We’re very excited to be working with a new family on Maroubra Home, an alterations and additions project that reimagines a classic interwar semi-detached house for contemporary family life. The project is now progressing towards DA submission with Randwick City Council.
The existing home has some wonderful architectural character, particularly its gabled street-facing bay and corbelled brickwork. Rather than removing these defining features, our approach is to use the original gable form as the starting point for a considered contemporary update.
The orange brick facade will be transformed with a lighter palette, bringing a softer, more coastal character to the street while retaining the proportions and identity of the existing house. The intention is for the new architecture to feel connected to the original, rather than simply added onto it.
Inside, the focus is on adapting the home as the family grows and the children move into their teenage years. The brief calls for better-sized bedrooms, clearer separation between parents and children, and more generous spaces for living, working and spending time together.
A strong connection between inside and outside living is also central to the design. In the kitchen, large opening windows create a direct connection to the backyard, transforming the kitchen bench into an informal servery or bar and making the garden feel like an extension of the living space.
For us, this is an important part of residential architecture and renovation in Sydney: looking carefully at what an existing home already offers before deciding what needs to change.
The existing dwelling is structurally sound, so there is an opportunity to adapt and extend rather than demolish and rebuild. This can reduce construction waste, make better use of existing resources and provide a more considered approach to the project budget.
As Sydney residential architects, we enjoy finding these opportunities within existing homes - improving light, space and functionality while retaining the character that gives a house its sense of place.
Maroubra Home is a contemporary alteration and addition designed around family life, with a strong connection to its interwar origins, garden and coastal Sydney setting.
We are looking forward to keeping you updated!