Parkside: Compact Two-Storey House Facing the Park in Fitzroy North
Parkside is a compact two-storey house in Fitzroy North, Australia, by Austin Maynard Architects. Built at the rear of the owners’ former terrace block, the home fronts a leafy park and favors downsizing with dignity. The project distills daily life into a light-filled plan with a courtyard at its heart and long views to the trees. It’s designed for aging-in-place without giving up sociability or a sense of address.
Filtered morning light moves through the timber-and-glass facade, sliding across brick paving before pooling in the living room. From the street, a low fence and a small garden set a friendly threshold that keeps the park in constant view.
This is a house, not a gesture. Parkside is a two-storey infill home in Fitzroy North by Austin Maynard Architects, planned for aging-in-place and a measured daily rhythm. The throughline is clear: a compact sequence that connects front terrace, living room, and a planted courtyard, holding the home open to the park while preserving privacy.
Meet The Street
A brick-paved terrace sits behind a slender black fence, inviting conversation with neighbors and giving the couple a seat to the park. Tall, black-framed glazing rises between warm timber cladding, with operable timber panels deepening shade. The entry slides directly into the living area, so the first view is outward again—tree canopies framed by the vertical windows.
Courtyard As Hinge
At the center, a small planted court links kitchen, dining, and bedroom with clear sightlines. Sliding glass brings breeze and greenery into everyday routines, while a single tree throws patterned shade onto pale floors. The court acts as a pause between front and rear rooms, giving each volume light on two sides and a calm, outdoor pocket for reading or tea.
Daylight And Section
Inside, white walls and built-in storage keep things quiet, letting daylight do the work. A skylight over the living area washes across exposed white beams, and a bright yellow metal spiral stair traces upward like a clean line. From the landing, views extend through full-height glazing to the park, while a perforated guard lets light filter down through the stairwell.
Kitchen To Garden
The kitchen runs as a precise galley with open shelving and a long prep surface suspended on slim supports. At the end, a large pane frames the courtyard tree as if it were a still life. Terrazzo-like flooring keeps a cool underfoot texture, easy to maintain and gentle on glare. Meals spill to the built-in bench dining area, keeping conversation close.
Flexible Daily Life
A ground-floor bedroom slides open to the courtyard, allowing single-level living when needed. Upstairs, a study nook with bookshelves converts to a lounge with a chair angled to the treetops (doors tuck away to widen the room). The plan handles visitors, quiet work, and rest without excess area, using connections—rather than corridors—to organize movement.
In late afternoon, shadows from the timber cladding stripe the brick path, and the terrace turns into the favored seat. The house stays modest but generous where it matters, gathering light, air, and views into a compact, enduring routine.
Photography courtesy of Austin Maynard Architects
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