Italianate Villa

With the clients expressing the under-utilisation of the home, this renovation focuses on the re-purposing of existing spaces to facilitate an improved use of the entire home. The interventions are inspired by the ornamentation, craft and existing quality of the home and prioritises the retention of these qualities with minimal interruption to the existing building.

Welcomed by the client, the sustainable design of the home became a driver for solar panels, electric car charging capabilities, water storage solutions and the importance of adapting the heritage residence to a carbon-free energy system.

An understanding of the heritage overlays and neighbourhood character of the area enabled a new garage and workshop to be designed that reflects the structure of traditional ornate greenhouse with a contemporary form. The combination of the heritage home, contemporary garden structure, gardens and sustainable practices demonstrate how small interventions can promote and reflect a new Australia lifestyle within the existing built fabric.

Location: Wurundjeri

Type: Renovation

Year:  2020 –

Team: Simon Sawyer, Thom Mckenzie