2020 Houses Awards: House Alteration and Addition under 200m²

Jury comment

The mastery of Bismarck House, located on a corner block in a Bondi laneway, lies in its civic generosity to the urban margin. In crafting this extension to the rear of a typical semi-detached dwelling, Andrew Burges Architects has sought active engagement with the public realm that, in turn, brings the domestic life of the house into direct relation with the energy and materiality of its laneway context.

The salvaged brick boundary wall is articulated with amenity and civility, undulating to soften the streetscape and to create new thresholds into the site. As part of the elevation’s mise en scène, the kitchen window opens directly into the lane, anticipating serendipitous social interaction with passersby – an important and urbane connection that is so often avoided in tight metropolitan sites.

An ingenious shift in the geometric language of the plan establishes a series of roof gardens and light courts. This nuanced spatial realignment affords privacy while bringing natural light from above deep into the plan. The elongation of the landscaped pockets across the site delightfully extends the experience of the garden throughout the entire length of the house, and generously shares its life with the street.

The Award for House Alteration and Addition under 200m² is supported by Bosch. See full image galleries of all the winning and shortlisted projects here.