Project: Local House
Architects: MAKE Archiecture
Location: Saint Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
Photographs by: Peter Bennetts
Local House by MAKE Architecture
Located in St Kilda, Australia, this miniature home called the Local House is a modern project by MAKE Archiecture. The house has a Californian bungalow style architecture and it is connected to the environment, encouraging communication and socialization.
The lower story was built using a combination of board-marked concrete, grey brick and glass, while the gable of the upper floor is partially enclosed by a gridded wooden screen.
From the architects: “A large part of the inspiration for the extension of this St Kilda Californian Bungalow comes from thinking about how this family live and connect with their community. Spaces are playful and have been conceived more like a favorite local café than a private house, reflecting this family’s desire to create a space that allowed them to connect with friends, family and their larger community.”
From the architects: “Concrete has been used to form a heavy base to the project and large board marked concrete elements lift up and emerge out of this base. The concrete has been formed up insitu using recycled fence palings to give texture and grain. Concrete is also used internally to create integrated seats, benches and durable surfaces for family life. A decorative timber screen gives contrast to the concrete and clads the extruded upper level roof form that contains the main bedroom. The screen has been designed for sun shading and to control overlooking to the neighbors, while still providing distant views over the rooftops beyond.”
From the architects: “A flexible studio garage space was also an important part of the project. Rather than turn its back on the rear laneway it faces, the studio space has a fully operable window, a desk and a small porch that all activate and connect with the communal public space. The result is that the frontage looks more like a little shopfront than a garage. Bluestone pavers extent the bluestone cobbles into the site and further reinforce the connection.”
