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When Sans-Arc Studio were engaged to design a new home for an Adelaide couple, the clients presented them with a relatively simple brief, with a few special requests to ensure the outcome would become their ‘forever home’.
It had to have enough space for the clients to host a large family Christmas, an office fit for working from home, in addition to a ‘dry-store for curing salami’ and an extra space in the garage for their 1956 Alfa Romeo! But most importantly, an open-plan kitchen, living and dining, which had to feel like the heart of their residence.
‘The clients were after a mid-century aesthetic, but were also after something low-maintenance,’ Sans-Arc Studio director Matiya Marovich says. ‘On top of this, we introduced some extra playfulness and wanted a distinctly warm and natural feel to the space.’
These influences came to life in the beautifully restrained material palette. European oak timber joinery and Blackbutt flooring set the tone for the serene interiors, while cream bricks, off-white tiles and round windows offer nods to retro inspirations.
‘The intention with our material selection was to be timeless and choose robust materials that will age and wear well,’ Matiya adds.
While the intriguing facade maintains similar shapes to neighbouring residences with garages, or older Victoria-era homes, he says the use of timber and organic shapes creates a more ‘natural’ structure within the leafy street. Timber detailing cleverly hides the three-car garage from view.
The house is passively designed and ‘aware of its context’, using reverse brick veneer, natural ventilation and solar panels to ensure its sustainability. The dining space also flows to an oversized courtyard garden, creating an adaptable space for entertaining filled with natural light.
Meanwhile inside, a sliding door set amongst the living room’s joinery separates the street-facing ‘wing’ from the rest of the floorplan, allowing the owners to work from home and meet their clients in private.
The resulting residence has ‘all the things’ expected of a suburban home, in a calming, contemporary package designed to stand the test of time.
