Hawthorn 1 / McSteen Tan Architects

Architects: McSteen Tan Architects
Location: Hawthorn, Australia
Lead Architects: Christopher McSteen, McSteen Tan Architects
Area: 358.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Peter Bennett

Text description provided by the architects. The project is a renovation and extension of an 1890’s Victorian Brick House in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. The client requested to retain and improve the existing original home and also extend it to suit their expanding family of three children and two parents. They wanted an addition that would allow them to retain a backyard for cricket playing family, loss of day light and privacy from neighbours.

The existing interior of the house features 12 foot high ceilings, elaborate cornices, ceiling roses and skirtings and very well proportioned rooms and passage ways. It was important that the new works reflected the strength of the existing home in a contemporary design.

The new addition is a strong statement of intent. It sits comfortably against the existing home and reflects past and present design standards.

The new ground floor areas are open planned, light filled, living, food prep and family room spaces. Floor to ceiling 3m height glazing opens the house to a protective porch and BBQ space with the garden and ‘cricket pitch’ beyond. Fully retractable glass panels to the north side of the family room allow the interior to open fully to the exterior.

The steel ‘V’ support and circular roof opening above the BBQ area define the new outdoor entertainment space and create a strong visual queue as seen from the existing period passageway of the home.