaching the main living space,” they added.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

A large kitchen and dining room is positioned on one side and projects even further towards the coastline, plus a secluded balcony provides an opportunity to dine outdoors.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

“The house is carefully zoned to allow for privacy and communal gathering,” said the architects.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

While the exterior of the house is clad with grey zinc panels to blend in with the tones of the bush landscape, the interior features timber surfaces across every wall, floor and ceiling.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

Two bedrooms are located on the ground floor and a wooden staircase leads up to a third on the upper storey.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

A garage, wine cellar and informal living room are tucked away in the basement.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

Fairhaven Beach House topped the residential category at the Australian National Architecture Awards earlier this month. Judges described it as “a masterful control of form and space, scale, material and detail”.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

Photography is by Trevor Mein. Movie is by Maximilian Mein.

Here’s more information from John Wardle Architects:


Fairhaven Residence

The Fairhaven Beach House is located on top of the ridgeline above the Great Ocean Road on the Victorian coastline. The site enjoys panoramic views over the southern ocean and surf beach below.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

The proportions, orientation and dimensions of windows have been tailored to particular views and to reveal internal spaces. The design process has been one akin to scenography, bringing together sensory and spatial experiences to frame the theatre of inhabitation within.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

This beach house coils and steps around a protected central courtyard, which creates an outdoor space sheltered from the harsh prevailing winds. The living area doors and an oversized sliding kitchen window open up and integrate the courtyard with the house during fine weather.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

It is a dynamic, fluid journey through the house from arrival to the ocean view; it is choreographed to increase anticipation before reaching the main living space.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

As you step beneath a cantilevered study into a dramatic vertical entry space, you become acutely aware of a number of twists and folds along its length that make the transformation into the horizontal living space. Its main window aperture matches the cinematic proportions of the ocean view.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

The house is carefully zoned to allow for privacy and communal gathering. The upper level houses a suite of private rooms including a main bedroom, ensuite, study and viewing terrace. The entry level contains a pair of bedrooms and bathroom. The main living and dining space is where the occupants come together. A garage, laundry and informal living space are hidden from view in a basement level.

John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean

Materially the house is clad in a green-grey zinc cladding, for both its longevity and natural colouring that merges with the scrub and tea tree landscape. In contrast, the interior of the house is completely lined in timber (floors, walls, cabinetry and ceilings) to form an enclosure for living that its inhabitants become completely immersed within. The eye is then always drawn back to the outlook beyond.

Site plan of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
Site plan – click for larger image
Basement plan of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
Basement plan – click for larger image
Ground floor plan of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
First floor plan of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
First floor plan – click for larger image
Elevation of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
Long section one – click for larger image
Elevation of John Wardle's Fairhaven Beach House wraps a courtyard and stretches towards the ocean
Long section two – click for larger image

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Keperra House built around a sheltered deck by A-CH

A sheltered deck separates the bedroom from the living spaces of this tiny home in a suburb of Brisbane (+ slideshow).

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

The building was designed by Australian studio A-CH as a dwelling for a single occupant at the end of the garden of an existing property.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

A void at the centre of the building frames views of a mature Jacaranda tree and the main house beyond, and acts as the entrance to the two separate indoor spaces.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

“The semi-outdoor deck is the main breakout space which the occupant is forced to circulate across on a daily basis, heightening one’s awareness of the changing environmental conditions,” said the architects.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

On one side of the deck is a compact living and kitchen area, while the bedroom and a bathroom are located on the other side. Sliding doors can be opened to connect the inside spaces with the decking.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

The building is constructed from robust materials including cast concrete and galvanised cladding, which is also used to create oversized guttering that helps to shade the interior from the sun.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

Plywood panels used throughout the interior provide a sense of natural warmth and conceal amenities, and storage behind folding doors.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

Windows are carefully positioned to retain privacy where it is required, while making the most of views of the garden and neighbouring parkland.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

“The project seeks to experiment with the daily pleasures of compact dwelling and to celebrate the spirit of the place where it belongs,” the architects summarised.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

Photography is by Alicia Taylor.

