Terrace House 1 by Dreamer.

Located in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale, Terrace House 1 is a two-story rear addition designed by Dreamer, sitting on top of an existing home. The project was driven by the desire for connectedness to family, the outdoors, and the creation of a retreat for a frontline medical worker.

On the ground level, new kitchen, living, and dining areas are bookended by the greenery of the backyard and a small, strategically-placed courtyard. Nature permeates the interior with views of the courtyard from the refurbished bathroom and laundry space.

The living and dining spaces are arranged diagonally, and are gently punctuated by the corners of the courtyard. This diagonal arrangement allows for a longer, larger space than if laid laterally across the site, and also creates distinct zones while maintaining a sense of openness and connection when hosting large family gatherings.

A generous granite kitchen benchtop protrudes into the living area, creating an intimate breakfast bar with a view to the backyard for the client’s morning coffee ritual. Along this edge of the new building envelope, glazed sliding doors allow the living spaces to spill into a generous rear patio. These are skirted by elegant, perforated steel sun-shades, designed to manage indoor temperatures downstairs and mask line-of-sight between the first-floor spaces and the neighbour’s yard.

At the rear tip of the new addition, a compact trapezoidal stairwell leads to an upstairs master bedroom with a light-filled ensuite, a walk-in robe, and a secluded outdoor seating nook that looks out on a lush native roof garden that provides a welcoming native habitat for insects and birds.

Inspired by the abundant corrugated roofing and cladding nearby, the new addition utilises finely corrugated Mini Orb cladding. Internally, plywood cladding creates a warm and inviting interior to offset the cooler exterior and connect with the material palette of the original building. Brass door handles and kitchen tapware were chosen for their tendency to age beautifully, gently acquiring a layer of use and care over time. The timber-detailed mantels and fireplace evoke memories of the client’s childhood home, along with a low-height brick wall/seat in the courtyard with a steel coffee table attached.

Dreamer Lab has devised a retreat for their well-deserving client that also doubles as a magnet for family events.

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[Images courtesy of Dreamer. Photography by Rory Gardiner.]