Project: The Wolf House
Architects: Wolf Architects
Location: Chadstone VIC, Australia
Area: 4,746 sq ft
Photographs by: Dave Keluza, courtesy of Wolf Architects
The Wolf House by Wolf Architects
The Wolf House is a family home designed by Wolf Architects, a Melbourne-based studio, in a way that connects the entire family to its experiences and personal memories, providing balance between a family home and the architectural practice. Careful analysis of the structure, lighting, ventilation and furniture resulted in the brilliant organization of the space.
The main living area, dining room and kitchen are connected directly to the relaxation area and pool. The interior of the house is organized taking into account the daily routine, simple activities that you do every day: bathing, brushing teeth, cooking, etc. A part of the walls are removed and the spaces are intertwined.
From the architects: “When you arrive at the house you enter via a formal pedestrian entry. Beyond that is a contemporary Chinese garden which in itself is a playful expression of east meeting west. A bridge over a dry riverbed directs you the office at the rear. The office can accommodate several people and has its own bathroom and kitchenette. This allows for future use as an additional bedroom or granny flat. Resale is always an important consideration and most of the spaces were designed to be flexible in use. It was agreed that one of the most unsustainable things in houses is doing premature renovations. This house was designed with long term vision in mind.
At the front of the house is a large north facing yard which provides a great space for children to play privately and securely. It leads onto a generous double height front porch which then directs you into the house. The front porch has a dark polished concrete floor with a sealant that allows for the floor to also be a large blackboard for children to draw on. The main living space opens onto this northern yard with a set of quality commercial grade bi-fold doors which open completely. The floor level between the inside, front porch and lawn is very slight and this further blends the inside to the outside.
The heart of the ground floor is triangulated by the living, dining and kitchen spaces. These areas were considered in the brief to be where the family spend most of their time together and therefore had to be interconnected. They are separated primarily by a double sided fireplace, an example of clearly defined spaces without walls. The kitchen is positioned at the western point of the triangle and acts as a control tower from which most of the house and landscaping beyond can be overseen.”
