Point Lonsdale House: A Modern Transformation by Solomon Troup Architects
Nestled amidst the moonah and tea trees of Point Lonsdale, Victoria, the Point Lonsdale House stands as a testament to thoughtful design and sustainable architecture. Solomon Troup Architects have masterfully transformed this 1980’s brown brick family home into a modern, wooden retreat, perfect for the clients’ retirement. The addition of a 40m2 (approximately 430 square feet) master bedroom suite, designed to embrace the views of the adjacent well-established garden, is a quintessential lean-to addition, seamlessly integrating with the existing structure.
About Point Lonsdale House
A Tranquil Retreat: The Point Lonsdale House
Tucked away in Point Lonsdale, Victoria, amidst a verdant mosaic of moonah and tea trees, you’ll find the Point Lonsdale House. This project is a testament to the transformative power of architecture and interior design, breathing new life into a once well-loved family home from the 1980s.
From Family Home to Retirement Haven
The aim of this modest project was to repurpose a house that once sheltered a bustling family of five into a serene retirement sanctuary for the clients. The children, now adults with families of their own, have moved out, leaving the parents with a space that needed to be reimagined.
The Quintessential Lean-To Addition
The new addition to the house, a lean-to extension measuring a mere 40m2 (430.56 sq ft), slips seamlessly under the existing fascia and gutter. This addition significantly enhances the master bedroom suite, designed to capture the picturesque views of the adjacent, well-established garden. The project also involved a comprehensive reconfiguration of the internal living, kitchen, and dining spaces, creating a more open and fluid layout.
Preserving the Past, Building the Future
The design of the addition draws inspiration from the existing dwelling’s form and gable roofs, as well as the unique shape of the block. The property, located at the end of a court, is not a standard square or rectangular shape, allowing for a building footprint that is both unusual and engaging.
A Sustainable Approach to Construction
With the construction industry contributing to an estimated third of the world’s overall waste, this project employed strategies that drastically reduced the amount of waste created through demolition. An existing ensuite was repurposed as a new guest powder room, and an existing window opening was used as the opening to the master bedroom addition. Instead of starting with a ‘clean slate’, various elements of the existing building fabric were retained and repurposed, reducing the waste created by the new works.
The Beauty of Spotted Gum
The new addition is clad in a spotted gum rain screen, serving a dual purpose. Firstly, it provides an operable screen to the ensuite, allowing the clients to control the level of privacy from an adjacent, infrequently used public park. The rain screen also offers shading to the building envelope, particularly useful on hot summer afternoons given the new master bedroom suite faces directly west. An external venetian blind is also used to keep the master bedroom space cool. It can be fully opened in the morning to take in views of the garden, or closed to prevent the hot western sun from entering the space.
A Testament to Transformation
The Point Lonsdale House stands as a testament to how even small changes in architecture and interior design can have a significant positive impact on the functionality and liveability of a home. It’s a shining example of how thoughtful design and sustainable practices can transform a space, creating a home that is not only beautiful but also perfectly suited to its occupants’ evolving needs.
Photography by Timothy Kaye
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- by Matt Watts
