Photography: Simon Devitt & Jason Shaw
Contractor: C&C Renovations

About Studio

Matter Architects is recognized for its work in architecture, urban planning, art, design, and strategic thinking. We pride ourselves on our ethical, honest, and transparent approach to all projects. We love what we do and have a profound commitment to our clients and finding innovative design solutions. We achieve these solutions through a working methodology of collaboration and disruption.

The integrity of ideas along with the process and effective communication ensure that any investment made throughout the project is done so in a well-planned and mutually agreed manner, making certain that our clients and all affected parties realize the most value from our product.

The property was home to an existing bungalow, which had chosen to accept its inherited limitations out of love for the building.

Added two additional slipped gable forms to the home's exterior, streamlining the overall shape and adding an upper floor. — Added two additional slipped gable forms to the home’s exterior, streamlining the overall shape and adding an upper floor.

The home and the garden are covered with the new roofing.

Green walls and screening soften boundaries, blending them with landscape to create filtered light and privacy in the appropriate places. — Green walls and screening soften boundaries, blending them with the landscape to create filtered light and privacy in the appropriate places.

These creative openings link inner and outside areas, allowing inhabitants to read the forms and specific home features to be caressed by natural light.

The living space opens to a northern garden that is divided by a pool and level lawn. — The living space opens to a northern garden that is divided by a pool and a level lawn.

The use of vertical timbr screening in the living area and a sizable opening that seems to be cut into the house next to the pool echo these outside spaces on the northern elevation. — The use of vertical timber screening in the living area and a sizable opening that seems to be cut into the house next to the pool echoes these outside spaces on the northern elevation.

The structure is broken by a new double-height entry, which also creates a magical light well that illuminates the internal spaces and sculptural steel staircase.

The stairway offers a small observation platform with a view down onto the doorway and carries the same screening details from outside to within.

This is a remarkable project for a loving family, and the finished product shows a well-thought-out, distinctive, and creative design.

Playful bedroom windows look out into the foyer, connecting with one another and giving the kids a stage.

With a lot of kid-friendly books on the bookshelves.

It has complied with every aspect of their specification and gone above and above to create a design narrative with new draped and slid roof forms and carved interior spaces.

The entrance radiates an explosion of joy into the pool, fusing it with the house, while the screening filters light, shielding and providing intimacy.

The feeling of leisure and vacationing at home is further enhanced by a servery window that looks out over the pool area.

Family and fun rooms are the focus of this house, which has a straightforward design and exquisite little accents throughout.

An existing bungalow occupied the site when we were first engaged. The young family of 5 living within required more space and a greater connection to the land. The decision was made to work with the existing bungalow, there was a love for this house, choosing to embrace the inherent constraints.

We removed the existing rooflines and wrapped the home with two new slipped gable forms, simplifying the overall shape and gaining an upper level. The new roofs drape over the home and into the garden. Green walls and screening soften areas, blurring thresholds with the landscaping, creating filtered light and privacy where intended.

Areas of the home beneath the rooflines have been carved away including the entrance, a void above the living room, and a playful window that angles out from the stairway to the street. These openings connect interior and exterior spaces in a playful manner, allowing the occupants to read the forms and natural light to caress selected elements of the home.

The living area flows out to a northern garden, delineated by a pool and flat lawn. The northern elevation reflects these exterior spaces with the use of vertical timber screening to the living and a large opening appearing to be carved into the home adjacent to the pool. The screening filters light, protecting and creating intimacy, while the opening exudes an explosion of joy into the pool merging it with the house.

A servery window to the pool space further creates the feeling of relaxation and holidaying at home. A new double-height entrance invites people inside, breaking the building between the slipped rooflines and creating a magic light well, illuminating the interior forms and sculptural steel staircase.

The staircase continues the same detailing of the screening from outside to in and provides a petite viewing platform looking down onto the entry. Playful bedroom windows look into the entrance, communicating with each other and providing a stage for the children.

This is a special project for a lovely family, the outcome illustrating a resolved, unique, and innovative design. Our clients love their new home, it has provided everything within their brief and pushed beyond the simple requirements of space and feel into creating a design narrative with new draped and slipped roof forms alongside carved internal spaces.

Innovative, sustainable materials clad the home, alongside the areas where green walls will develop over time, growing with the family as the home becomes more characterful with age. This home is about family and playful spaces, wrapped in a simple form, and made up of beautiful small details.