Here’s a project description from A-CH:


Keperra House

Keperra is a post-war suburb North West of Brisbane CBD, once occupied by the military camps in the 1940’s and later with the development of Housing Commission in the 1950’s. The brief to add a detached sole occupant flat on an existing property presents an opportunity to rethink the typology of the secondary dwelling, commonly dubbed as the ‘granny flat’.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

The new dwelling is positioned along the rear boundary like a garden wall, with a defensive Southern facade as backdrop of a mature Jacaranda tree. The central covered deck space establishes ground connections with the newly defined garden while serving as an arrival court. This punctured void in the massing sets up a framed view of the landscape for the garden and the existing house.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

The dwelling is deliberately made to open up the Northern facade on to the natural settings of Kedron Brook creek reserve. With the footprint kept at a minimium of 45m2, the small spaces amplify the sense of dwelling in nature. This rare edge condition between site, suburb and parkland has the potential to offer connections for the occupant with the daily activities of the parkland life.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung

The elongated plan paired with generous openings extends the interior to the landscape beyond, while screening devices allow control of privacy from the occasional parkland strollers. A string of three connecting rooms essentially makes up the plan: living, semi-outdoor and sleeping. Each designated with an individual framing of expansive, intermediate and protected views respectively in response to the undulating landscape.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung
Site plan- click for larger image

These composed and at times oblique apertures enhance one’s sense of openness, immediacy and intimacy. The semi-outdoor deck is the main breakout space which the occupant is forced to circulate across on a daily basis, heightening one’s awareness of the changing environmental conditions.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung
Plan- click for larger image

Robust construction detailing are utilised throughout the project, and resilient materials are used primarily in their raw state to deliver a low maintenance dwelling within a constrained budget.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung
Cross section- click for larger image

The chiseled, board marked in-situ concrete has a rock like quality, emerging to form anchorage to the sloping land. Capped atop by the sharp edged galvanised cladding, with its subtly reflective surface captures the seasonal colour transitions of the surrounding foliage. The oversized folded zincalume gutter also doubles as a sunshade device over large Northern openings.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung
Long section- click for larger image

Internal spaces on the contrary display a sense of warmth and softness, with the use of materials such as locally sourced Cypress Pine and Hoop Pine plywood panels throughout. Material palettes have been kept simple to achieve a restrained and functional space, where storage units and amenities integrate within a concealed joinery wall. The project seeks to experiment with the daily pleasures of compact dwelling and to celebrate the spirit of the place where it belongs.

Keperra House by Atelier Chen Hung
Elevation- click for larger image

Practice Name: A–CH (Atelier Chen Hung)
Project Team: Melody Chen, James Hung, Renee Popovic
Physical Model: Yohei Omura
Structural Engineer: Northrop Consulting Engineers

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Mullet House by March Studio

A twisted angular roof oversails this extension to a suburban house in Melbourne by Australian architects March Studio (+ slideshow).

Mullet House by March Studio

March Studio, which is best known for designing a series of stores for Aesop, was tasked with renovating an existing bungalow in Kensington and adding an extension that doubles the size of the interior.

Mullet House by March Studio

For the existing house, the architects retained the Edwardian facade but re-planned the interior to accommodate only bedrooms and bathrooms.

Mullet House by March Studio

The new two-storey structure extends from the rear of the house. The architects excavated part of the ground, allowing them to create a concrete basement and parking area with a timber-clad ground-floor level above.

Mullet House by March Studio

“The new extension is not meant to be sympathetic to an older style but rather has been shaped by the clients’ brief, solar access and one of Melbourne’s best views back onto the city,” said the architects.

Mullet House by March Studio

The angular black-zinc roof extends over a large living and dining room, and is angled up at two corners to allow light to filter in through clerestory windows.

Mullet House by March Studio

“This simple twisting operation grabs light and views,” said the architects. “The action and drama of the twist is expressed and amplified on the ceiling below by a series of hand-plugged timber battens.”

