The Grange, Malvern, VIC

A rear addition to an existing home in the inner Melbourne suburb of Malvern, The Grange provided a productive and responsive solution to a slice of residential suburbia. The design brief was simple: the architectural solution was to create more space, more amenities, minimise operational costs, mask the extension from the street. 

The Tectvs solution was to insert a box at the rear of the building - but beautifully. A subtle butterfly-roof extension on level one is clad in timber shingles that wear with the weather. This produced an effect of softness and a warmth that is usually removed from the city. Underneath, the ground floor features exposed block-work that greets an expansive deck and pool. Moreover, inside, a new kitchen and living space continue the use of timber. 

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The Grange combines a mix of material finishes both luxurious and raw to articulate mood more than image. Spaces transition delicately between dark and light, smooth and robust, but always invitational. The warmth is welcoming rather than wearying, the house is lived-in more than looked-at, and the architecture is appropriate rather than an advertisement.