Petersen D91 bricks were extensively used in the transformation of a 1980s Hawthorn house, the renovation of which intended to accommodate a growing family using creativity and sensitive, considered design.
Templeton Architecture was successful in activating all parts of the home by introducing an abundance of natural light, and creating better connections and contemporary spaces for the family.
The outdoor areas particularly impress, especially the way the old entranceway and driveway have been transformed into a graceful pedestrian walkway that leads to a magical garden room.
“It becomes an extension of the house, which is a much better use of the space, with an open fireplace and a pizza oven. So it becomes almost like the adult entertaining area, just like a room,” comments Emma Templeton, Director, Templeton Architects.
One of the most challenging tasks during a renovation for any architect is the seamless integration of the existing conditions and materials with the new design. For Emma and her team, this meant celebrating the geometric forms of the existing structure, while removing dated features and details.
“Renovations do tend to pick the materials for you, and what we had was a very solid building of rendered external walls, which were the dominant feature of the forms and volumes,” said Emma.
When it came to selecting materials for the hard landscaping, Emma and her team searched for something solid so that it was in the same hierarchy and family as the external walls. However, she wanted something soft to contrast with the flat rendered backdrop.
The main entrance of the house is up the pedestrian walkway at the side of the house and through the courtyard where the fireplace is located. Therefore, the materials palette in these spaces was crucial for setting the tone for the remainder of the design.
Petersen D91 bricks were selected as a step stone for the pedestrian walkway, a paver for the front entranceway, and for a feature wall enclosing the brick fireplace and pizza oven. Emma explains that the texture of the brick paver and the brick fireplace met the objective for something soft, and also gave them a lot of flexibility with the layout of the paving design and the small module fire.
For the front pedestrian walkway, they created a step stone effect using Petersen bricks, which turned into paving as one approached the house, and walked past the backdrop of the fireplace towards the beautiful wall. Petersen bricks also work wonderfully with bluestone, which is used as a cobblestone on the driveway, and as cladding on the pool walls and garden beds.
“Because all of the other materials were bluestone and really flat cool colours, the colour range in the Petersen bricks allows you to choose something that will work, but the texture just gives it a bit more warmth. And the colour is just perfect to blend with everything,” Emma remarks.
Emma has created an inviting entranceway and relaxed courtyard, which work in perfect harmony with the remainder of the elegantly designed and beautifully appointed home.
Photography: Duncan Jacobs
