branch studio architects renovate writer’s house in suburban melbourne

‘writer’s house’ is a renovation and extension project by branch studio architects located in the residential suburbs 10km south-east of melbourne. the existing orange brick veneer residence that was originally designed in the late 1960’s is recognized by its weather-board façade constructed with red and orange clinker brick.

all images © peter clarke

the property was originally owned by the client’s grandparents and is still filled with beautiful original bespoke joinery specifically built for the house. in 2013 – the grandparents passed away and the family house was unoccupied for two-and-a-half years. the clients met with branch studio architects with the intention of adding an extension, while celebrating the original architecture lived in by the grandparents.

the living room flows onto the new large deck bounded either side by two black aluminum perforated privacy screens

the project consisted of an extensive internal renovation and some external works. a new large ‘party’ deck bounded either side by two black aluminum perforated privacy screens has been built at the rear, allowing the internal areas to seamlessly flow onto an outdoor area and the backyard. a series of three bedrooms and a kids bathroom spawn off a central corridor and along with the bathrooms, they were given a more contemporary lease of life to accommodate the client and their growing family.

the renovated living room

‘my clients – danielle who works in digital marketing and adam who is a screen writer/journalist were heavily involved during the design & construction process. adam’s background in writing, created a key driver in the way we approached the individual spaces within the house as chapters that were curated as a part of a whole story.’ comments architect brad wray ‘it was our joint intention that whatever new works we did to the house would not impact on the integrity of the original house and it memories. there is often a very fine line between creating a nostalgic ‘museum’ of something that was and removing all notion of the existing all together.’

the kitchen itself represents a minimal yet utilitarian palette of materials & details

the configuration of cabinetry allows the kitchen’s mess to be hidden away through a series of bi-folding &
sliding panels

the sleek ensuite, features a series of poured in-situ concrete elements such as a bath, basin and vanity tops

the basement is used as a wine cellar

the aluminum fascias seen from the inside

a wall of glazing has been installed at the rear

located 10km south-east of melbourne, the suburb is known for its diverse range of architectural styles from
edwardian weather-board to californian bungalow

the original façade: a minimal white color scheme was applied to the existing stone and aluminum fascias

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