Maximising living space in urban areas requires both flair and a practical mind; both of which came into play, when Australian firm Figureground Architecture was tasked with providing an existing white weatherboard Californian-style bungalow in Melbourne with a new standalone backyard extension.
The clients and their eight-year-old twins were in desperate need of extra room to accommodate activities and visiting guests. The addition of this much-needed outbuilding would provide a multifunctional space outside the main property, which would serve as a playroom, garage, workshop and a spacious guest room with en-suite bathroom.
Located within the suburb of North Fitzroy, a residential area of mixed architectural heritage, this structure required careful consideration. The architects needed to ensure a generous interior, without reducing much the size of the garden. There were few restrictions, apart from size constraints on side boundaries and the client’s request of retaining the property’s large walnut tree.
The ground floor of this two storey bolt-hole accommodates the client's music studio, a storage room, a garage, play space and laundry area. The first floor is home to the guest room and bathroom.
A crisp, white timber skin clads the exterior. The material was chosen for several reasons; for its aesthetic, but also its durability against the region's changing seasonal weather. The vertical white slats almost appear to peel away from the external walls, partially concealing the stairs and playfully blurring the boundaries between landscape and building. This approach continues inside, where a plush green carpet adorns the music room, referencing the yard's greenery.
A sculptural roof defines the upper level, sitting at an angle above the garage area. This gesture provides a double-height space, brightly lit through a translucent ceiling, which also serves as a play area. At the rear end of the studio, white-painted brick features a roller door that opens to connect public and private spaces.
The clients were in desperate need of additional space to accommodate family activities and visiting guests. The new building provides a playroom, garage, workshop, laundry and a guest room with en-suite bathroom
A sculptural roof defines the upper level. Its angle creates a double-height space, housing a bright and airy play space below
The music room's plush green carpet was added to reference the garden's greenery
The white timber skin creates a crisp, elegant exterior but is also strong enough to withstand the region's intense seasonal weather
The ground floor accommodates the music studio, storage room, garage, play space and laundry area
INFORMATION
For more information on the Backyard Studio, visit Figureground Architecture’s website
Photography: Derek Swalwell
-
Corner Corner may be London's most unique entertainment destination yetThe newly-opened venue combines food, jazz and—yes—urban farming beneath one sprawling roof
-
The Wallpaper* Design Issue comes with our Salone del Mobile must-seesThe May 2025 issue of Wallpaper* is on sale now, taking in Milan Design Week, the Venice Biennale, and a very stylish tea party
-
Aboard Gio Ponti's colourful Arlecchino train in Milan, a conversation about design with FormafantasmaThe design duo boards Gio Ponti’s train bound for the latest Prada Frames symposium at Milan Design Week
-
A contemporary retreat hiding in plain sight in SydneyThis contemporary retreat is set behind an unassuming neo-Georgian façade in the heart of Sydney’s Woollahra Village; a serene home designed by Australian practice Tobias Partners
-
Join our world tour of contemporary homes across five continentsWe take a world tour of contemporary homes, exploring case studies of how we live; we make five stops across five continents
-
Who wouldn't want to live in this 'treehouse' in Byron Bay?A 1980s ‘treehouse’, on the edge of a national park in Byron Bay, is powered by the sun, architectural provenance and a sense of community
-
A modernist Melbourne house gets a contemporary makeoverSilhouette House, a modernist Melbourne house, gets a contemporary makeover by architects Powell & Glenn
-
A suburban house is expanded into two striking interconnected dwellingsJustin Mallia’s suburban house, a residential puzzle box in Melbourne’s Clifton Hill, interlocks old and new to enhance light, space and efficiency
-
Palm Beach Tree House overhauls a cottage in Sydney’s Northern Beaches into a treetop retreatSet above the surf, Palm Beach Tree House by Richard Coles Architecture sits in a desirable Northern Beaches suburb, creating a refined home in verdant surroundings
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A monolithic house in rural Victoria celebrates 50 shades of greyAdam Kane Architects’ monolithic house in rural Victoria, Grey House, is ‘a testament to the power of simplicity and harmony’
