rixben house

Mascot NSW

This was an alterations and additions project to a single storey brick veneer home which involved the complete redesign of the ground floor interior spaces and the addition of a first floor storey to accommodate private quarters. The client brief emphasised the need for sun-drenched outdoor living spaces as well as a requirement to capture as much natural light as possible into the centre of the home. Sitting in a tight bend of a cul-de-sac, the site takes an irregular wedge-like shape forcing the house to drop back considerably from the street creating a large front yard which is bathed in northern light. A large north facing timber deck mediates the relationship between the internal living spaces and the pool area located in the front yard. Landscaping is provided at the street front to soften the textural palette of the front yard as well as providing natural screening for privacy and for shade. The interior of the home is bright and airy with natural light flooding into the kitchen and dining spaces from the timber deck area whilst the stairwell adjacent to the living space gently throws natural light into the heart of the home. The architecture takes form as a series of staggered prisms each sneakily trying to capture the light of the sun as they shift further back towards the rear of the site.

Photography by Simon Whitbread