The contemporary wing of this Melbourne Edwardian house includes an elevated lap pool and a small patch of lawn.
Stephen Crafti
As people downsize to smaller homes, it’s not the amount of outdoor space that matters, but the pleasure this well-conceived area brings.
The large suburban back garden has shrunk as people opt for smaller, well-designed outdoor spaces. Whether they take the form of a winter garden (an enclosed balcony) attached to an apartment, or courtyard, these areas can be used all year round.
“It’s important to create an outdoor space protected from the outside world. Having some coverage from the elements is also ideal,” says architect Robert Simeoni.
Simeoni created a treasured outdoor space in his own home in North Fitzroy, Melbourne. As well as a modest patch of granitic sand and fruit trees behind a high brick wall, there’s also an undercover car space. “This concrete [to accommodate one car] was originally used by the factory next door. It’s a reminder of what this site was once used for,” Simeoni says.
As there was limited space on the 80-square-metre site, Simeoni went vertical, creating a three-level home. However, there was sufficient room for a modest garden, including the car space – in all, about 20 square metres. “The car isn’t a permanent fixture. We also use the carport area to entertain family and friends,” says Simeoni, who was keen to create a chiaroscuro effect with the light. “The fruit trees create dappled light to the outdoor space,” he adds. Simeoni also included a small balcony leading from the living areas on the top floor. Although not large enough for a table setting, it creates a wonderful viewing platform to survey the neighbourhood, including a park.
BKK Architects also included a covered outdoor area in a house in an inner city bayside suburb of Melbourne. The two-storey Edwardian house was renovated, with a new contemporary wing. This L-shaped addition, constructed in brick and zinc, includes an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
Intense program
Although the outdoor area is relatively large for an inner-city site (about 50 square metres), BKK had to include an intense program within this space. Located between the new wing and what were originally the stables (reworked in the same materials as the extension), the outdoors includes an elevated lap pool and a small patch of lawn. The architects also included a built-in concrete bench and barbecue for outdoor dining. “The key to the design was to make the outdoor space feel spacious. We also wanted to ‘stitch in’ the materials of party brick walls,” says architect Tim Black,, one of three directors of the practice.
“We wanted to combine a number of functions in the one area without having them feeling disjointed,” says Black, who sees a trend towards low-maintenance gardens attuned to urban living.
Architect Luigi Rosselli was also conscious of creating a functional and protected outdoor area for a Victorian terrace in Paddington, Sydney. The terrace, with an attic-style third level, was renovated and extended by Rosselli. “We were fortunate to have an additional sliver of land on one side of the house. This made the garden as well as the house feel more spacious,” he says.
While the house already had a swimming pool in the north-facing back garden, the owners were looking for a more expansive area to entertain outdoors, as well as enjoy the outdoors. “We literally halved the size of the swimming pool. This allowed us to create a small lawn area, as well as a deck,” says Rosselli, who worked with landscape architects Secret Gardens.
To ensure protection from the sun, Rosselli included a large, yellow canvas, retractable awning. Built-in concrete seats and barbecue allow the outdoor area to double as a dining area. “When you’re designing outdoor areas, there should be a balance between shade and areas receiving full light,” he adds.
Speak Your Mind