Tie House

This 1930s weatherboard house in Melbourne was reworked and extended to give it a new open-plan living, kitchen and dining space, along with an additional bathroom in the south-west corner. The original bathroom became an ensuite and the former kitchen was repurposed as a study. A short hallway stitches the new extension to the existing bedrooms and entry, and draws daylight into the centre of the plan.

When working with older buildings, Tan Architecture sets out to complement the original while keeping old and new clearly legible. Here the aim was for the extension to tie in with the existing house without overwhelming it. A simple hipped roof resolved that formal ambition while staying within the height and setback limits along the southern boundary.

Inside, the living area opens up beneath a cathedral ceiling. It faces north and spills out onto a bluestone verandah and a private garden.

The house covers 80 square metres on a 470 square metre site, across a single level, and was completed in 2019.

Architect: Jos Tan, Tan Architecture. Structural engineer: R. Bliem and Associates. Building surveyor: Metro Building Surveying. Builder: Conform Constructions. Photography: Anthony Richardson and Hilary Walker.