Alexandria House 5

The project is for a full re-build of an existing one bedroom terrace into a three bedroom double story dwelling with rear studio and garage at the rear of the site. Only the front façade was retained and it has been carefully restored with new front roof housing a dorma window and new contemporary fence defining the front streetscape. Internally the brick party walls have been left exposed and painted white with partial existing details including lintels and the chimney stack celebrated and left exposed. A new polished concrete slab defines the ground floor with new internal walls and cabinetry defined by only two new materials being spotted gum lap cladding and black laminate plywood. These two materials interweave throughout house defining rooms and spaces, circulation zones, interior and exterior in a strategic yet articulate fashion. The interplay between the materials of natural timber, black plywood panels, painted brick and raw polished concrete creates a subtle and refined palette of colour and texture which is integrated through all parts of the site blurring the distinction between inside and outside and the specific functions of each space. The separate studio to the rear of the property shares the vernacular of the rear lane with expressed roof sheet cladding and splashes of bold colour as highlights. Internally, the studio and garage underneath continue the language of the primary house with black paneling and spotted gum timber defining walls and cabinetry.