The brief
An existing 1930s duplex consisted of a ground-floor and first-floor apartment, each with its own external access. The homeowners wished to unite these two dwellings to form a single home. It was considered important from a design point of view to “stretch the eye” through the new living spaces to create view lines for the original building and addition to be read as one.
Design outcomes
A living area/kitchen and new bathrooms were added to the ground and first floors while the “quiet” interior style and muted light of the original home was retained and continued. The architects created a long diagonal view through the existing shallow floorplan. The ground floor addition formed a double-height volume that incorporates a carefully located high-level window. The bathrooms in particular were designed with materials to suit the 1930s architecture of the original house. Internal colours were selected to connect spaces and respond to the varying volumes and light conditions throughout the house.
Editor’s favourite
The deliberate “quietness” and muted light carried on from the original home.