绿意盎然的城市绿洲——维多利亚式住宅改造

The original single-storey Victorian period terrace home sits in a commanding position on a rise amongst a proud group of similar dwellings with a poorly resolved 1980s style addition", explains the architect,

Kirsten Johnstone Architecture.

"The home is located in a Heritage Overlay with a heritage-listed palm tree located in the deep front setback." Neighbouring apartment buildings overlook the home, so any extension would need to provide privacy, too.

The solution is three courtyards, each with a distinct personality, which bring the natural world into the home. The central courtyard separates the original home from the new extension, meaning the existing bedroom can still enjoy natural light. A natural billabong creates a relaxed water feature with the trickling of water helping to drown out the sirens, construction noise and general hum of city living.

To the north side of the home, this courtyard helps to bring natural light and breezes into the home. Sliding glass doors mean the living area can open onto a small decked area to really blur the lines between inside and out. "This fills the very centre of the home with lush greenery", explains Kirsten.

An elevated section of roof ringed by clerestory windows extends from the central hallway to bring light right into the centre of the new living spaces without compromising privacy. The elevated section also helps to subtlety divide the open-plan space so each area has its own unique qualities.

The main bedroom also has a private courtyard off the ensuite bathroom complete with outdoor shower. This courtyard also provides light to the main bathroom and dining area, with vegetation used to ensure the privacy of the outdoor shower. While a skylight over the ensuite bathroom brings a shaft of light to illuminate the feature bath, creating a touch of luxury.

The final courtyard opens off the rear of the home via more sliding glass doors. This creates space for an outdoor entertaining area with a built-in barbeque and fire pit surrounded by a landscaped native garden and dry river bed. Timber battens shade the outdoor area and also create a screen for the carport. The screen slides away to open up the entire backyard for larger gatherings.

The insertion of these clever courtyards means even on an inner-city site, the home constantly feels surrounded by lush greenery. When the sliding doors are open, the entire living area bleeds into the outdoors, encouraging indoor-outdoor living.