Architecture

A Sympathetic Extension Of A Melbourne Art Deco Home

Drive across Melbourne’s inner and middle ring suburbs and you’ll see numerous interwar homes with a contrasting modern extension at the rear. 

Lindsay, designed by Megowan, takes a different approach. When renovating and extending an existing art deco McKinnon home, the architects took inspiration from the original architecture, continuing its curving shapes and material palette throughout the addition, without bordering on imitation. 

The cohesive design sensitively integrates the front of the home with the rear, while providing more liveable and generous spaces within.

Written
by
Amelia Barnes

Lindsay by Megowan is a cohesively extended art deco home in McKinnon, Melbourne. Photo – Nils Koenning

Art deco cues were borrowed from the exisiting front of the home and introduced to the rear. Photo – Nils Koenning

The new addition comprises a new sunken lounge that navigates the sloping block to connect the front of the home to the backyard. Photo – Nils Koenning

Brick flooring enhances the connection between the new and old areas of the home, while creating a seamless transition between indoors and out. Photo – Nils Koenning

The use of red veined marble and cardinal-coloured metalwork ties in with the extensive brickwork. Photo – Nils Koenning

Photo – Nils Koenning

A new outdoor pergola mirrors the curving form and white trims of the front exterior. Photo – Nils Koenning

The art deco facade. Photo – Nils Koenning

The successful project is a case for extending art deco homes in a sympathetic manner that truly respects and references their architectural origins. Photo – Nils Koenning

Writer
Amelia Barnes
13th of April 2023

The were two key goals for the transformation of this interwar McKinnon, Melbourne house: create a cohesive design that sensitively references its original art deco architecture throughout, and connect the interiors to the backyard. 

Megowan architects designed the project, taking cues and materials from the existing home and introducing them to the new and revived spaces.

The new addition comprises a new sunken lounge that navigates the sloping block to connect the front of the home to the backyard. Brick flooring enhances the connection between the new and old areas of the home, while creating a seamless transition between indoors and out. 

‘Initially, the clients were hesitant about our suggestion of using brick paving inside, but we were able to earn their trust and demonstrate a shared vision for the space,’ says Christopher Megowan, founding director of Megowan. ‘The resulting living area feels rich and inviting, perfectly bridging the indoor spaces with the outdoor garden, alfresco, and pool.’

A new outdoor pergola mirrors the curving form and white trims of the front exterior, while the use of red veined marble and cardinal-coloured metalwork ties in with the extensive brickwork. 

Other features that reference the home’s original architecture include skirting tiles, bench seating, and joinery that behaves in the same way as dado rails and mouldings found in the front rooms. 

‘There are certainly Scandinavian and mid-century modern influences as well. These can be found in the light oaks, clerestory windows, long skylights, exposed timber rafters, and generally in the sunken living area,’ says Christopher. 

The clients are delighted by the transformation of the home that surprises all those who enter. ‘According to them, guests’ reactions build to a crescendo by the time they reach the back room and realise the full impact of the works undertaken,’ says Christopher. 

The successful project is a case for extending art deco homes in a sympathetic manner that truly respects and references their architectural origins. 

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