Design Features
Fairfield Hacienda offers an alternative to the often wasted front yard. MRTN Architects have created a sunny, private courtyard at the front of the house.
The age-old advice is to buy the worst house on the best street. Doll's House was the smallest house in the trendiest neighborhood, does that count?
If you arrived at this house blindfolded, you might assume you were in a secluded jungle house. But you're actually just 3km from the heart of Sydney!
A Brisbane red brick spec home was showing its age. Architect James Russell cleverly transformed the dated home into a bright and modern courtyard house.
Parure House in Melbourne's inner suburb Kensington is a matching set of separate architectural ideas. It displays a richness of detail and experience.
Moor House's family needed was a well designed renovation to provide space and privacy for their growing children. Oh, and all within just 4.5 meters width!
Unlike most renovations, Park Lane House isn't tucked away in a backyard -- it's out there for all to see.
Raven Street House brings new meaning to 'open-plan' with curtains, shutters and dazzling colored glass where the walls should be. There's even an indoor tree!
The narrow (3.9 meter) Erskineville House gets a spacious and light makeover thanks to a double height, multi-functional light-well.
By wrapping an extension against the boundary, Boundary House deals with awkward residual spaces and improves access to light.
A stronger connection to the exterior courtyards with concealed sliding doors, for access to light, fresh air and aspect.
In the middle of a bustling Vietnamese city, architects a21studio have designed a low-budget but high-style oasis for a renowned architecture writer.
Hover House by Bower Architecture is built on a disused backyard tennis court in Mt Martha -- a great example of infill housing.
Aperture House uses the humble brick in imaginative and experimental ways which belie the modest scale of the spaces.
Cut Paw Paw Inside Out House is deliberately incomplete. The owners, asked that the house be 'ridiculously inside-out'…
Architect Peter Miglis lists “light, space, and air” as the elements that form great architecture; he has incorporated all three into his own home.
Set around three internal courtyards, Bridge House 2 manages to escape the bustle of Brunswick without sacrificing its sense of place.
On an extremely small parcel of land Beach Avenue House is designed more like a finely crafted joinery unit than a typical home.
Have you ever considered a house reduction as opposed to an extension? That's what MAKE Architecture did for their clients in their project, House Reduction.
Do you prefer the charm of traditional homes? But you also like to have a modern kitchen, spacious rooms, and open plan living areas. Perforated House proves you can have both — even if you build a new house from scratch.
Profile House is an extension that pays homage to the varied buildings in Brunswick East. BLOXAS Architects created an unexpected space inside, and out.
Tattoo House takes the conflicting wishes of the client, neighbors and council and creates a surprisingly leafy compromise everyone is delighted with.
Victoria Road House is a long way from India, but saturated color, radiating patterns and gold metalwork bring an Indian flavor to this surprising addition.
House Eadie proves it's possible to retain unique quirks and a sense of history while integrating new, multifunctional spaces for contemporary living.
Old terrace houses are not the most efficient beasts. But this Darlinghurst terrace renovation proves you can have a terrace and aim for sustainability too.
Elm and Willow House's walls seem to vanish. The living area is neither indoor, nor outdoor space -- the entire yard becomes a part of the house.
As the name suggests, Convertible Courtyard House is a home that's as adaptable as a convertible car - rain, hail or shine, this house has you covered.
A huge periscope is one way to get light into Westbury Crescent Residence without sacrificing privacy. The clever manipulation of light doesn't stop there!
An unashamedly modern extension manages to integrate old and new by putting a modern spin on materials and colors from the original home.
Haberfield House demonstrates an innovative response to restrictive heritage controls in an historical neighborhood.
From the outside Hill Plain House has an Australian agricultural feel. Inside, it's another story; dark moody and richly detailed.
A palette of masonry, timber & stone is pushed to their physical limits. Fairbairn House is a material delight…
A bayside extension clad inside and out in timber battens blurs the functional and decorative.
The Great Ocean Road House proves that extraordinary locations sometimes call for a simple architectural solution.
Aireys Inlet House -- like all good second homes -- creates connection to nature in contrast to the clients' busy city lives.
On a magnificent, but challenging site, Tinbeerwah House is a beautiful, economical home that sits lightly on the land.
At Beachcroft Orth Residence, screens and glazed garage doors allow internal spaces to spill into the outdoors.
The craftsmanship of the Arts and Crafts period has been skillfully reinterpreted to create a modern extension which feels right at home next to the original home.
The old house faced the wrong way and missed out on natural light. With the help of a clever skylight, this renovation turns things around…
Stonewood House is a modern, but sensitive home which sits comfortably with homes of heritage significance.
Cubo House is a sustainable home which celebrates its history via restored existing elements and upcycled features using the surrealist technique 'Cubomania'.
East West House, near the top of Richmond Hill, contains the unexpected. A large roof deck is hidden behind the heritage protected Victorian roofline.
Thanks to the home's unusual form, the garden of Reverse Shadow Casting House will always be sunny and bright.
You can't see the sea from this modern beach house. Undeterred by the lack of view, it faces a sheltered internal courtyard instead.
Westmere Alteration merges inside and out with a contemporary aesthetic and an unbelievable connection to the outside plus upper level sea views…
The future of suburban laneways is vibrant and active if this Erskineville Studio project by Pivot Architects is anything to go by.
Instead of a generic mass-built home, this family built a home designed to suit their lifestyle and the sub-tropical Brisbane climate.
