Construction Period:
9 months
Builder:
Humecon
Photography:
Adam Gibson
Scope of Work:
Kitchen, 2 Living areas, Outdoor Dining, Master Bed, Ensuite, Refurbishment of Existing
Beaumaris (re)Modern
Alteration & Addition | Beaumaris | VIC
Extension Floor Area:
160 sqm
Completed:
2017
Design/ Documentation:
9 months
The Dearie House is a family home designed by Kevin Knight for Ronald & Patricia Dearie in 1953. It has remained in its original form for more than six decades and, as one of the original houses in the local beach-side suburb of Beaumaris, is an excellent example of a Modernist style home from that period.
Our clients purchased the property from the Dearie family a number of years ago and were passionate about preserving the architectural integrity of the original house, as well as it's surrounding mature trees.
Our brief was to retain as many of the character-defining elements as possible, whilst incorporating an extension suitable for the contemporary needs of a modern family of two adults and three growing children.
We set about achieving this by retaining and renovating the original distinct black & white timber-clad facades, opening up & renovating the original living areas and maintaining the linear arrangement of original bedrooms and hallway. We removed the dilapidated southern part of the house that had contained bathroom and laundry areas and replaced the original Dining / Kitchen area with a contemporary 3.5m high Living / Dining / Kitchen space that connects to the new pool and outdoor entertaining areas via large panes of openable glazing.
Internally, the new configuration purposefully reinforces the linearity of the original floor plan. The original hallway is retained as a central spine within the layout, with a fixed full height window at its western end seamlessly connecting this axis with the garden beyond. Around the communal areas the axial arrangement is less obvious, freeform instead giving way to open Living area with connections to multiple outdoor spaces.
Our design also introduces a central enclosed courtyard, a common feature of mid-century Modernist homes. This element complements a central focus within the floor plan that is already established by the original slate fireplace.
