Kennedy Nolan architects set out to prove how a renovation and extension of an Edwardian house in inner Melbourne could be extraordinary. The result? An old family house completely reimagined into a whimsical world of curves and curiosity. Building a new façade at the rear of the house – a sweeping curve of white bricks punctuated with circular windows and arched doorways with black metal frames – was essential to carving out this new world. The wall wraps around a circular swimming pool creating a courtyard, and beyond the pool, a new pavilion clad in charred timber with a balcony expands the living space of the house. Amidst this eccentric design, the house still functions perfectly as a family home. The interior, left mostly in the existing plan, and pavilion have been given the same treatment as the exterior, with fresh finishes, playful forms and clear-cut curves, all contributing to the same aesthetic as the exterior. A green staircase segues the sweeping hallway, terrazzo tiles across the whole ground floor continue out to the courtyard, and slim oatmeal-coloured tiles in the bathrooms wrap around the curved walls.