The narrow Left-Over-Space House demonstrates what can be achieved on the myriad of ‘left-over’ spaces in our inner-cities.
Like all good beach houses, Marcus Beach House explores lightness, filtering natural breezes and integrating indoor/outdoor spaces.
Seaview House is made up of a series of pavilions, designed to fit in with neighbouring old weatherboard cottages without sacrificing contemporary appeal…
Architect Will Harkness placed this holiday home carefully among a number of established Gum Trees to take advantage of the view.
MAMIL haters, beware. Bike House is designed for a family of four bikes-lovers who have foregone the family car for a two-wheeled alternative.
Set in stunning surrounds Wakatipu Guest House is a two bedroom home that provides comfortable accommodation for up to eight people.
Heritage controls, difficult soil, tight access and a small west-facing block. A delightful, light-filled home on a difficult site…
The owners of Matai House lived in this early 1900s home for several years before the alterations, so they knew what needed to change!
On a site covered in mature trees, Under Pohutukawa House is designed to represent the stumps of trees removed for construction.
A cleverly designed holiday home enjoys beach views and opens directly to the garden but is screened by a mature Pohutukawa tree.
By replacing space lost to the renovation with a roof deck, Stick House ensures not a millimetre of outdoor space is sacrificed.
The Armadale House addition creates an open plan living area with a great connection to the garden, maximising the small site.
Herbst Architects continue their search for the perfect beach bach — Castle Rock Beach House is dramatic in spite of its simplicity…
Vader House emerges from behind its high boundary wall to disrupt Fitzroy's typical roofline and breathe new life into this Victorian Terrace.
The site of Invermay House has a great view over Ballarat, but vegetation hid the view. This new home cantilevers to capture it back.
This treehouse in Separation Creek enjoys panoramic views, perched on a steep forested hillside above the Great Ocean Road and Bass Strait.
The clients of Brighton East Interior wanted to ensure their home met the hectic requirements of the family while preferring to not build up.
Substantial alterations to an Arts and Crafts house explores the potential of verandahs and decks to become supplemental living spaces…
Tennis Avenue Residence new timber pavilion, added sensitively to the rear of a humble old cottage feels like living in a modern treehouse.
Kids Pod is just for the little ones, connected to the house proper by a glazed bridge. And it couldn't be more fun…
The compact Highway House takes full advantage of its difficult, but dramatic site — sitting lightly over Hobart and the Derwent River…
Rammed Limestone is the perfect material for Wall and Wall House — locally sourced, beautiful texture and natural colour and high thermal mass.
Sliding cedar shutters provide this otherwise glass box with shelter, privacy and a camouflage cloak — preparing it for every situation.
Built on top of an existing brick double garage, Stradwick House feels more spacious thanks to double height spaces and large windows.
For less than the price of a new car, a rusty old shipping container is transformed into a stunning guest house. What a bargain!
Easterbrook House uses a humble set of materials and simple forms to ensure the landscape its rightful place as the highlight.
The Plinth House proves bigger is not always better. The extension provides a more comfortable living space and kitchen in a minimal footprint.
Sitting in an historic neighbourhood, House in House. Inside and out, it's a surprising alternative to its dark row house neighbours.
Sit down and enjoy the sunset. This prefabricated home, built in just 14 weeks, is designed to take advantage of panoramic views.
A series of shed-esque structures lap the coast in this simple, but thoughtful addition to a rural surf town in New Zealand.
Musk is a stylish modern prefab cabin designed as a secluded retreat to relax and enjoy 360 degree views of natural bushland.
Andrew Maynard Architects asked a simple question -- 'Where does the sun come from' -- and designed a Hill House in the backyard of this Melbourne home.
Tucked away in a subdivided backyard in Melbourne's Inner North, Nest Architects created a delightfully compact two-bedroom home with a beautiful sunny garden.
Queens Park House designed to create a series of spaces in the old and new house which are flexible over time.
ArchiBlox' Carbon Positive Prefab House means it's no longer enough to just be carbon neutral, when you can be carbon positive.
Long Courtyard House reorients the typical courtyard to the side of the house to bring in North light and create indoor/outdoor living.
The Cloud House is a recent home extension by architects, McBride Charles Ryan. From the front it's a typical home. From the back, it's a whole other story.
FMD Architects have taken a tread from their client's brief and stitched the old and new together in this clever home extension, Cross Stitch House.
If a real estate agent tells you a house has 'good bones', it's rarely a good thing. The Eagle's bones (timber studs) are proudly on display. And they're not good; they're stunning.
Like a sunflower, Turnaround House grows from the existing home, turning to face the sun. Once dark and cramped, now light and airy -- what a turnaround!
Tight site, stringent planning and heritage controls, and a difficult orientation -- Nic Owen Architects pull off the architectural equivalent of a miracle.
Elliott Ripper House is a prime example of how a well designed, harmonious extension can provide much more than extra floor space.
There are a lot of things to consider when planning an extension. Haines House's new raked roofline solves a number of problems effortlessly.
Can you spot a Japanese influence in Engawa House? 'Engawa' is an exterior hallway on Japanese homes -- the inspiration for this new extension.
From very early on it was clear that a simple box would dramatically improve the amenity of this home. And what a beautiful box it is!
At Datum House the ceiling height, rather than extra square meters, creates a generous and varied sense of space (without the cost).
