Wheatland House
ARCHITECTS
Tom Robertson Architects
LANDSCAPE ARCHITETURE
Plume Studio
YEAR
2022
LOCATION
Malvern, Australia
CATEGORY
Houses, Extension
Wheatland House is a warm, light-filled home in a quiet, tree-lined suburban neighborhood. The brief is one familiar to the practice: balance the heritage constraints of an original house (in this case, Edwardian-era) with the needs of a growing family.
The clients also developed a sensory direction that would make the house feel calming and soft to the touch.
Perimeter walls are constructed with crisp brick to provide a sense of security and permanence, while the interior is bathed in warm hues and natural light.
The front four bedrooms of the original heritage house have been retained, along with a dedicated large home office.
Three children’s bedrooms sit triangulated to the family bathroom, separate powder room and central laundry, and round off the existing house’s footprint.
A large living room in the lower part of the house cascades down from the original dwelling.
This space boasts a northern window opening to a small pocket garden and allowing the afternoon sun to pour in.
The adjacent kitchen flows to the dining zone, and to the back behind a brick wall, a garage offers rear laneway access.
Glazed sliding doors from the living and kitchen areas spill onto an outdoor terrace and garden area.
A sense of order prevails from end to end of the house, bringing two architectural eras together and, in the process, creating a peaceful and liveable space. Wheatland House meets the client’s practical needs and enriches their daily lives.