Houses 92 preview

Houses 92.

Some of the most interesting residential projects are alterations and additions, where a new layer of history is added to a house. And in terms of sustainability, renovating or upgrading an existing home makes the most sense. The homes in this issue of Houses magazine demonstrate that you don’t need a huge budget or an entirely new home to achieve a more comfortable space for living – now and into the future.

The owners of the Cowshed House purchased the original building because they felt it was “spot on” in terms of site usage and orientation. They employed Carterwilliamson Architects to preserve the integrity of the existing structure while making it “more habitable and better suited to their growing family.” This home has character, and it comes from both its history as a cowshed and the new architectural interventions.

Even small alterations can make a large impact. At the Forever House by WoodWoodWard Architecture, the existing volume of a suburban home has been deftly reconfigured with the addition of only a few square metres. The clients intend to stay “forever” in this newly comfortable and spacious dwelling.

The renovation of the East Melbourne House by Zoë Geyer Architect embraces the values of the past, but is also designed to meet the current and future needs of its occupants. Like the younger family who lives in the Forever House, the clients of this project have no desire to move out of their home at any stage, and strategies for “ageing in place” are considered in the design.

More often than not, the architect will clearly delineate the new from the old. Due to heritage guidelines, these new additions are often hidden behind a historic facade. However, at the striking Mullet House by March Studio (seen on the cover of Houses 92), the addition is “out and proud” due to its corner location.

This issue also includes homes by David Boyle Architect, Brett Tuer Architect in association with Chris Jones, Domenic Alvaro Nixon Tulloch Fortey Architecture, Wrightson Stewart Interior Design, David Langston-Jones and Breathe Architecture. We profile the suite of residential work of Sydney-based Sam Crawford Architects that are imbued with a celebration of day-to-day living, and Richard Kirk reflects on one of his first projects. Finally, we revisit a house designed by McGlashan and Everist and built during a post-fire reconstruction boom in Hobart.

Katelin Butler, editor

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