An outdoor courtyard features a modern L-shaped building with vertical wood siding on the upper half and white brick on the lower half. A native garden bed with young trees and large boulders borders a dark-planked patio area under a clear blue sky.
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Pen-Y-Bryn

Launceston, Tasmania 2024

A generational homecoming - literally.

After a number of years living on the Australian mainland, our Tasmania-born client was ready to return with her family to the quieter island of her younger days. In Launceston, the old childhood homestead was still happily occupied by her parents, but a patch of dirt out back invited new attention.

Our design incorporated a new family home onto the existing block, capitalising on the site’s generosity of space, view and light, and respecting its place in one of northern Tasmania’s most established heritage value suburbs.

Grounded in space.

In the context of its period home neighbours, it was critically important that this contemporary residence be respectful of the surrounding heritage character. Our design placed the addition quietly and unassumingly within the relatively narrow subdivision of the childhood family home, against the backdrop of established neighbouring gardens.

By pushing the building form to the southern side of the block, the home enjoys sun access all the way along its long northern side, beginning as a low single-level garage, before splitting at the entry into private bedroom spaces above, and following a gradient down to the family-friendly kitchen, dining and living spaces.

This exterior view shows a two-story home featuring a combination of vertical wood cladding and white brick. Large glass doors reveal a well-lit dining and kitchen area where a person works at a table and children sit at an island.

A welcome interruption.

Our approach incorporated an interruption to the otherwise uniformly long and narrow plan by “pushing out” the living and dining wing out at the lower level, as well as a multi-use guest and rumpus area at the upper level.

This sunlit interior features two children sitting on a carpeted floor next to a plate of cookies and a wooden partition. A vibrant, abstract painting hangs on the white wall near a window seat that overlooks lush green trees.
This modern kitchen features a long sage-green island where a family is eating breakfast. The space is finished with light wood floors, a vertical tiled backsplash, and minimalist white cylindrical lights on the ceiling. This exterior view shows a two-story home combining light brickwork with vertical timber cladding. Wide wooden steps lead from a grassy lawn, past a stone-bordered garden bed, to a large glass sliding door that reveals the interior living space.
The living room features a black fire place set against a light brick wall and a long wooden storage unit. A couple relaxes on a grey sofa, while large dome-shaped pendant lights hang from the ceiling in front of a wide window with sheer curtains.
This sunlit workspace features a built-in wooden desk and a tall storage cabinet placed next to a large window. A grey upholstered chair sits at the desk, which overlooks a view of autumnal trees and a neighbouring building under a clear sky. This exterior view shows the two-story home with a mix of light brick and vertical timber cladding. A family is enjoying the spacious wooden deck, where children play with a ball and a ride-on toy under a clear blue sky.
This outdoor courtyard features a sloped garden bed with boulders and young trees, situated between a white brick wall and a dark wood-panelled upper story. A dark-toned retaining wall separates the garden from a paved patio area under a clear sky. This interior features a tall window framing a lush view of green and reddish trees. A white storage unit and a round ottoman sit on the neutral carpet, creating a minimalist, sunlit space.
This exterior view features a low-profile home with a light tan brick facade and a flat roofline. A wide concrete driveway leads to a dark grey double garage, while minimalist landscaping with small green shrubs and large white stones borders the property.