Westgarth House

Westgarth House is a minimal residence located in Melbourne, Australia, designed by Michael Mckeon Architecture. The project involved retaining the Edwardian facade on a corner block and enhancing the home with a modern extension that respects the original structure. The design aims to harmonize the new and old, creating a balanced blend evident in the overall roof form, proportions, details, and material choices. The street frontages were meticulously restored to match the local context, with significant renovations to the front rooms to repair damage, improve thermal performance, and ensure cohesion with the new extension. At the rear, a sympathetic extension features a new archway that separates the period features of the original home from the streamlined elements of the new space. A hallway leads past an internal courtyard that introduces natural light into the home’s center, highlighting the transition between old and new.

The extension houses an open kitchen, living, and dining area under a sculpted, raked ceiling, which contrasts subtly with the existing roof forms and faces east to capture morning sunlight. The living and dining areas open to a north-facing garden through a wall of windows, maximizing natural light and the connection to the outdoors. Interior finishes include cabinetry that references the home’s original period features, with vertical lines and expressed fins echoing the bay window and fretwork. Rich timber tones in flooring and cabinetry provide warmth and depth throughout the house. Situated on a prominent corner under a heritage overlay, the project required the retention and restoration of most of the external fabric. The extension, positioned at the rear, maintains scale and roof forms to sit sympathetically within the local context.

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