SSdH renovates "tectonic and functional" 1970s house in Melbourne

Australian practice SSdH has completed Stewart House, the renovation of a home in Melbourne that preserves the brick-clad building's original 1970s character.

Located in the Brunswick suburb, the single-storey home has a brown-brick exterior and tiled roof typical of an era of rapid development in the area.

Despite not being listed, SSdH saw the home as having future heritage value and approached its renovation based on the principles of the Burra Charter – the standard for heritage conservation practice in Australia.

"Stewart House celebrates the 1970s brown-brick-veneer Brunswick house – a quintessential element of Melbourne's built character that defines a period within Australia's recent history but is yet to be recognised as having heritage value," explained the studio.

"This impact extends beyond the immediate project – it begins to shape the potential future of surrounding suburbs as they evolve, recognising that their inherent value and ongoing contribution to our city is worth protecting," it added.

Prioritising maximising light in the home, SSdH replaced its rear wall with a full-height, aluminium-framed window. This illuminates a large L-shaped living, dining and kitchen space.

Facing east, an old sliding door has been replaced by a projecting aluminium window box that provides the living space with morning light and creates a daybed area within its large sill.

"Standard window sections are reconfigured and elevated to architectural features through a shift in scale and the selection of mill-finished aluminium," explained SSdH.

"The aluminium reflects light throughout the interior, will soften and patina over time, and celebrates the utilitarian as a cost-effective solution," the studio added.

Stewart House's internal layout is largely unchanged, save for a single bathroom that has been reconfigured into two alongside the bedrooms at the front of the home.

The internal finishes of Stewart House take cues from the original 1970s character of the home, with brown floor tiles in the bathroom, simple globe light fittings and translucent safety glass used for cabinet doors.

"Celebrating tectonic and functional elements through colour, material and form, Stewart provides a cost-effective precedent by resisting the trend of increasing size and adding excess material to achieve an architectural outcome," explained the studio.

SSdH is led by Jean-Marie Spencer, Harrison Smart and Todd de Hoog. Previous projects by the studio include an apartment inside a former chocolate factory in Melbourne.

Other Australian houses recently featured on Dezeen include the rammed-earth Peninsula House by Wood Marsh and a worker's cottage extension by Winwood McKenzie that hides an "urban oasis".

The photography is by Pier Carthew with styling by Jess Kneebone.

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