Past, present and future

Designed by Box Design Studio

From the design studio:

Design brief

To address significant functional issues in a Victorian-era residence while enhancing sustainability and maintaining historical character. 

To create a design that resolves climate control problems, improves connectivity between living spaces, increases natural light and provides a greater connection to outdoor areas – all while transforming the home into a sustainable, future-proof dwelling.

Overall design requirements

1. Preserve the original Victorian character of the house.

2. Create a 4-bedroom house, with two queen and two double bedrooms.

3. Two bedrooms must be easily adapted from bedrooms into home offices.

4. Design a rear courtyard that functions as a landscaped entertaining area.

5. Rear courtyard to accommodate car parking space.

6. Position master bedroom at the attic level – provide a large ensuite with two wash hand basins.

7. Include a family bathroom on the 1st floor.

8. Include a combined bathroom laundry with separate wine cellar/ rumpus room in the basement.

9. Provide as much wardrobe and storage space as possible.

10. Provide privacy to the rear – prevent overlooking from eight storey apartment building.

Climate control

1. Address overheating in the rear living area during summer and excessive heating needs in winter by improving insulation and installing energy efficient windows and doors.

2. Address the existing windows and doors that are all in poor condition and creating draughts etc.

Space optimisation

1. Enhance connectivity between the kitchen, dining, and front living room.

2. Remove 200mm step down in level between the kitchen and dining room floors for seamless transition.

3. Redesign kitchen layout to create distinct functional zones with a statement island bench.

4. Turn the kitchen central courtyard into a usable space.

5. Redesign the basement level – multifunctional space required with large family bathroom, laundry and wine cellar/rumpus room.

6. Locate vertical circulation to one zone.

Natural light and ventilation

1. Introduce natural lighting solutions in the dining room & basement areas to reduce reliance on artificial light.

2. Improve natural ventilation to the kitchen & basement levels.

Design solutions

Overall design response

1. Retaining and restoring original Victorian arches, fireplaces, kauri pine flooring, internal timber doors, door hardware, window and doors to the front elevation.

2. Provided a four-bedroom house – two queen and two double bedrooms.

3. Two of the rooms can easily be adapted into home offices – all joinery can be used as either wardrobes or office storage – all shelves adjustable with removable hanging rails – power point layout design to suit both bedroom and office setup – power points included internally in joinery for printers etc.

4. Provided vertical green walls, Corten waterfall water feature, lush planting and six-seat outdoor dining area.

5. Paved area designed to comply with a standard car parking space – the rear fence bifolds back to allow full access for the car.

6. Large master bedroom in attic level with large ensuite and two wash basins.

7. First floor reconfigured to include a larger family bathroom.

8. Basement level reconfigured to facilitate a large family bathroom laundry with a separate wine cellar/ rumpus room.

9. Large amounts of wardrobe space/ storage space included in kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms with additional storage in rumpus room/cellar.

10. Timber casement shutters to all first floor and attic level windows – angled locking positions to ensure privacy even in the open position.

Climate control – response

1. Green roof with native planting over rear living room regulates temperature throughout the year – provided double glazed thermally broken windows and doors – incorporated a large, curved north facing double glazed skylight, curve inspired by Victorian arch in entry hallway – exposed off form concrete ceiling internally acts as a thermal mass and enhances thermal comfort – the retractable awning over the east facing door manages solar.

2. New timber double-hung windows (heritage requirement).

Space optimisation – response

1. Increased opening in height and width between kitchen and dining – the arch shape was inspired by the shape to the top of the existing heritage windows and doors at the front.

2. Kitchen floor lifted to dining floor level.

3. Kitchen functional zone is located on the left – the statement island is located centrally in the archway and looks like a piece of furniture in the space – the island separates the kitchen area from access between dining and rear living.

4. Sliding doors, a trafficable mesh floor allows for full usable space.

5. Basement reconfigured to provide family bathroom, laundry and wine cellar/rumpus room.

6. Main stairs to all levels now stack vertically in one location.

Natural light and ventilation – response

1. Natural light improved by large sliding doors to rear living room, kitchen and basement bathroom – large north facing skylight to rear living shape inspired by arch in hallway – skylights to home office and over main staircase – glass floor panels to first floor landing, ground floor dining and kitchen floor allow sunlight to enter all levels – open tread stairs allow light to flow to all levels.

2. Ventilation improved due to large sliding doors to kitchen and basement bathroom – window to basement courtyard incorporated into rumpus/cellar.

Story by: Trendsideas