In our Fitzroy North Terrace, we sought to investigate design solutions that preserved and celebrated the building’s history, whilst respectfully reorganising its spaces to accommodate contemporary family life.
Intent on retaining as much existing fabric as possible, the alteration inscribes a new building envelope behind the heritage street façade. In doing so, the interface between garden, street, and private realm is redefined. By pulling the new fabric away from the existing, a productive dialogue is created. The heritage façade begins to perform a new role as a filter between the street and interior. The resulting liminal space is given over to a micro-garden. Large apertures in the new building envelope enable dual aspect openings, delivering light and ventilation deep into the heritage plan without compromising on privacy.
Further defining the exterior spaces, the site is book-ended by a small, yet hard-working utility area and productive roof-top garden.
