Yarraville I — Agius Scorpo Architects
Rather than setting out to demolish a mid-century era house in Yarraville, Agius Scorpo Architects reorients and highlights the old while working with the new.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson I Photography: Tom Ross
The massive island bench that gives acres of cooking and prep space that also is a spot that everyone can gather around. Photo: Tom Ross
‘Direct connection to the backyard is established, while discrete connections to surrounding rooms offer areas of retreat in an active family home,’ says Claire Scorpo. Photo: Tom Ross
Materials were chosen to add softness and texture, while being robust enough to stand up to the demands of a busy young family. Dulux Hibiscus Leaf and Natural White paint. Photo: Tom Ross
The brief for Yarraville I was simple: update the existing house to accommodate a young family, increase storage, and offer easy flow and connection to the backyard. However, the former floor plan was disjointed and unsympathetic to busy family life; as such, Agius Scorpo Architects opened spaces—the kitchen, dining, and informal living blending into one, that effortless leads to the garden.
‘The clients are a working professional couple with a newborn and a toddler,' says Agius Scorpo Architects director Claire Scorpo. 'The existing house needed to be modified to support a growing and active young family whilst maintaining the original footprint of the existing house—increased access to the backyard and separate living areas were key aspects of the brief.'
Described as 'much subtraction as addition', the redesign sought out the mid-century charm of the house that had been lost through former renovations. A key element to capture light that had been lost through the awkward and fragmented floorplan while highlighting the generous and well-built existing building.
'In its original arrangement, the ideal location to access the garden was occupied by a bathroom, laundry and toilet—access to the backyard was via a door out of the kitchen,' says Claire. 'This made the house very dark as there was a large twisting hallway right in the centre.'
Agius Scorpo Architects removed all the rooms that were causing blockage in the plan. One bedroom was turned into a bathroom and laundry space, and the old dining was converted into the main bedroom with an ensuite. 'This allowed us to centralise the living areas and kitchen and give them direct access to the backyard,' says Claire.
Terrazzo tiles by De Fazio Tiles & Stone surround the fireplace. Photo: Tom Ross
‘We wanted to have a reasonably neutral palette with some highlights that could sit comfortably with the existing hardwood floors and red/blue clinker bricks,’ Claire Scorpo. Photo: Tom Ross
A new bathroom was created in a previous bedroom. Photo: Tom Ross
The massive island bench that gives acres of cooking and prep space that also is a spot that everyone can gather around. Photo: Tom Ross
“It was a complete overhaul of the existing plan layout that focused on easing the congestion of the previous renovations and stripping away as much as possible to allow the house to breathe.”
'Although all rooms open into this central space, we concealed the laundry and bathroom behind a large sliding panel and concealed the children's bedrooms behind a bookshelf to allow discreet entry and exit,' the architect adds. 'We love that you can slide the big panel door across the laundry, and it completely hides this part of the house.'
The only modification that extended the family home was a 22sqm deck and cosy box window seat nook. This space is complemented by an oversized kitchen and island, directly accessible from the front and back doors, unifying the connection throughout the entire home.
Working with the existing hardwood flooring and red/blue clinker bricks, materials and colours were chosen to add softness and texture while being robust enough to stand up to the demands of the busy young family. 'We used the green paint to create a point of interest in the kitchen and also to define and scale a cosy and informal area around the window seat where the kids could play whilst mum and dad cooked dinner,' says Claire.
‘Texture is also important in layering a space and helps to define different surfaces and their properties, be it softness or robust, depending on their purpose,' Claire adds. 'We like to use different textures as much as possible in the areas that people engage and touch the building.'
With the quality of the existing materials and the new working seamlessly together, Yarraville I is a home to stand another 50 years of family life. 'This project chose to focus on upgrading the existing house rather than build new,' Claire concludes. 'This era of building is well built, so rather than demolishing and starting new, we chose to maintain and celebrate the existing characteristics and material quality.'