Perched House, Melbourne Building, Australian Home, Victoria Residence, Architecture Images
Perched House in Fitzroy North
Renovated and Transformed Property in Victoria, Australia – design by Rara Architecture
21 Jun 2017
Perched House in Fitzroy North
Design: Rara Architecture
Location: Fitzroy North, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Perched House

Perched – like a sparrow. Perched is a light extension at the rear of an inner city semi-detached Edwardian house that curves above your head.

Our client wanted to renovate the existing rear extension which was structurally sound and add a bedroom – she had no idea we would reconfigure the entire house.

The kitchen was a very important component of the design as her partner is a chef – this had to take pride of place since entertaining and social gatherings around the island bench is a way of life for them.
What were the key challenges"

Making use of the existing extension. As we peeled back the layers, we gradually discovered more and more needed rebuilding. Thankfully, the client was very patient.

What were the solutions"

The staircase:

We wanted a single stair run without a landing. The client wanted a high ceiling to match the existing house. The compromise was to break up the extension into two – the kitchen has 2.4m ceiling, which solved the stair dilemma because we concealed the landing. Upstairs, we have a bedroom directly off the landing, then continue up a few more ...