Location: Menora, Perth
Date of Completion: 2020
Menora is known for its many interwar houses, as well as its leafy environ – not surprisingly, since the area was modelled on the notion of the garden suburb. Although the 1930s house on this site wasn’t heritage-listed, there’s a keen desire by the local council for these homes to be preserved, maintaining the relatively intact streetscapes. So, while the front two rooms of Rothsay were retained, the ad hoc 1970s addition was entirely removed by Mountford McCarey Architects.
While not visible from the street, there’s a substantial two-storey wing, orientated to the northern back garden. The architects loosely drew inspiration from the original home, including details such as the distinctive Art Deco motifs, such as the staggered tile/brick work that was popular in the 1930s and ‘40s. However, apart from the original two front rooms, one now used as a formal living area and the other as a guest bedroom, everything else is new. Textured brick walls (inside and out), large picture windows and sliding glass doors provide a contemporary abode for a couple with two teenage children. And rather than create a disconnect between the past and the present, the period rooms, with their ornate bevelled glass doors, mesh seamlessly with the new wing – hence the absence of doors between the two eras.
The new wing comprises an open plan kitchen, dining and living area at ground level that connects to the courtyard-style garden terrace. The owners had already placed a pool in the back garden and were keen to retain this, along with the property’s mature trees. Hence, there are unimpeded sight lines from the front door, as a void over the dining area, together with highlight celestial windows that frame many of these trees. And on the first floor are three bedrooms, including the main bedroom that can be entirely opened up to enjoy the prevailing breezes (the large glass sliding doors can be fully retracted given there’s a glass balustrade for security). A similar transparency can be seen with the staircase, with its ‘floating’ timber treads and curve-ended balustrade, the latter giving a nod-to the original period.
Although the front rooms have been updated, the virtually new house comes with all the creature comforts, including a contemporary kitchen with built-in joinery that extends across the kitchen to the adjacent sitting area – an innovative alternative to the ‘butler’s kitchen’ which is normally fully tucked away. And while the house still contributes to this streetscape, there’s a welcome surprise past the threshold.
