Tag Archives: Remodels

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Cabin Tours: Marra Marra Shack In Sydney, Australia

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The Local Project – (March 21, 2023) – Only reachable by boat, Marra Marra Shack by Leopold Banchini Architects is a hidden eco-friendly timber cabin that embraces a quiet lifestyle removed from the bustle of city living.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Eco-Friendly Timber Cabin 00:46 – The Site and its Location 01:06 – The Brief: Simplicity and Discovery 01:30 – Working with a Remote Construction Site 01:59 – Hand Built and Off-Grid 02:32 – A Walkthrough of the Cabin 03:06 – The Feature Window 03:57 – A Timber Structure 04:29 – Custom Made Furniture 05:00 – The Materials 05:36 – Hidden in Plain Sight

As Leopold Banchini Architects’s first Australian project, the hidden eco-friendly timber cabin required only two bedrooms, easy living spaces and a connection to landscape. Using the occasion to discover the Australian landscape, the Swiss architect has used the unique crafts only available in this country. The entire building has been completed by two carpenters and using materials that required no heavy machinery.

Additionally, each chosen material responds directly to the complexity of weather, tides and floods experienced in the unique riverside location. Sitting on a slope, the hidden eco-friendly timber cabin welcomes guests with an awe-inspiring reveal upon arrival at the renovated jetty. After walking up the stairs the house tour begins at the entrance to the main living spaces, which includes the living room, dining area and kitchen. Located to the rear of the shack are two smaller bedrooms with bathrooms, both of which have been designed to offer solitude where the owners can enjoy their own space.

Finished with a large window that overlooks the river, the living room gives the impression that the home sits upon the water instead of above. By using counterweights, the opened window turns the living space into an inside and outside deck, allowing a deeper connection to the wider surrounds. The interior of the hidden eco-friendly timber cabin has been imbued with locally sourced timbers, including iron bark that is used for the pillars that hold the home together. Other elements within the home, including the stairs and flooring, are made from turpentine wood from the old jetty, while spotted gum forms the structural beams along the roof of the cabin.

Additionally, the furniture of the home has been designed specifically for Marra Marra Shack by using leftover wood from the construction. Other elements in the home, including the fireplace, sink and all steel elements, have been custom made to resolve the few needs of the owners while staying in the house. Being in the middle of an Australian national park, the architect had to respond to certain elemental outcomes including floods, fire and tide heights. Built up on a slope to respond to the conditions, the exterior of the home has also been covered in fibre cement and plaster board to address fire safety in the warmer months.

While the exterior of the hidden eco-friendly timber cabin appears to be made of other materials, it is evident when entering the home that the interior is entirely made of timber. Elevated and surrounded by trees, Marra Marra Shack does not transform the landscape but becomes one with it.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Tours: ‘Stawell House’ In Studley Park, Melbourne

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The Local Project – (March 21, 2023) – Celebrating a 1970s clifftop house and its original design, Stawell House by Architects EAT is a culmination of subtle restorations and additions that bring a modern liveliness to the home’s 50-year-old history.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the 1970s Clifftop House 00:26 – The Location and The History 00:56 – Clifftop Views 01:14 – A Walkthrough of the Home 01:53 – Experiencing Everything Nature Has to Offer 02:08 – The Materials 03:18 – A Personal Project for the Owners 03:57 – The Landscape 04:18 – A Restoration Project not a Redesign

Located in Studley Park, Melbourne, the 1970s clifftop house showcased original architecture that could not be replicated. However, desiring a respectful and modern update the clients chose to collaborate with Architects EAT, who agreed that retaining Stawell House’s character was important. While also taking on the role of project managers, the owners were able to maintain an intimate and collaborative throughout the entire process of restorations. Overlooking the Yarra River, the 1970s clifftop house asserts itself as part of the landscape blending effortlessly into the topography.

As the house tour begins, Stawell House’s modern renovations unfold like a sincere love letter to its original form. Beginning from the façade, the red brick home references the traditional build, yet once the door opens modern uplifts begin to take centre stage. After a linear skylight leads onto the kitchen and dining space, guests and owners make way to the balcony, which overlooks the west. Additionally, a spare bedroom and bathroom and the master bedroom have been installed on the entrance level to allow the owners ease of movement from private rooms to the public spaces.

Located downstairs, the guest room has been built with an ensuite containing an outdoor bathtub allowing the guest to fully experience the elements. To deal with the effects of a west-facing house, the architects have delivered a range of architectural devices which includes external steel shading. The external materials used for the 1970s clifftop house provide a weather resistance while also maintaining a tree like appearance to fit in with the surrounds. Honouring the original layout of the home, the floorplan remains wide as to allow an ease of movement and living.

