Courtesy of Circle Studio Architects, a new extension joins an existing retro-style weatherboard cottage in Victoria, Australia. The studio sought to preserve the character of the existing structure while rejuvenating it with a new open, light-filled space.
The extension consists of a new bedroom and bathroom, intended as the owner’s master bedroom. It connects to the rest of the home physically and visually by using the same restrained material palette of white walls and timber finishes. The existing kitchen was moved towards the rear of the house, its retro tiling and original cabinetry merging with a new timber bench and joinery.
Two wooden decks were installed to create a connection with the outdoors. One of these decks fronts the property’s communal area, its structure cut with a hole for an existing tree to pass through. The second deck is connected to the new master bedroom, a private sanctuary for the owner.
“The internal renovation doesn’t seek to erase what is there, rather it blends old with the new to create a gradual transition from the existing part of the house to the fresh addition,” the studio says.
Headed by Amber Laing and Yvonne Meng, Melbourne-based Circle Studio Architects is a fresh young architecture practice set on creating rich, vibrant spaces for small to big scale projects. Follow their website and Instagram.
Photography © Jade Cantwell for Circle Studio Architects