Nestled in Pascoe Vale, 50/50s House is a renovated mid-century gem with an eye-catching geometric feature that extends from the facade. But the unique triangular frame that encases a balcony above, and a carport below, isn’t just for aesthetics. In fact, it helped solve a number of design issues in one clever swoop.
A Melbourne family with two young kids engaged architects Green Sheep Collective to help modernise their property, which featured poor air circulation as a result of the dark and disjointed living rooms in a late-century addition in the rear.
‘While many of the design elements have stood the test of time, spaces such as the kitchen had dated and needed significant maintenance,’ Green Sheep Collective director Shae Parker McCashen says.
‘Our ultimate goal was to create a beautiful home that championed a mid-century character yet could accommodate and reflect modern lifestyles.’
In addition to updating the home’s functionality, the development of the garden – and its connection to the living spaces – was at the heart of the renovation. The resulting redesign navigated this by reconfiguring the floorplan, working almost entirely within the existing footprint to improve thermal thermal efficacy. But the main challenge was that the living spaces on the upper floor felt cut off from the garden below.
‘These obstacles were both overcome by the introduction of the balcony structure which facilitates outdoor living with views over the garden while also shading the western elevation,’ Shae says.
The triangular forms in the structure’s metal frame were inspired bold geometric shapes seen throughout the mid-century and are nod to similar rectangular detailing in the home’s existing interior.
‘The structure has transformed a cover-less driveway sided by a sheer two-storey wall into a dynamic series of spaces that help the indoor living spaces spill to the outdoors,’ Shae adds. It’s also been designed to hero AKAS Landscape’s lush garden, with views of the city beyond, and allows vines to grow up the sides – ‘literally bringing the garden’ to the upper floor!
Despite only adding 4 square metres to the internal footprint, 50/50s House makes the most of this retro home for years to come, proving how a series of small changes can have a big impact.