Mullet House by March Studio

The concrete structure on the level below contains a children’s playroom with circular glass skylights overhead, as well as a wine cellar, a laundry room and a bathroom.

Mullet House by March Studio

A car can be parked beneath the projecting upper level, while a terrace and garden are positioned just beyond.

Mullet House by March Studio

The building is named Mullet House, as a reference to the hairstyle that different at the back than at the front. According to the architects, a passerby has described the house as “formal up front with the party out the back”.

Mullet House by March Studio

Here’s some text from the architects:


Mullet House

Situated in Melbourne’s inner-city suburb of Kensington, ‘The Mullet’ performs contorted gymnastics in order to facilitate an ambitious brief on a small, yet opportunistic site.

Mullet House by March Studio

The clients, Scott Smith and Phoebe Moore, wanted to commission not only a new and comfortable home, but also sought a challenging design. Running a family business in construction, Scott and Phoebe’s own home would become an opportunity for them to showcase their own capabilities.

Mullet House by March Studio

A Heritage overlay shaped the design for the front of the dwelling, requiring that the cottage facade and first few rooms flanking Hardiman Street be retained and renovated, (red roof and all). This is where the formality is, the face to the heritage land of Eastwood Street blends seamlessly with its cottage neighbours. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are resolved into the pre-determined Edwardian shell, freeing up the new extension for the living areas.

Mullet House by March Studio

The fun begins to emerge when rounding Hardiman Street. ‘I don’t like it’ – says one of the locals half way through construction. ‘It’s not in keeping with the area…’ The new extension is not meant to be sympathetic to an older style but rather been shaped by the clients’ brief, solar access and one of Melbourne’s best views back onto the city.

Mullet House by March Studio

The balancing act that the local resident detested emerged when the brief called for off-street parking. The house would straddle the parking area, and even with the grade of Hardiman Street to advantage, excavation was unavoidable. Since a digger would be coming to site anyway, the opportunity to dig a little deeper and sink a large concrete box (along with the children in it) was far too good to refuse.

Mullet House by March Studio

Buried within the concrete box is the rumpus room, wine cellar, laundry, and an additional bathroom. The box is capped with a concrete lid and garnished with strategically placed, trafficable glass skylights. The monolithic form anchors the new building into the side of the hill and is finished internally by the rough reality of building – and being – underground.

Mullet House by March Studio

The concrete lid of the concrete box is not only the ceiling for below, but also the floor in both the kitchen and exterior deck. The pivot around which the other spaces are spun, the kitchen serves all parts of the house, while the dining and living areas are tucked up above the garage and closer to the night sky of Melbourne’s city lights. Timber battens clad the extension, wrapping the three spaces together and providing a linear base for the last hovering piece.

Mullet House by March Studio

Soaring above the living spaces is the black zinc roof. On the northern edge the roof is pulled up to increase natural light to the northwest corner, and pushed down to the neighbouring building on Hardiman Street on the northeast, so as not to overshadow it. On the south side, the operation is reversed, and the southwest corner is lifted to create a framed view of the city. This simple twisting operation grabs light and views from two corners and anchors the remaining two with rain heads falling to collection tanks. The action and drama of the twist is expressed and amplified on the ceiling below by a series of hand-plugged timber battens.

Basement plan of Mullet House by March Studio
Basement plan – click for larger image
Ground floor plan of Mullet House by March Studio
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
Section of Mullet House by March Studio
Cross section – click for larger image
Section of Mullet House by March Studio
Long section one – click for larger image
Elevation of Mullet House by March Studio
Long section two – click for larger image
Elevation of Mullet House by March Studio
Street elevation – click for larger image

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Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Australian studio Edwards Moore has revamped a small brick house in Melbourne by adding a new storey and a translucent roof (+ slideshow).