Furthermore, timber cladding has been heavily featured on the internal walls and windows. Taken from the original home, the timber has been painstakingly removed, sanded and oiled again before re-use. Managing the entire construction process themselves, the owners work closely with the builders and trades to deliver personal modern updates to the 1970s clifftop house. Showing Architects EAT a range of design inspirations found in magazines, the owners were able to collaborate and create a home that reflects their personalities.

Additionally, the owner has also worked on the landscape, adding a deep personal touch that will grow with the home. Focused more on restoration rather than redesign, Architects EAT have worked closely with the owners and the trades to create a defining home for the modern age.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Reviews, Views

Architecture & Nature: 2022 Remodel Of The Year

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Suspended between two beautiful California hills, this remodel spans a creek and boasts a waterfall in the back yard.

Suspension House / Fougeron Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest
© Joe Fletcher
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To build such a house anew is no longer allowed in California, but following strict guidelines, we reconceived an existing structure, transforming the relationships between home, water and land. A steel frame inserted beneath the original floors anchors the home to the rocky hillsides, thus allowing us to remove supporting columns from within the creek bed.

Suspension House / Fougeron Architecture - Exterior Photography, Facade, Handrail

A human-made object in nature may exist in harmony or disparity. Our goal was to deepen this home’s connection to the environment, creating a place where our clients can live immersed within an exceptional landscape. Taking care to protect and restore the land, we suspended the renovated house between two wooded hills, where it overlooks a rushing waterfall and spans the creek below.

Suspension House / Fougeron Architecture - Interior Photography, Chair, Garden, Patio

A third floor addition strikes a more slender profile facing east, to engage the breadth of the site. The experience is one of being in nature and also humbled by it.

Suspension House / Fougeron Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest

The goal with this unique site was to enhance the relationship of the structure to the nearby bodies of water and the rock face.  Rather than bearing down and disturbing the creek below, the new structural system has been anchored to the bedrock within the flanks of the hill, suspending the home

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Reviews, Views

Home Design: Top Remodel Extensions 2022 (Dezeen)

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Dezeen (December 2022) – Continuing our 2022 review, we have collected 10 residential extensions featured on Dezeen this year, from a weathering steel structure perched on top of a bungalow to a pair of concrete volumes added to a remote farmhouse.

The Perch
Photo is by Casey Dunn

The Perch, USA, by Nicole Blair

This weathering steel-clad asymmetrical house extension is perched two centimetres above a family bungalow in Austin, hence its name. Architect Nicole Blair was tasked with expanding the occupants’ living space without sacrificing any of the home’s existing back garden.

The unusually shaped extension rests on four steel columns and was assembled off-site to avoid disrupting the lot’s vegetation. Inside, living spaces are dressed in pinky hues and framed by tongue-and-groove wooden planks on the ceilings and walls.

Find out more about The Perch ›

Cascada House by Ana Nuño de Buen and Luis Young
Photo is by Luis Young

Cascada House, Mexico, by Ana Nuño de Buen and Luis Young

A rectilinear metallic frame in a dark shade of green forms Cascada House, an airy apartment nestled within a lush surrounding that tops an existing 1950s concrete building in Mexico City.

Architects Ana Nuño de Buen and Luis Young designed the structure with two roof slopes that drain towards a central gutter which manages rainfall, while inside, the steel structure is left exposed to create a distinctive interior.

Find out more about The Cascada House ›

Casa San Cristobal by Marc Perrotta
Photo is by Fabian Martinez

Casa San Cristobal, Mexico, by Marc Perrotta

Local architect Marc Perrotta replaced a “clumsy” volume with a concrete, glass and brick extension at Casa San Cristobal, a house in Mexico’s Mérida.

Containing most of the living spaces, this two-storey, U-shaped addition creates a trio of courtyards filled with lush native plants that are designed to provide relief from the tropical heat.

Find out more about Casa San Cristobal ›

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos

Home Renovations: An 1800’s Chapel In New York

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Today on Architectural Digest, contractor Nick Schiffer from NS Builders returns to break down the renovation potential of an abandoned 1800’s-era chapel and museum in New York. Nick takes us through the gutted interior room by room, offering his renovation advice while pointing out the marvelous architectural details worth restoring.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Stories, Tours, Videos

Architectural Remodels: North Adelaide House

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With calming detail and considered materiality, Williams Burton Leopardi transforms the heritage listed North Adelaide Residence into a modern home. Through the new expansions, different moods are evoked from room to room, seeing the modern home uplifted into a refined contemporary context.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Subscribe to The Local Projects Print Publication 00:13 – Introduction to North Adelaide Residence 00:38 – Single Fronted Cottages 01:07 – Bringing Grandness into A Workers Cottage 01:38 – Working with An Unusual Brief 02:13 – Creating Different Moods Throughout The Home 02:46 – The Separation of Old and New 03:17 – The Impact of A Narrow Site 04:00 – The Handmade Aspect to A Heritage Home 04:33 – The Materials Palette 05:18 – Subtle but Beautiful Details 06:02 – The Architects Favourite Aspects of The Home 06:49 – The Local Projects Print Publication

The infusion of muted natural light demarks the old from the new whilst material choices reference the original worker’s cottage. Inspired by a desire for simplicity and quality detail, the redesign of the modern home mirrors the original fabric of the residence. The choice to remove the third bedroom allows for an extra living area, whilst elongating the structure into the garden ensures the home aligns with the lifestyle of its occupants. The residence provides a visual experience with increased access to sunlight through integrated skylights and the introduction of natural materials.

