Through the portal

This renovation transforms a suburban home with a dramatic entry, stepping down to expansive living, views, and private outdoor living

A sculptural Corten steel portal stands in the

Street entrance with disguised garage. - Through the

Street view – before. - Through the portal

Looking through the Corten steel portal right into

The home's tones blend with the distant hills.

West elevation of the transformed residence.

Passing through the portal you enter a clean,

Courtyard with external stairwell and timber screen.

Beneath the terraced outdoor living area. - Through

Private outdoor living makes the most of a

Every space, kitchen included, engages the verdant setting.

Designed by Max Capocaccia, MC Architecture Studio

From the renovating architect:

This is an alteration and addition project to a private family home – aiming to connect with the beautiful landscape and wider environment by terracing the building with the natural contours of the site, creating a strong connection with the neighbouring ocean and hills.

Entering down the small access lane, you are greeted to the home by three stark volumes that create a distinct demarcation.

To the right, a soft vertical timber-lined box with a hidden garage door stands strong and leads you inwards; to the far left a hard tiled roof and wall contrasts to the soft timber and marks the site boundary, and finally, a sculptural Corten steel portal stands in the centre, outlining the entrance point by differentiating against the two strong geometric volumes to either side.

Passing through the portal you enter a clean, pure, and unoccupied gallery space, with a specifically designed gallery bench and a single stairwell descending into the house.

This room amplifies the idea of passing through a portal and aims to create a moment of calm before descending into the private residence below.

Along your descent, following the single stairwell path, you find access to a series of living spaces terraced with the contours of the site, all with views over the ocean, before ending at the base of the home where you are welcomed into the large open-plan living area with captivating views over the waters of Cass Bay.

This space has a strong connection to the outdoor living decks which also terrace with the land, singling out platforms for specific use, including. intimate living, dining, cooking, and bar leaner.

Credit list

Renovating architect

Max Capocaccia, MC Architecture Studio

Cladding

Timber – Vulcan, from Abodo; tile Cladding – Neolith Basalt Black, from CDK Stone, installed by Stoneface; weatherproofing system under timber rain screen over garage by Revealshield, from Vaprosheild