"Object 02 is an extension to the rear of an existing double-brick dwelling in Melbourne, Australia. One of the front four rooms of the original house was altered to incorporate a bathroom, ensuite and walk-in-robe, while the remainder were left intact. The new volume to the rear of the property provides an open plan living, dining and kitchen area. In a gesture that is both singular and complex, the new form negotiates three primary constraints: the gable profile of the existing roof; the provision of light, air and views to the interior; and the rescode envelope along the south boundary.
This negotiation results in a set of ruled and planar surfaces that transform along the length of the plan from a skillion roof profile on one end, to a flat roof profile on the other. The apex and pitch of the skillion profile align perfectly with the existing gable, giving the impression that the new form emerges out of the existing house. This dynamic adjacency of old and new offers a deliberate counterpoint to many backyard renovations, where an undifferentiated box abuts an existing pitched roof dwelling.
The figure of the plan is defined by an oblique glazed wall, which pivots from the existing ridgeline. In so doing, it addresses the difficult orientation of the property, opening up the interior to northeast light. Internally, the shifting form of the ceiling works in parallel with the geometry of the plan to give spatial definition to the extension's program. The low flat portion of the ceiling aligns with the widest section of the plan to create an intimate and subdued living space, whereas the dining and kitchen are progressively more animated as the space tightens and the ceiling approaches its dramatic high point." Credits: - Object Subject - Team Member - Ryan Bate - Camson Homes - Team Member - Ben Monagle - Object Subject - Team Member - Dennis Prior - Object Subject - Director - Michael Barraclough - Object Subject - Team Member - Stephan Bekhor