The use of oak wood references the heritage sandstone exterior and grounds the modern home. Further echoing the outdoors is joinery toned to match the washed oak flooring and the Turco Argento limestone kitchen benchtops. By establishing an indoor-outdoor connection, a natural flow between the garden and the modern home is seamlessly achieved. Through folded doors and a large picture window, the inviting garden helps to enhance the liveability of North Adelaide Residence – where an intentional quality resonates through each material choice.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Stories, Tours, Videos, Views

Architectural Tour: ‘Way House’ In Perth, Australia

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An architectural family house, The Way House stands steeped in history. Originally crafted by Darryl Way Architect, the renovated dwelling by vittinoAshe draws upon its architectural heritage in embracing its future.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to The Way House 00:28 – The History Behind The Way House 01:16 – The Benefits of Open Plan Living 02:01 – Architectural Features of The Way House 02:24 – Creating Space Through Glass 02:37 – A Tribute to the Original House 03:42 – Introducing Artedomus Products 05:26 – The Embodiment of Family

Settled in close proximity to Perth’s Freshwater Bay, The Way House represents a significant family legacy. Built in 1975 by the client’s father – an established architect – the home stands as a labour of love. As an architectural family house, it was important to respect the built narrative of the residence when executing the modern-day renovation. Internally,

The Way House indicates its status as an architectural family house, with old architectural elements effortlessly cohered with the new. The new studio pays homage to the original house through the replication of clean lines, materiality and finishes. Working with Artedomus – esteemed supplier of natural stone and ceramic tiles – DWA Architects highlights The Way House as an architectural family house. Artetech Ombra Carbone porcelain panels are used as a minimal means of ornamenting the kitchen, positioned in striking contrast to red recycled bricks.

In the bathroom, Artedomus INAX tiles communicate a minimal design language to foster a sense of serenity. Crafting a house that embodies a meaningful history, DWA Architects invests in an ongoing residential narrative. An architectural family house, The Way House articulates the important role that architecture plays in family life and provides an inviting space for the next generation.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Stories, Tours, Videos

Home Renovations: May House, Malvern, Australia

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When an architect designs a house with consideration and care, dwellings such as May House emerge. Taking a playful approach to colour and materiality, Neil Architecture reimagines a 1980s home as a relaxed, modern family residence.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project’s Print Publication 00:10 – Introduction to the House 00:45 – Complementary Design 01:01 – Exterior Renovations 02:03 – 1980s Materiality 03:12 – Landscape Architecture 04:09 – A House Made for Entertaining 04:42 – Timeliness Rejuvenation 05:17 – Subscribe to The Local Project’s Print Publication

When an architect designs a house, the design brief can often stipulate a complete renovation. However, Neil Architecture recognised the value of the original 1980s construction – settled into the leafy suburb of Malvern – and decided instead to complement the home with architectural additions.

To maintain the strong and simple form of the original structure, Neil Architecture covers the pre-existing truss with a perforated screen. Off-form concrete is used to create the carport, whilst a roughcast concrete render is applied to the fence – in doing so, the architect designs a house that interacts with the local built environment. As an architect designs a house, the intent can be expressed through the finer details of the scheme.

In May House, rusty red and green tones appear in the material palette, paying homage to the colours present in 1980s interior design. May House sees a 1980s residence both celebrated and reimagined, embraced and rejuvenated. Managing the external architecture and interior detail, the architect designs a house that is imbued with a sense of warmth and continuity; a house for the future that is inspired by the past.

Architecture, Design, Homes, Videos, Views

Mid Century Modern: 1956 Desert Sun House, Rancho Mirage, California (Video)

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Architect Richard Leitch from the USC School of Architecture isn’t spoken about too often however his work speaks volume. From The Hillsides of Altadena to the dry landscapes of the desert you can find some of Richard’s work throughout Southern California. Avid Car lover Joe Tseng found himself entrenched in a year-long restoration/Remodel of his current home ‘ The Desert Sun House’, a project which he wanted to share with his son Tyler. They’ve saved and transformed the home into what you see today, A classic home filled with rich History and thoroughly enjoyed by its new owners.