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East Meets West: A Knockdown-Rebuild That Fuses Different Styles
When an Australian photographer and his family moved from Shanghai to Perth, they sought a home with Chinese influences
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation each week. Here, Matthew Duignan, building designer and director at Mesh Design Projects, takes us through how he incorporated Asian design principles into a knockdown-rebuild in the sleepy Perth suburbs for a young family who had relocated from Shanghai.
The original house.
What was the original house like?
A small, dated and dysfunctional, single-storey home.
Considering a knockdown-rebuild? Find a building designer on Houzz
What was the original house like?
A small, dated and dysfunctional, single-storey home.
Considering a knockdown-rebuild? Find a building designer on Houzz
What was your brief?
The husband’s business is photographing luxury hotels and fine food. The couple shared images of hotel foyers, luxury hotel suites and opulent swimming pools during the design consultation.
With a limited build budget and clients with an eye for perfection, we had a challenge on our hands.
The brief was to incorporate classic Chinese spatial concepts into an Australian setting with its harsh sun. Our mission was to achieve harmony and balance.
The husband’s business is photographing luxury hotels and fine food. The couple shared images of hotel foyers, luxury hotel suites and opulent swimming pools during the design consultation.
With a limited build budget and clients with an eye for perfection, we had a challenge on our hands.
The brief was to incorporate classic Chinese spatial concepts into an Australian setting with its harsh sun. Our mission was to achieve harmony and balance.
The original kitchen.
What were their must-haves?
What were their must-haves?
- Four bedrooms.
- Two living spaces; one that could be a multipurpose room (gym, studio and entertaining space).
- A luxurious feel.
- Water features (a pool and pond).
What did you identify as the main challenge?
The building budget.
The building budget.
Ground-floor plan
What was your thinking behind the colour and materials palette?
A contemporary take on east meets west.
What was your thinking behind the colour and materials palette?
A contemporary take on east meets west.
First-floor plan
How would you describe the house?
This house is all about achieving balance.
There is a box-like solidity to the structure. The strength of the bluestone cladding and the raw, rendered concrete firmly anchor it.
A captivating feature of this build is a cleverly designed sequence of aluminium louvres that curve around the top of the building, which provide shade for the bedrooms.
How would you describe the house?
This house is all about achieving balance.
There is a box-like solidity to the structure. The strength of the bluestone cladding and the raw, rendered concrete firmly anchor it.
A captivating feature of this build is a cleverly designed sequence of aluminium louvres that curve around the top of the building, which provide shade for the bedrooms.
We start all projects by assessing the site orientation. Due to the northern orientation running along the side of the site, we created a northern courtyard to allow light to filter into the main kitchen/living area.
We also chose to have the larger yard and swimming pool to the south to maximise the shade in summer for outdoor activities.
A water feature coursing along the front and rear of the home helps to moderate outdoor temperatures.
We also chose to have the larger yard and swimming pool to the south to maximise the shade in summer for outdoor activities.
A water feature coursing along the front and rear of the home helps to moderate outdoor temperatures.
How did the owners’ experience of living in Shanghai influence the design?
We were inspired by the homeowners’ travels, personalities and their (literal) marriage of different cultures. We had a number of conversations exploring their experiences of living and working in the dynamic, modern city of Shanghai.
We were inspired by the homeowners’ travels, personalities and their (literal) marriage of different cultures. We had a number of conversations exploring their experiences of living and working in the dynamic, modern city of Shanghai.
The project was a fusion of architecture and artwork where we created family, entertainment and work spaces.
For the photographer, we wanted to give him layers of materiality that reminded him of what he had experienced and achieved through decades of looking through a lens.
For the photographer, we wanted to give him layers of materiality that reminded him of what he had experienced and achieved through decades of looking through a lens.
What was the budget?
Between $1 and $1.4 million.
Where did most of it go?
The structure.
Between $1 and $1.4 million.
Where did most of it go?
The structure.
What was the biggest splurge?
The metal louvres (which were both the biggest splurge and save). They were quoted by the builder to be around $180,000. We removed this item from the builder’s scope of works and outsourced it ourselves, working directly with the client. This saved about $100,000.
We prefer to keep all sub-contractors under the builder’s contract, but sometimes you need to get involved and make it viable or it will quickly get deleted from the project.
Where did you save?
The landscaping, lighting and louvres.
The metal louvres (which were both the biggest splurge and save). They were quoted by the builder to be around $180,000. We removed this item from the builder’s scope of works and outsourced it ourselves, working directly with the client. This saved about $100,000.
We prefer to keep all sub-contractors under the builder’s contract, but sometimes you need to get involved and make it viable or it will quickly get deleted from the project.
Where did you save?
The landscaping, lighting and louvres.
The original house.
What challenges did you have to work around?
I was based in Melbourne, the client was in Shanghai and the project was in Perth.
What challenges did you have to work around?
I was based in Melbourne, the client was in Shanghai and the project was in Perth.
What are the defining features of the new house?
- The angled louvres on the facade, which create a sense of constant movement and change.
- The northern courtyard, which runs along the side of the site and filters light into the main kitchen/living area.
- The off-form concrete ceiling on the ground floor, which was formed using the floorboards from the original home so there will always be a reminder of what was.
- The flexible studio/living area, which can be used for work (photography), working out (yoga room) and entertaining for small or large occasions.
Interior materials palette
- New Age Veneers American oak veneer joinery to the kitchen.
- Urban Edge Ceramics La Roche ceramic tiles in Blanc to the kitchen, living room and bathrooms (apart from the ensuite).
- Urban Edge Ceramics Mews Artisanal tiles in Soot to the ensuite.
- Artedomus Maximum porcelain panels to the shower wall in the ensuite.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another new build? Check out Something Old, Something New: A Unique Knockdown-Rebuild
What’s your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another new build? Check out Something Old, Something New: A Unique Knockdown-Rebuild
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Answers by Matthew Duignan, building designer and director at Mesh Design Projects.
Who lives here: A couple with three children
Location: Ardross, WA
Bedrooms and bathrooms in the original house: Three bedrooms and one bathroom
Bedrooms and bathrooms in the new house: Four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two powder rooms
Size before works: 145 square metres
Size after works: 330 square metres
Budget: Between $1 and 1.4 million
Building designer: Matthew Duignan at Mesh Design Projects
Builder: Arklen