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Architects Ben Edwards and Juliet Moore were tasked with increasing the size of the single-storey terraced house, as well as improving the quality of space and light inside each of its rooms.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

A new storey was added over the existing structure, with a translucent roof that diffuses light through the entire upper level. Unlike the lower walls, which are made from brick and feature peeling paintwork, the extension comes with a clean black facade created by standing-seam cladding.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

The new level accommodates a living room on one side and a kitchen/dining room on the other, freeing up space on the ground floor for a reception room and two generous bedrooms.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

“[We] considered the addition of the second floor not simply as the addition of horizontal plane perched atop the existing structure, but equally as a vertical room that creates a great sense of volume and unity within the dwelling as a whole,” said Edwards.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

A layer of perforated metal sits above exposed wooden rafters to give a see-through floor to the living room, allowing light and views down to the spaces below.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

“The translucent skin floods the spaces with natural light, and strategically placed openings create a central internal landscape,” added the architect.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Cantilevered wooden treads provide a floating staircase between the two floors, resonating with the rhythm of the exposed rafters above.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Edwards Moore also recently renovated another house in Melbourne, leaving peeling plasterwork to expose sections of brick walls.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Other residential projects by the studio include a house with a combined kitchen counter and staircase, plus an apartment with chunky chipboard lining its walls.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

See more architecture by Edwards Moore »
See more houses in Australia »

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Photography is by Fraser Marsden.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

Here’s a project description from the architects:


Lightbox House

A small single-storey terrace house, dwarfed by the surrounding urban fabric. The aim, to increase the quality and scale of the living spaces within, improve the sense of aspect/outlook and access to natural light, whilst maintaining a private and comforting oasis.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore

By considering the addition of the second floor not simply as the addition of horizontal plane perched atop the existing structure, but equally as a vertical room which, through its connectivity between ‘branches’, creates a great sense of volume and unity within the dwelling as a whole. The translucent skin floods the spaces with natural light, and strategically placed openings create a central internal landscape.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore
Ground floor plan
Lightbox House by Edwards Moore
First floor plan
Lightbox House by Edwards Moore
Long section – click for larger image
Lightbox House by Edwards Moore
Cross section – click for larger image
Lightbox House by Edwards Moore
Street elevation – click for larger image

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Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Small windows scattered across the facade of this house extension outside Melbourne by Australian practice Wolveridge Architects limit the amount of direct sunlight entering the building (+ slideshow).

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Wolveridge Architects designed the extension to provide additional bedrooms for the owners’ three young sons, who are now housed above a large garage.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The architects say that the composition of openings in the facade “is designed to restrict the inflow of undesirable west sun and provides a suitable level of visual engagement with the street.”

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Anodised aluminium window frames contrast with the dark stained western red cedar cladding that covers the new addition and maintains the house’s existing material palette.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Inside the bedrooms, the windows are integrated into a geometric arrangement of cabinetry that creates storage and seating.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The extension also incorporates a new living area that is separated from the bedrooms by a large shaded terrace with views of the nearby forest.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Yesterday we published a beach house by Wolveridge Architects with louvred shutters concealing its windows and architect Clare Cousins recently extended a family home in Australia by adding a stilted timber-framed guest house. See more houses in Australia »

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Photography is by Ben Hosking.

Here’s a project description from the architects:


Blairgowrie House

This extension to an existing two storey dwelling provides essential additional living areas for a family with three young boys. The original structure made very little connection with the surrounding property and had deficiencies in access to northern light.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

By bringing the façade dramatically forward towards the street it was possible to incorporate the three required bedrooms above a large garage on street level.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

To separate the bedrooms from the new living area a north facing courtyard was introduced which also provides a terrific outlook towards the surrounding Moonah forest.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The block type form established from bringing the front of the dwelling forward and its western orientation influenced a design decision to create a complex series of openings in the façade, allowing for plenty of natural light to the children’s bedrooms within.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The composition of openings is designed to restrict the inflow of undesirable west sun and provides a suitable level of visual engagement with the street.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The cabinetry design integrates with the complex window arrangement on the outside, creating a playful sense within each bedroom.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

The existing palette of dark stained western red cedar cladding and anodised aluminium window frames was carried through in the new work, integrating the original structure within the proposed design, but still providing a sense of separation.

