Lemon Tree House

Status: Completed in 2006

Alterations to existing single residence with single-storey addition.

Lemon tree house, a single-storey extension was designed to accommodate an extra person to the back. However, still being able to access the existing single residence. The functional brief allowed to be the beautiful lemon tree located in the backyard to drive the design. The living room designed to extend from the existing house enclosed the formerly outdoor bathroom, creating an indoor continuity. The proposed space visually connects to the lemon tree via the floor to ceiling window opening onto the decking. The expansive skylight marks the transition from the old to the new, bringing in the sunlight reflecting off the white brick wall and wall panels to brighten the space.

The sunken flexible room is attached to the living room, adjacent to the lemon tree and is accessed through an entrance hidden in the living room wall panel. It creates a dynamic exterior where the decking steps down to create a seating area that around the bend gradually converts into a high wall for inbuilt storage space. Further, the window of this space is positioned to look onto the lemon tree from a lower angle, generating a different view, a different feel to the space. The aesthetic of timber decking is continued into the façade, bringing natural warmth to the adjacent living space, all revolving around the tree.

Photo credit: Steve Suteadja