Making home

Text by Jan Henderson

The expertise of an architect is to be applauded and appreciated when re-designing an aged home (or homes in this case) that are past their use by date. Spending time and money with a professional who can exceed the brief, meet a budget and provide a wonderful place to raise a family is gold for a client. With Four Gable House, just such an architect was commissioned to fulfill a brief that was, by any standard, daunting.

The home is north facing so light was important and the brief required that there should be five bedrooms and three bathrooms, allowing flexibility of use. The original structure is built on a flood zone area, so protective measures needed to be incorporated into the design of the new addition and the budget was limited and definite.

Four Gable House comprises two terrace houses, each with differing levels. In order to unify the homes without great cost or structural work, the differences have been embraced and the upper level becomes the children’s zone, while the lower area is designated for the parents.

With so many parameters and constraints, a successful end result might have been in doubt, however, with Kuri Studios and Director, Christina Sunario at the helm, Four Gable House is a triumph.

Sunario comments, “Working with the challenges, we explored numerous options and possibilities until we had our ‘aha moment’ and found a simple solution that distils several parameters at once. Close collaboration with the builder on site was crucial to achieving the design intent and ensuring that every inch was utilised efficiently.”

Kuri Studio has used space beautifully, opening up the house and bringing it back to life. The renovation and 20-square-metre addition includes an intervention in the middle of the home, that helps apply solutions to meet the many needs of the client and the brief.

By re-working and simplifying the spatial plan, there is flow through the home and including a staircase to access the upper-level, light now illuminates the interior.

Much of the existing architecture of the double-fronted two-storey home has been retained but wherever possible there are changes in the form and materiality that update the original structure.

On the ground floor, a long hallway from the entrance leads to the public areas of kitchen and living rooms at the rear. Beyond these areas are an outside deck and landscaped garden. There are two flexible areas that can be used as guest bedrooms or studies and a bathroom on this level and, almost in the middle of the floor is the stair, a new intervention, that provides access to the upper level with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Much of the new work is clustered around the staircase, and this area becomes the defining feature of the home.

Four Gable House takes its name from the roofline where there are three original gables and a new gable with parapet that sits atop the new addition. With deference to the original architecture, the latest gable provides architectural continuity but also gives the insertion a reason to be.

Clever new additions have been added such as a sitting nook tucked under the stairway inserted at ground level and inclusions such as a bespoke basin in a bench with a sliding mirrored panel aside a bathroom upstairs. With two teenagers in the family, access to a mirror and water to apply makeup or simply brush teeth is important.

While the colour palette is minimal with white, olive and soft caramels it is informed by the materiality of timber, terrazzo, Moroccan hand-made tiles, marble, mirror and glass. Custom-made vanities add sophistication to bathrooms and the marble-clad island bench in the kitchen is a focal point in the design.

While this is a relatively small alteration and addition, everything that has been included and renewed makes such a difference. A skylight in the ceiling of the existing roof allows natural light to penetrate the interior shaft; introducing cabinetry along the main hallway provides ample storage; and renovating the kitchen ensures the rear of the home is functional and spacious; while the main bedroom, that was once dark, has been opened up with a door to a Juliette balcony and there are views and light that make this room so comfortable.

One of the most impressive aspects of Four Gable House is the lighting. there’s not a downlight cluster to be found in this home. The ambience and aesthetic is enhanced by pendant, uplight and lamp light that is soft and atmospheric.

“While meeting the client’s brief, we also introduced quirky and flexible new spaces in between, which the client bravely took on board. The unconventional vanity configuration allows our client’s teenagers to dry their hair, enjoy the morning sun and engage in conversations with family members – all at the same time.” says Sunario.

Adding a touch of art, a lovely inclusion from Kuri Studio heralding the end of a commission is a gift for every client, which is a ceramic model of their house handmade by Sunario.

Four Gable House is a shining example of great design, attention to detail and making the most of every space. Kuri Studio is to be congratulated on achieving such a transformation on a limited budget and, after all, that’s what makes a good architect great.

Architecture
Kuri Studio

Stylist
Alexandra Gordon

Builder
Built By Salt

Photography by Sara Vita, Clinton Weaver

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