Armadale House 1 is a private residence located in Melbourne, Australia. It was designed by Mitsuori Architects in 2013. The long narrow lot meant a compact, original house, while the homeowners wanted more space. The design concept proposed a sculptural two level addition which connects seamlessly to the north facing landscaped courtyard, terrace and garden. The Victorian home’s large, modern addition was designed by Mitsuori Architects to have a strong presence from the rear, while being hidden from the street. Special consideration was given to preserving the historical streetscape, with the new addition separated from the existing building by a glazed walkway to provide a large setback that ensures it is not seen from the street.
A two-level addition was designed while preserving the historic, street facing facade. The original part is connected to the addition via a glazed walkway, ensuring that it’s not seen from the front. A series of simple folded planes have been utilized to define spaces, control views, shade windows, and articulate the form of the building so as to reduce the visual impact of the first floor when viewed from the rear garden.
The narrow house gets plenty of light due to the layout and design. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open the interior up to the allotted outdoor spaces. The dining room is set off of the kitchen with two sides of complete glass which helps filter light to both ends of the house.
