Located in Melbourne, Australia, Cable House is a small, dark workers’ cottage transformed by Tom Robertson Architects into a contemporary family home. Completed in 2018, the renovated house has a total floor area of 230m² (2,475ft²).
The project addresses two seemingly competing requirements. The design must deliver light, functional spaces for a young family, and simultaneously remain sensitive to the surrounding area.
The striking gable roof ensures the lowest points adjoin neighboring properties, a simple yet compelling solution to planning regulations. A skylight over the stairs and another above the kitchen bring natural light into the living spaces, while a window at table-height connects the dining space to a small eastern courtyard.
Working with minimal outdoor space, plants become integrated into the architecture to preserve a connection with nature. A planter box is built into the façade – vines growing around steel cables soften the minimalist lines and, over time, will create a living green exterior.
Internally, a planter for vines is encased in joinery and steel cables form the balustrade, echoing the cables and vines of the exterior and bringing foliage into the very heart of the home.
— Tom Robertson Architects
Drawings:
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Photographs by Tatjan Plitt
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