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects

Project name: Blairgowrie House
Date of construction completion: 25/08/12
Project team: Jerry Wolveridge, Sina Petzold, Ricky Booth, David Anthony
Builder and Construction Manager: Tim Prebble
Structural/Civil Engineer: Don Moore & Associates
Building Surveyor: Nepean Building Permits

Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects
Basement plan – click for larger image
Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects
Long section – click for larger image
Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects
West elevation – click for larger image
Blairgowrie House by Wolveridge Architects
South elevation – click for larger image

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Torquay House by Wolveridge Architects

This timber and concrete beach house in Victoria by Australian firm Wolveridge Architects conceals all its windows behind louvred shutters and has courtyards tucked into its sides (+ slideshow).

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Torquay House was designed by Wolveridge Architects to protect its inhabitants from the extreme weather conditions of its seaside location, creating indoor and outdoor spaces that are screened from powerful winds.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

“In coastal conditions buildings must be robust and defy the elements, yet create protective spaces, both internal and external, which allow the occupants to feel safe and comfortable,” said the architects.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

The volume of the building is divided into three connected blocks. The first and second have two storeys and feature windowless concrete sides, while the third is a single-storey volume clad entirely with timber.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

The small courtyards are slotted into the recesses between blocks and are overlooked by most of the house’s windows, which are generally directed to face north and south.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

“It is the private spaces created in between that allow natural ventilation and light, intimate outlooks, and privacy for the occupants – a place to call home,” said the team.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

One of the courtyards contains the entrance to the house, while another is dedicated to barbecues.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

A combined living and dining room occupies the single-storey rear block and opens out to a swimming pool beyond.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Three bedrooms are located on the upper floor and each have their own private bathroom.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Other Australian residences completed recently include a periscope-shaped extension and a sand dune-shaped house. See more houses in Australia »

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Photography is by Derek Swalwell.

Read on for a description from Wolveridge Architects:


Torquay House

This project attempts to challenge our traditional notions of how buildings can exist both in a coastal environment and in this case also the context of an emerging built form and character. In coastal conditions, buildings must be robust and defy the elements, yet create protective spaces, both internal and external which for us allow the occupants to feel safe, comfortable, privacy and enjoyment of good times.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Whether the occupants are full-time residents or weekenders, the beach house is a place to look forward to arriving, whether in the heat of the summer or the winter’s cold.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

With excellent views to the north and south and a conscious motivation to avoid the east/west outlooks, this project evolved as a series of interconnected and robustly finished containers. Each prescribed to a rigid set of rules and the relationship and spaces between containers becoming essential to the program and to the life of the building.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

The robust mass of the buildings is intended to be offset by the expression of finely considered detail and proportion. It is the private spaces created in between that allow natural ventilation and light, intimate outlooks, and privacy for the occupants, a place to call home.

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Project Name: Torquay House
Date of construction completion: 19/04/2012
Building Type: Residential – House

Torquay House by Wolveridge

Architect: Wolveridge Architects
Practice Team: Jerry Wolveridge, Sina Petzold, Tjeerd van der Vliet, Courtney Gibbs
Builder and Construction Manager: John Walker Master Builders
Structural/Civil Engineer: Don Moore & Associates
Landscape Consultant: Heather Vincent Landscapes
Cost Consultant: VPL Builders Services
Building Surveyor: Nepean Building Permits

Torquay House by Wolveridge
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
Torquay House by Wolveridge
First floor plan – click for larger image
Torquay House by Wolveridge
Long section – click for larger image
Torquay House by Wolveridge
South elevation – click for larger image
Torquay House by Wolveridge
East elevation – click for larger image

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Sydney House by Fearns Studio

Long brick and wood volumes extend down the narrow plot of this house in Bondi, Sydney, by local architect Fearns Studio (+ slideshow).

