Shadow House by Nicowen Architects

ByJon Dykstra Houses

An image displays an exterior view of the Shadow House situated along a street, highlighting its distinctive exterior design.

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Architect: NicOwen Architects
Social Media
Facebook: @NicOwenArchitects
Instagram: @Nicowenarchitects
Twitter: @NicOwenArch
LinkedIn: Nic Owen

The photograph captures the exterior of the Shadow House, showcasing its new monolithic form that intentionally lacks windows facing the street to the south.
The photograph captures the exterior of the Shadow House, showcasing its new monolithic form that intentionally lacks windows facing the street to the south.
The picture features the house's original component, providing a glimpse of its architectural heritage.
The picture features the house’s original component, providing a glimpse of its architectural heritage.
This photograph showcases a modern replica of the original house, which exhibits a simple and cohesive sculpted design, in keeping with the original style.
This photograph showcases a modern replica of the original house, which exhibits a simple and cohesive sculpted design, in keeping with the original style.
This photograph captures the outdoor space of the house in a nighttime setting, highlighting its harmonious integration with the indoor areas.
This photograph captures the outdoor space of the house in a nighttime setting, highlighting its harmonious integration with the indoor areas.
The provided photograph, captured from the outside, features an open door and offers a glimpse of the interior of the dining area.
The provided photograph, captured from the outside, features an open door and offers a glimpse of the interior of the dining area.
This photograph features the seamless integration of the living and dining spaces in the house, providing a view of the outdoor area through the glass walls.
This photograph features the seamless integration of the living and dining spaces in the house, providing a view of the outdoor area through the glass walls.
This photograph captures the living area from a perspective that includes the dining space and the adjacent outdoor area.
This photograph captures the living area from a perspective that includes the dining space and the adjacent outdoor area.
This photograph offers a perspective view of the kitchen, highlighting its black and white theme color design.
This photograph offers a perspective view of the kitchen, highlighting its black and white theme color design.
This photograph features the staircase in the house, prominently displaying the attached fireplace.
This photograph features the staircase in the house, prominently displaying the attached fireplace.
The provided photograph displays a hallway that leads to various areas of the house.
The provided photograph displays a hallway that leads to various areas of the house.
The provided image presents a different perspective of the bedroom, showcasing its highly distinctive gabled roof.
The provided image presents a different perspective of the bedroom, showcasing its highly distinctive gabled roof.
This photograph provides a perspective view of the bedroom, with a focus on the wide white cabinet and a partial view of the bed.
This photograph provides a perspective view of the bedroom, with a focus on the wide white cabinet and a partial view of the bed.
The provided image showcases the interior of the bathroom with a minimalist design, featuring a single basin sink and an expansive mirror wall.
The provided image showcases the interior of the bathroom with a minimalist design, featuring a single basin sink and an expansive mirror wall.

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The existing dwelling, titled “O’Brian house,” is an Art Deco house created in 1938 for John Patrick O’Brian, a librarian. The property is significant due to the highly distinctive gabled and hipped roof, as expressed by unusual brick window hood details and the curved entry porch formed all set on a corner site. The owners required more usable space, light, better relationship to the outside, an extra bedroom plus a modern fit-out throughout.

Our approach was to create a shadow of the existing form, a modern sympathetic “copy” of the O’Brian house which offers a simple homogeneous sculptured form, carefully positioned to complement the original building. The house had to offer privacy from the busy south facing side street whilst benefit from northern sunlight. Therefore, the new monolithic form is windowless to the south side street with the ground floor set back to the south boundary.

The roof form mirrors the existing roof pitch, the 1st floor is set against the north boundary (away from the street) to respect the original house form and present the original house chimney. Careful thought and detail went into the design of the external skin of the new building to ensure a simple clean aesthetic, removing all superfluous visual elements.

The Majority of the existing house was retained, with only the rear skillion, wet room fit-outs and an internal wall removed. The ground floor living area was opened up with the addition of a meals area. The existing bathroom was enlarged and functions as an ensuite / bathroom.

The first floor contains a third bedroom with adjacent ensuite. There is a large 4.7m x 0.6m skylight on the north side of the 1st floor roof offering light to the bedroom and ensuite whilst still providing privacy from the street / neighbours. A retractable awning over the skylight regulates light and temperature. The shadow house, a three-bedroom inner city residence on a small site offers a sympathetic response to historically sensitive inner-city living.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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