Nestled amongst typical suburban houses in one of Melbourne’s leafy bayside suburbs, Danson Residence focuses its energy on the connection between inside and outdoor spaces. The “backyard” is celebrated through integrating structure and landscape with a paired back and calming material pallet of handcrafted local clay brickwork and refined detailing.
From the initial brief, the clients did not want to eliminate the existing homes charm and warmth. The brief to reimagine and breath new life into the existing homes living and outdoor spaces. Key built elements and materials where retained such as the weather cladding and vaulted ceiling elements. These elements meant that the new outdoor structure and materiality introduced had to complement to existing homes charm rather than dominate it. Handcrafted clay bricks with corbelling detail to the new addition with cascading planters add interest and contrast to the existing weatherboard home yet add to the traditional handmade and crafted identity that the home has from its bygone era.
The light filled sheltered area sits delicately over the outdoor space with twin rod columns supporting the main structure and twin oculus roof openings allowing indoor and outdoor spaces to experience views through to the tree tops and gardens beyond.
The new outdoor spaces transformed the way the occupants live, work, and play. The redesigned indoor kitchen-living and outdoor alfresco-garden spaces seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor for family time and entertaining. Easy access to the back garden has improved and integrated the entirety of the home.
The new outdoor spaces transformed the way the occupants live, work, and play. The reimagined indoor & outdoor kitchen-alfresco space have become the heart of the home. A previously dark and underutilised backyard, the new outdoor room seamlessly connects indoor and outdoor spaces for family time and entertaining. Easy access to the back garden has improved and integrated the home cohesively , while the new private addition gives a teenage daughter the perfect space to study, play music, and socialise while staying connected to family and new outdoor spaces. All of this has been achieved while preserving the heritage and family warmth that make the house feel like home. Working with the sites natural sloping typography, outdoor terraced platforms where introduced to soften the elevated levels and integrated though garden planters & stepped seating.
