Claw House by Nic Owen Architects.

Architect: Nic Owen Architects

About Studio

I am an architect registered in both NZ and Melbourne Australia. I am committed to creating architecture that is a joy to inhabit through the treatment of space, form, materials , and light. With over 20 years of experience I specialize in one-off, custom, high-end residential architecture.

Architecture which responds to each individual site and environment, creating unique and elegant forms that contribute to the wider community and make a difference to our visual landscape.

Claw House living area.
The Claw House cozy living area with a fireplace and hardwood flooring.
The kitchen contains white island counter made of cement and wooden floors.
The kitchen contains a white island counter made of cement and wooden floors.
The sunshine that enters via the windows makes the bathroom bright.
The sunshine that enters via the windows makes the bathroom bright.
The wooden floors in this bathroom go nicely with the aesthetically pleasing colors.
The wooden floors in this bathroom go nicely with the aesthetically pleasing colors.
There is a glass wall that allows you to see both inside and outside as you pass through the patio.
There is a glass wall that allows you to see both inside and outside as you pass through the patio.
The glass doors connect what's inside to the outdoors.
The glass doors connect what’s inside to the outdoors.
This elevated area of the lawn, which is a pleasant place to play, is a portion of the house's outside space.
This elevated area of the lawn, which is a pleasant place to play, is a portion of the house’s outside space.

This extension is an example of responsible rationalization of a typical suburban house that offers a stimulating environment and demonstrates environmentally sustainable design. The project is located on a 740m2 site in Kew. The existing house whilst generously sized lacked a clear thought-out plan.

The land fell 5.5m over its length and further aided the dysfunctional arrangement of spaces. The brief required rearranging spaces to better cater to the young family, relating each space to the outside world. The design solution removed a late rear extension ‘meals room’ and replaced it with ‘the claw’.

Aptly named by the owners the new family room embraced the sloping land reaching up to the rear raised garden. The claw roof was conceived to provide solar protection to the north while allowing the winter sun indoors. The claw is surrounded on 3 sides with full-height glazing, extending the living environment into the rear landscaped yard.

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