Melonie Bayl-Smith

Located in the Sydney suburb of Killara, this large-scale house has been redesigned using the same generous proportions to create a stunning home that perfectly balances heritage features with a contemporary style. The front of the house retains its original facade and name – the Wairangi House – while a new portico, drive and gates in solid Sydney sandstone create a grand entrance.

Located in Willoughby, Sydney, the Step Down House creates new connections to the expansive outdoor space by situating the new rear addition at a slightly lower, stepped down floor level. The original hallway broadens to connect the old and the new, becoming the hinging point of the house, fanning out into a generous open-plan living space.

Located in the Sydney suburb of Killara, this red brick house on a sandstone base has been extended and transformed by Bijl Architecture, bringing the building’s architecture into the 21st century. Improving the connection between rooms and increasing natural lighting were vital in transforming the house, as was the creation of a large open living space that opens onto an outdoor room and deck. The previous, boxy design of the house did not allow for any sense of connection to the back garden from inside, with only a small, paved outdoor area for entertaining accessed via a single door.

This project involved substantial alterations and additions to a partly renovated red-brick 1950s home in Collaroy, Sydney. Perched on a very steep site with challenging access but extensive views and excellent aspect, the project involved retaining the existing building volume as a base for an entirely new upper storey which was to contain open plan living spaces as well as a rumpus and service areas. The lower ground level was also to be extended for further accommodation, and the three levels were to be connected by both internal and external feature stairs that were to provide flow and aesthetic continuity to the completed house. A plunge pool and further development and integration of the already extensive landscaping was also required.

The brief called for substantial alterations and additions to a heritage-listed Queen Anne cottage in Cremorne, Sydney. There was a requirement for the retention of the original building, in terms of traditional space and forms, but also to improve the public/private zoning and to create opportunities for open family living and two additional bedrooms.

The inspiration for the design of this house was the idea of creating an elevated outdoor room that sat amongst the trees. The existing building was a nondescript interwar double brick cottage on a large leafy plot. The brief was to open up the house to the back garden, which was one of the major appeals of the property, bringing the bushland setting into the house. The clients wanted to streamline and reconfigure the living spaces to make a more family friendly, open plan space with a clear connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as creating a social kitchen for entertaining.

A large, open deck forms the centrepiece of the Elanora Height House, sitting above an enigmatic green box which houses the shower below, accessed via a folded timber and galvanised steel staircase.

The brief for the Artarmon House project was to create a contemporary addition to the 'Californian Bungalow' dwelling that embodied both place and longevity in the design outcomes. Key to this approach was to ensure that the spaces worked around the habits and lifestyle of the inhabitants.

The existing dwelling was a single-storey brick bungalow elevated above the street, with a cramped plan which under-utilised the opportunities of the sloping site. The clients wanted to make better use of the space available and create a spacious, open plan family home with a strong connection to the outside. As well as this, they wanted to create a sense of arrival to the main entrance stairs without compromising privacy. A unique contemporary aesthetic was desired by the clients so as to work with their own collection of paintings, furniture and objects collected from different parts of South-East Asia.

The clients wanted to retain the heritage charm of the listed Victorian Italianate house built in the 1890s, and also completely refurbish the existing rear addition as a modern living space with additional bedroom and service spaces on the first floor. The largely southern orientation and site opportunities, coupled with the complex layout of underused and dark rooms provided challenges to maintaining the period charm of the house whilst creating a contemporary family home with a feeling of light and space.

The brief called for substantial alterations and additions to a dilapidated Victorian semi-detached masonry terrace house in Newtown, Sydney. The retention of the front portion of the original dwelling was required for reasons of heritage value and economy – this volume then served as an excellent platform from which to maximise the site’s best characteristics, being its orientation, plot length, and fall. These qualities allowed the brief to develop, including an upper floor bedroom zone, a ground floor open plan living space with accompanying service spaces, and an outdoor entertaining area that would flow readily into the rear garden area.

The Penshurst Avenue House required a complete external and internal renovation of a mid-20th century cottage located in a richly varied conservation area of lower north Sydney. The existing house exhibited a poor use of existing space and no connection to its site and as such the brief was to alter the house in a way that respected the era in which it was built, while enhancing contemporary living. On a tight and difficult site, the project was to be necessarily rigorous, but still maintain flexibility for the owners - a growing family with two young boys.

This heritage-listed Victorian semi-detached terrace house has been transformed from a pokey house with impractical living spaces into a house that flows effortlessly from room to room, and then into the outdoors. A number of the original features were refurbished and the dark, gloomy interiors were converted into a warm, light home with a mix of contemporary and traditional styling.

A copper-coloured metal facade creates visual impact in this extension and renovation of a house in Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney. The original dwelling was a tired 1950s red brick house, with generally excellent solar orientation and extensive view opportunities across Lake Macquarie. The core focus of the project involved retaining and extending the existing open plan living space to maximise site opportunities, improve overall amenity, and create a flexible home for living and entertaining.

Located on a prominent corner near Dee Why beach, the project deals with the ideas of entry and address. The existing weatherboard house lacked a strong entry point and had no provision for indoor / outdoor living at ground level. Further, the only opportunity to create a private open space was in the front part of the site.