Cross Stitch House

Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts

CROSS STITCH HOUSE

FMD Architects

ARCHITECTS
FMD Architects

LOCATION
Melbourne, Australia

CATEGORY
Extension

PROJECT YEAR
2013

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Eckersley Garden Architecture

PHOTOGRAPHS
Peter Bennetts

The site is a single storey terrace on a small 5m wide block in the inner city of Melbourne.

Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts
Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts
Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts

The brief was to create new Living and Dining spaces, relocate the existing kitchen and bathrooms and improve access to natural light in the main living and main bedroom areas.

The existing Victorian eastern end of the house containing 2 bedrooms was to remain and be refurbished.

The functional requirements of the client were simple. The only particular requirement was to find a place in the design for 3 tapestries of houses that her mother had made.

Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts
Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts
Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts

Our design strategy is always to celebrate the particularities of the project, so while exploring the tradition of tapestry and stitching techniques, the concept of stitching the new house form to the old established the design approach.

The timber beams form the thread which stitches the new living room to the existing house, then beyond to the western courtyard.

The timber beams at the northern point converge into a large timber column, reminiscent of a bobbin thread.

Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts
Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts

Within the courtyard a mirror is positioned strategically at the end of the threads to extend the space and create a sense of unravelling (while concealing the services of the building).

The timber threads twist over the western façade to provide added shading to the Living area which will soon be overgrown over by greenery.

Cross Stitch House
© Peter Bennetts


Cross Stitch House
Floor Plan


Cross Stitch House
Cross Section
Cross Stitch House
Elevation
Cross Stitch House
Longitudinal Section


Cross Stitch House
Diagram