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

While renovating a single-storey Victorian terrace, Fearns Studio filled the thin strip of land behind with a blackened wood cuboid on top of brick ground floor that’s painted white.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

Under the pitched roof of the old house, a lounge faces the street and a bedroom behind is connected to a bathroom via a small courtyard.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

These rooms are joined by a long corridor that leads from the front door to the large open-plan dining, kitchen and living area.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

Ground-floor rooms are lit by skylights, as well as patio doors along the thin alleyway down one side of the house that leads to a courtyard.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

“Skylight penetrations bring light into the centre of the plan, helping to define spaces within it,” said architect Matt Fearns.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

Stairs behind one wall of the double-height dining space lead up to two more bedrooms, which both have a balcony and share a bathroom.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

Kitchen units, tables and cupboard doors match the wooden window and door frames, which warm the neutral interior.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

A guest bedroom and ensuite bathroom sit above a garage at the bottom of the garden.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio

More homes down under include a zinc-clad house with a sand dune-shaped body and a periscope-shaped extension to two terraced homes, plus we recently created a Pinterest board of all the best images of Australian houses.

Photographs are by Tom Ferguson.

See more Australian houses »
See more architecture and design in Sydney »

Read on for more information from the architect:


Bondi House by Fearns Studio

A renovation of an inner city, Victorian terrace house, the Bondi House was conceived as a first floor timber tube above a ground level brick box behind the retained portion of the house.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio
Ground floor plan – click for larger image and key

Skylight penetrations bring light into the centre of the plan, help define spaces within it and protect the privacy of neighbouring dwellings from upper level rooms while large glazed doors open new ground level interiors to unobtrusive garden courtyards.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio
First floor plan – click for larger image and key

Deep door reveals in the kitchen and living areas frame smaller spaces within the open plan with light and rhythm.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio
Roof plan – click for larger image

The doors themselves emphasise this further by sliding completely clear of their openings.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio
Long section – click for larger image and key

Warmth is given to the white plaster walls and ceilings and to concrete flooring with oak cabinetry, windows, doors and with blackbutt flooring through the remainder of the house.

Sydney House by Fearns Studio_20
Long elevation – click for larger image and key

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New Pinterest board: Australian houses

Australian houses

Our new Pinterest board features an extensive selection of Australian houses, including the timber-framed beach house, periscope-shaped extension and sand dune-shaped residence all published on Dezeen this week.

See our new Australian houses board »
Follow Dezeen on Pinterest »
See all our stories featuring Australian houses »

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The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Peeling plasterwork exposes brick walls inside this small renovated house in Melbourne by Australian studio Edwards Moore.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

The Dolls House is a former worker’s cottage in Fitzroy. Edwards Moore sought to simplify the layout by dividing the building into three main rooms and slotting little courtyards in spaces between.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

An extension at the rear of the house creates a large en suite bedroom, while a combined kitchen and dining room occupies the central space and a living room is positioned at the front.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Unfinished walls feature in each of the spaces and the architects built plywood bookshelves and worktops. They also added mirrored golden panels to a selection of surfaces.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

“We left fragments of the building as a visual memory of the existing worker’s cottage,” architect Ben Edwards told Dezeen.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

The two courtyards sit within newly created alcoves on the southern elevation, where they benefit from long hours of sunlight.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Other details include an original fireplace, pale wooden floors, a sculptural pendant lamp and a ladder leading up to an original loft.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Edwards Moore is the studio of architects Ben Edwards and Juliet Moore. Past projects include a glowing art studio in a car park and a fashion store with tights stretched across the walls. See more architecture by Edwards Moore.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Photography by Fraser Marsden.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Here’s some more information from Edwards Moore:


Dolls House

The smallest house on the street, a renovation of a workers cottage in Fitzroy, Melbourne.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Retaining the existing street frontage and primary living areas whilst fragmenting the building addition beyond. Creating courtyards which serve to separate yet connect the functions for living.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

A collection of raw and untreated finishes create a grit that compliments the owner’s desire for an uncomplicated living arrangement.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore

Echoes of the home’s history are reflected in discreetly choreographed gold panels located throughout the space. An abundance of natural light refracting off the all-white interiors creates a sense of the ethereal, an otherworldly environment hidden amongst the urban grain.

