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Architects: Adam Kane Architects
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Timothy Kaye
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Manufacturers: Brodware, Carlier and Co, Lovelight, New Age Veneers, Scanlan Makers, made by storey
Text description provided by the architects. Designed for a young couple, the brief was to create a home that embodied the relaxed, coastal lifestyle of Barwon Heads. The transformation needed to allow for entertaining and to maintain a strong connection between inside and outside, old and new. Upon entering the restored period home, the light interior is immediately present and carefully contrasted by new charcoal floorboards. Heritage features are maintained through use of the original lining board ceilings, as well as period skirting and architraves, which fit perfectly with the renewed tones.
Access to the addition is via an enclosed corridor, lined with black mottled joinery panels on walls and ceilings, and is used to conceal doorways into the rumpus, laundry, and storage areas. The ‘journey’ through this dark corridor with a lower 2.4mH ceiling creates a sense of compression for the user, before a sense of release when walking towards the living room where, the line of sight is funneled forward to where the gable opens up into the main space. It creates a wanting to find out what the house has become, to discover how old has transformed into the new.
A feeling of release is then experienced as you enter the main space, where a double-height 6.5mH American Oak lined raked ceiling completely opens the room. The changes in volume and height and appreciation for the abundance of space is strong. The timber lining/ cladding also helps blur the threshold between inside and out, delineating zones, making spaces feel more generous, and contributing to the relaxed feel of the home. Complementing the desaturated timber ceilings and joinery, slabs of silver travertine and burnished concrete floors are supplemented with hand-scratched solid plaster walls, in a soft, warm ‘bone’ colour. Linen sheer curtains softly balance the space, creating comfort and a sense of welcoming.
In the main room, a large island bench takes center stage and is lined in travertine. The island transforms seamlessly from kitchen bench into the dining table, through a discrete floor level change within the kitchen area. This creates an informal area to entertain and gather, and was believed a refined solution to ‘stepping’ the benchtop heights. The back-bench joinery extends into the living area, connecting the two spaces together. Natural light also floods the main space through 4.5mH large glass sliding doors, embracing outdoors and ultimately appreciating the outdoor beauty that coastal living has to offer.
The Barwon Heads House, was an exercise in creating a family home which complimented the coastal environment, and existing weatherboard cottage. Textural, natural materials were critical to the home’s setting, as well as allowing a relaxed feeling of durability for the owners. The home’s play with light and dark, solid and void, and materiality, creates a unique experience for guests and occupants to enjoy for years to come.
