Warburton St House in Brunswick is a thoughtful heritage renovation that successfully bridges historical memory with contemporary design. While respectfully preserving the original street facade, the home features a modern single-storey rear extension that fundamentally transforms its spatial experience and performance.

The transition between old and new is defined by a contrasting external material palette: recycled red brick anchors the home to its past, while dark metal cladding provides a refined, contemporary counterpoint. Functionally, a separate rear garage with laneway access optimises the site, allowing the main living areas and garden to be dedicated to family life.

At the core of the design is a light court garden featuring native vegetation. This element acts as a critical threshold, drawing natural daylight deep into the floor plan and instilling a strong sense of biophilia. Consistent views of vegetation from every room soften the architecture and maintain a constant connection to the landscape.

Inside, the palette is intentionally clean and minimal, comprising timber, stone, and soft neutrals, to allow light to dominate. The open-plan living space gains volume and rhythm from sloping ceilings and strategically placed skylights, inviting abundant natural light. Outdoors, a timber batten roof over the alfresco area creates shifting patterns of filtered sun, providing passive shading and ensuring a seamless indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

A deep commitment to performance is evident throughout. The home is designed for year-round comfort, employing passive heating (via thermal mass), high insulation levels, high-performance windows, and natural cross-flow ventilation. As an all-electric house, it demonstrates a commitment to energy efficiency without compromising amenity.

Designed for modern family life, the home accommodates working-from-home flexibility and features an outdoor entertaining area, complete with a kitchen and BBQ in the garden, that extends daily life beyond the walls of the house. The final result is a home that is luminous, enduring, and firmly grounded in its context.

This project is currently in construction, with work due to finish on site late 2026. Follow along with the progress of this project through construction over on our Instagram.

Please get in touch with us if you would like to know more about this project.