House in the Woods, Melbourne Real Estate Development, Building Project, Architecture Images
House in the Woods, Donvale
Residential Building Project in Victoria, Australia – design by Warc Studio Architects
26 Oct 2019
House in the Woods
Design: Warc Studio Architects
Location: Donvale, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The House in the Woods project seeks to blurr the relationship between an existing residence and the natural environment. Sited in expansive, sweeping grounds containing a range of mature trees, the original 1980’s house was a large but poorly planned residence.

Its siting split the site in two while failing to provide access to each side of the property, effectively divorcing a large area of land and amenities from interacting with the remainder of the property. This was further exacerbated by congested split level planning that created a clutter of inefficient spaces. The front facade featured an open carport and a few poorly articulated openings that failed to provide any dialogue with either the street or surrounding landscape.
Our solution was to not provide any additional space ? the existing house was already large & providing any further additions would be a wasteful. Rather, we sought to reintegrate the house with its environment. Three timber screens “layer” the facade, providing an indeterminate edge that interacts with and diffuses into an elegantly landscaped front garden. The screens further change in appearance ...