Home renovations involve careful planning, taxing meetings and specific briefs.
But when creative eight-year-old twin boys from Melbourne showed their parents some playful sketches, their imaginative ideas were just what the ‘lost and tired adults’ needed to transform their old weatherboard home.
The result? The Tower House, a unique ‘village’ inspired home that has since won three home awards for its creative design.
Designed by Maynard Architects, the spectacular home was the result of a renovation and extension to a house in leafy Alphington, Victoria.
When creative eight-year-old twin boys from Melbourne showed their parents some playful sketches, their imaginative ideas were just what the ‘lost and tired adults’ needed to transform this old weatherboard home
Designed by Maynard Architects , the home was the result of a renovation and extension to a house in leafy Alphington, Victoria (pictured is the net in the twins’ studio)
Hanging within this tall space is a net where the boys can read, and contemplate with a view to the street and a view to the backyard. The boys study is designed to inspire the boys as they grow and learn
‘We restored the original, where we have two kids’ rooms, a bathroom and living spaces. A studio, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and dining occupy the new part of the house,’ the team explained.
The family desired a home that was ‘nurturing, stimulating, inspiring, delightful and community-focused’ and one that was both ‘social and private’.
Reflecting on the process, the architects said they wanted to ‘create a series of small structures of a scale and texture’ and were inspired by the sketches as a starting point.
‘During an early design meeting we handed the twin boys paper and pencils and asked them to quietly entertain themselves while the adults spoke about ‘more important things’,’ they said.
The house also has a ‘her library’ with a desk ‘almost buried in the garden’ for relaxation
‘Our project explored the idea of creating a vertical home, in contrast to the typical Australian home,’ the Maynard team said
‘After discussing the complexity of designing a home, and the various possibilities, we had all found ourselves deep down the rabbit hole, confused, lost and tired.
‘We looked over to the boys to discover that they were not drawing cars, soldiers or dragons. Instead they had drawn their house. With modest confidence they slid their simple sketches, complete with notations, to me saying in unison ‘there you go’. Their sketches distilled a lot of ideas. They had firmly pushed the boat off the shore and we were on our way.’
One of the most unique features of the home is an enormous net surrounding the twins’ studio.
‘Our project explored the idea of creating a vertical home, in contrast to the typical Australian home,’ the Maynard team said.
‘Our project explored the idea of creating a vertical home, in contrast to the typical Australian home,’ the Maynard team said
Other features include a front yard that serves a communal vegetable patch
‘The boys’ studio pushes this idea further. It is a wholly vertical space with a bookshelf running from floor to ceiling. The boys desks are at the base of the studio, where they can studiously work.
‘Hanging within this tall space is a net where the boys can read, and contemplate with a view to the street and a view to the backyard. The boys study is designed to inspire the boys as they grow and learn.’
The house also has a ‘her library’ with a desk ‘almost buried in the garden’ for relaxation and a ‘his spot’ in the roof above the kitchen.
At its core it is also sustainable and and the ‘openings and windows have been designed to optimise passive solar gain, thereby drastically reducing demands on mechanical heating and cooling’
‘Tower House is the result of endless conversations with a trusting, enthusiastic, patient and encouraging client,’ they said
Other features include a front yard that serves a communal vegetable patch, sliding panels that allow shared rooms to divided into smaller ones should the need arise and practical fencing.
At its core it is also sustainable and and the ‘openings and windows have been designed to optimise passive solar gain, thereby drastically reducing demands on mechanical heating and cooling’.
‘Tower House is the result of endless conversations with a trusting, enthusiastic, patient and encouraging client,’ they said.