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This Fairfield family home is full of ‘wow’ moments.
From the street, the charming Edwardian facade doesn’t give much away about the dramatic renovation that lies inside — showcasing the masterful work of FIGR Architecture.
It’s home to a family of five, who engaged FIGR director Adi Atic and his team with a vision to combine the period home’s character with a modern, sculptural addition would that embrace its natural surroundings at every opportunity.
‘The existing house was a bit of a rabbit warren without clear connections to the outdoors. You had to walk through the kitchen and laundry to get outside to the backyard,’ Adi says of the property before the renovation.
At the front of the site, the original portion of the home was meticulously rebuilt. Endearing architectural features like the ornamental cornices, ceiling roses, high skirting boards, and fireplaces were all restored.
But the real transformation took place at the rear. Channelling inspiration from the existing pitched rooflines, FIGR Architecture designed an extension of epic proportions, shaped carefully around a central courtyard.
A hallway wrapped in hardwood blackbutt timber serves as a ‘threshold tunnel’, opening up to the new living spaces, where vaulted ceilings feature timber beams overhead and concrete floors underfoot.
It’s an undeniably contemporary and open-plan space, made even more immersive by skylights and high windows built into the extensive joinery. These openings capture natural light and leafy glimpses while providing privacy from a neighbouring two-storey apartment building.
Adi says privacy concerns also influenced the positioning of the courtyard and pool — which he describes as the ‘green heart’ of the home protected by a canopy of trees.
‘The courtyard acts as a unifying and refreshing green space; the large sliding doors dissolve barriers between indoors and outdoors; and the elevated rear deck that appears to float over the landscape,’ he adds.
The resulting Hug House not only embraces the greenery outside, but the residents who live there, turning the home into an intimate sanctuary.