The Dolls House by Edwards Moore
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
The Dolls House by Edwards Moore
Long section through courtyards – click for larger image
The Dolls House by Edwards Moore
Long section through corridors – click for larger image

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by Edwards Moore
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Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Walls of Corten steel and timber surround this house by McAllister Alcock Architects on a vineyard in Mornington Peninsula, Australia (+ slideshow).

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Entitled Main Ridge Residence, the single-storey house features a central courtyard that is open to the north, as well as a protruding living room that projects eastwards to frame views towards the fields of a neighbouring strawberry farm.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

“The site had no clear ‘hero’ views with which to orientate the building,” explains Victoria-based McAllister Alcock Architects. “However there were a series of lovely, albeit modest aspects… The architecture retains the memory of these existing landscape vistas and uses them as an ordering device.”

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

The house is divided into two main wings. The first stretches along the eastern edge of the site to accommodate a row of bedrooms and bathrooms, while the second wraps around the south-west corner and contains family rooms as well as a small guest suite.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

These two sections are visually separated by materials, with the timber cladding lining the eastern side of the house and chunky Corten steel walls framing an entrance on the western facade.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Beyond the entranceway, an enclosed patio leads residents either into the house or through to the courtyard beyond, and is framed by walls of concrete.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Living and dining areas occupy a single space beneath a faceted plywood ceiling. A timber drum divides the space into two and contains a pantry and a spiral staircase, leading down to a wine cellar beneath the house.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Other recently completed houses in Australia include a Sydney bungalow into a two-storey residence and a Melbourne beach house built from recycled bricks and rough-sawn timber. See more Australian houses on Dezeen.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects

Exterior photography is by Derek Swalwell and interior photography is by Shannon McGrath.

Here’s a project description from McAllister Alcock Architects:


Main Ridge Residence, Mornington Peninsula, Australia

The Main Ridge house sits within an established working vineyard located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. The brief was for a comfortable 4 bedroom family home with a visual connection to the vines and which provided an area suitable for entertaining the international guests who visit our clients’ winery.

We are ‘urban architects’, used to working with the constraints of existing built form and planning regulations and creating architecture in residual urban space. We consider our work to be contextual, an architectural response to the urban ‘found’ conditions. In this case the context for the house was abstract; the site had no clear ‘hero’ views with which to orientate the building. The best northern solar orientation faces away from the vines, while to the west an existing artificial cutting separated the house site from the vines and the view to the east was dominated by a large and visually ‘messy’ strawberry farm. However there were a series of lovely, albeit modest aspects: to the north a view beneath trees full of dappled light and a promise of what lies beyond; to the south a gentle rolling grassy slope terminating at the vines. The architecture retains the memory of these existing landscape vistas and uses them as an ordering device – externally with the form and placement of the new building and internally with the orientation of the inside spaces.

Main Ridge Residence by McAllister Alcock Architects
Floor plan – click for larger image and key

On approach the house is hidden by two 20 metre long angled weathered ‘Corten’ steel walls. On entering through a gap between the walls – reminiscent of the original cutting – the house and site reveal themselves. The residence is comprised of pavilions enclosing three sides of a sheltered, north facing courtyard. The courtyard design maximises northern light to the interior and creates zones within the home: one for more private family living and another that can also cater for entertaining guests. A sculptured limed plywood ceiling provides a horizontal ribbon linking the public and private areas of the main pavilion, and contributes visual ‘drama’ while still maintaining a comfortable residential scale. A pod-like timber ‘drum’ marks the pivot point between the public and private realms and hides a butler’s pantry, the staircase to the wine cellar, and sliding doors to zone the spaces.

At the start of the project our clients were not overly impressed with the attributes of their site and were not fond of the view to the strawberry farm. The design of the residence has changed our clients’ perception of their environs by carefully selecting and ‘framing’ vignettes so that the inhabitants are encouraged to pause, and appreciate the special characteristics of a landscape setting that has more ‘depth’ than just the strong graphic rows of grapevines.

Location: Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Architects: McAllister Alcock Architects
Project Type: New House
Project Team: Karen Alcock, Clare McAllister, Maria Danos, Brett Seakins, Jack Tu

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McAllister Alcock Architects
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