Mavis House
Altereco Design implemented a contemporary and minimal renovation that transformed a post-war brick house into an expansive family home situated in Yarraville.
A restrained materials palette reflects the architecture of the project, a meeting of classic and contemporary. A cooling and minimalist palette enriched with solid timber details and a dowel battened screening create a welcoming series of spaces with robust and practical seamlessness.
The fine handcrafted joinery elements in the living and kitchen, offer a light-filled breakfast bar that extends into a year-round outdoor entertainment area, and a cozy living unit and fireplace offering a place of refuge.
The existing building fabric has been significantly enhanced with high-performance insulation, solar panels and double glazing throughout. The challenging site orientation (north facing the street) has been overcome by creating some separation between old and new. This has allowed for some very tall north-facing windows, bringing in winter sun to passively warm the polished concrete floor.
Ultimately the design celebrates family life and carefully considers the history of the site and its environmental impact on its surrounding context.
Finally, the client wanted a passive design to reduce the need for heating and cooling, and a focus on energy efficiency. This is what inspired the new addition and contributed so much to its overall success.
Design: Altereco Design
Photography: Jade Cantwell
