104 FITZROY TERRACE
Within a seemingly typical
Victorian terrace house, new shifts
in volume and dramatic apertures
to the sky create the illusion of
impossibly spacious proportions.
WordsbyEllaLeoncio
Photography by Peter Clarke
Asisthecasewithallterracehousealterations,thisprojectpresented
theage-olddesignchallengeofmaximizingspaceandlightona tightand
narrowinner-cityblock.Efficientplanningcomesintoplay,butit isthe
variedandeventfuljourneythroughthishousethatgivesit a greatersense
ofspaciousnessthanitsphysicalsizewouldallow.Bycreatingdistinctspaces
ofvaryingcharacter,architectTaylorKnightshasdelivereda housethatleaves
a multifacetedimpressiononitsvisitors,creatinganillusionofa house much
biggerandbolderthanits145-square-metreareamightsuggest.
Thealterationtotheexisting,two-storeyVictorianterraceisdivided
intotwodistinctzones:theprivateground-floorretreatandtheopenliving
spaceabove.A roofterracealsositsatopthehouse.Thoughportionsofit are
new,thegroundfloorretainstheenclosednatureoftheoriginalhouse.The
mainbedroom,locatedattherearofthegroundfloor,isparticularlyinward
looking,withverticalslotwindowsateithersideofthebedtheonlyapertures.
It’sperhapsnotthespacetoloungeinthesun,butit’scertainlya spacefor
reclusiverest,withlittlevisualoraudiblenoise.Thisstrategy,toencourage
retreatonthegroundfloor, opened opportunities to exploit space and light
on theupperfloors.
Onthefirstfloor,thespaceimmediatelytakesona differentquality.
As you land at an open living space, where daylight is captured from both
01 Thevariedand
unexpectedceiling
heightsatFitzroy
Terraceresultin
spatialclarityand
delight.Artwork:
Brooke Holm.
