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
-
Fendi celebrates 100 years with all-out runway show at its new Milan HQIn the wake of Kim Jones’ departure, Silvia Venturini Fendi took the reins for a special co-ed A/W 2025 collection marking the house’s centenary, unveiling it as the first act of celebrations within Fendi’s expansive new headquarters in Milan
-
‘Leigh Bowery!’ at Tate Modern: 1980s alt-glamour, club culture and rebellionThe new Leigh Bowery exhibition in London is a dazzling, sequin-drenched look back at the 1980s, through the life of one of its brightest stars
-
Inside the unexpected collaboration between Marni’s Francesco Risso and artists Slawn and SoldierNew exhibition ‘The Pink Sun’ will take place at Francesco Risso’s palazzo in Milan in collaboration with Saatchi Yates, opening after the Marni show today, 26 February
-
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’
-
Is Rochester Street Office a creative worker’s dream? Inside a Sydney workspace echoing calmness and lightRochester Street Office by Allied_Office merges utilitarian design with cascading vegetation, presenting a thriving environment for creativity and collaboration
-
A Melbourne family home draws on classic modernism to create a pavilion in the landscapeThis Melbourne family home by Vibe Design Group was inspired by midcentury design and shaped to be an extension of its verdant site
-
Tour Clifton House, an airy Bondi family home, brimming with natural light and foliageClifton House by Anthony Gill Architects is a North Bondi home using an abundance of vegetation to create a slice of privacy within the suburbs
-
Tour this compact Melbourne home, where a small footprint is big on efficiency and experimentationNorthcote House is designed by architects David Leggett and Paul Loh as their own home in Melbourne
