It?s a modern take on the typical lean-to extensions found on many Melbourne houses  Tasked with expanding a run-of-the-mill 1960s home in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Oakleigh, local office Warc Studio got creative with a glass-and-timber structure that both modernizes the house and opens it up to the backyard garden.
Dezeen notes that it?s a unique take on a common renovation project, as lean-to extensions are added to many Melbourne homes. This one plays off the typical mono-pitched, lean-to extension seen around the city, but Warc Studio made it stand out by pitching the roof and using a laminated timber which incorporates fins to help shade the glazing from the sun.
Connection was achieved to the backyard by placing floor-to-ceiling glass underneath the asymmetric gable. Sliding glass doors take you onto the decked outdoor space, which is covered by the roof's overhang. A window at the apex of the slanted ceiling can be opened, with the idea of releasing hot air in the summer. Inside, the extension creates space for a new living and lounge area with a low wooden bench running along both sides, as well as a dining area and kitchen. Affordability and sustainability were big factors in this renovation project. The pitched roof means the extension's surface area is 12 percent less than that of a flat-roofed extension, resulting here in a more compact building envelope. Less material was required to construct the addition and less space...