Collection by Andrea Smith
Impressive Australian Renovations
Check out the results of these transformations down under.
The addition’s two stories of cedar-framed sliding doors and window provide generous views of the house’s prized jacaranda tree. The addition’s polished concrete floor and white cladding extend into the garden, drawing occupants to the serene rear porch. There, they can relax on stools designed by Alvar Aalto and Charles Wilson while admiring the luscious greenery.
The architects designed the sloping roofline due to the existing jacaranda tree on the lot. Foliage used to collect on the old roof, clogging the gutters. The new structure's dramatic pitch prevents leaves and branches from accumulating.
The rear of the Chistopher Polly-designed Elliott Ripper house shows the most impactful design moves—windows that allow light and air to enter the house. Breezway Altair louvers, Viridian Comfort Plus low-e glass, and Western Red Cedar–framed sliding glass doors on the ground floor and pivot stay windows on the second story allow residents to control how open or closed the house is. Photo by: Brett Boardman
A garage-style door separates the patio from the street.
A steel-framed, bi-fold door system by Skyrange Engineering separates the edge of the house from the outdoor area.
The back, however, is a different story. The shape of the roof eave is designed to allow winter sun into the house while cutting out the hot summer sun.
Architect Christopher Polly kept the Australian home's original facade, which dates back to 1980.