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A Brunswick house that’s down to earth

Ruth Rengasamy, who grew up in a rammed-earth home in Melbourne’s Yarra Valley, always appreciated its natural insulation, which kept the house cool in summer and warm in winter. Her parents built the home themselves using a handbook, inspiring her with the unique qualities of rammed earth. Rammed earth is a building material composed of natural raw materials like earth, chalk, lime, or gravel. When Ms. Rengasamy and her husband, Raja, decided to renovate their dilapidated California bungalow in Brunswick, Melbourne’s inner north, they were determined to incorporate rammed-earth walls. Architect Steffen Welsch of Steffen Welsch Architects was enthusiastic about the idea, noting that rammed-earth homes offer a strong sense of shelter and protection from the outside world due to their solid construction. The renovation involved demolishing an old lean-to at the rear of the bungalow to make way for a new extension featuring the rammed-earth walls. The earth for construction was sourced from a nearby quarry and mixed with lime for added stability. Mr. Welsch emphasized the contextual and environmentally friendly nature of using local earth, as its color reflects the region, and the process has a lower environmental impact compared to concrete production. These walls contribute a raw beauty and natural texture to the extension, which houses the main bedroom, a study, a laundry, and the kitchen, meals, and living areas. Beyond the unusual materials, the extension's curved shape also stands out. Ms. Rengasamy explained that they wanted to avoid a standard box-shaped extension. Since the backyard faces south, a curved design was adopted to maximize morning light. This design successfully brings ample morning sunshine into the home. The front of the house also underwent a significant renovation. The bungalow was in poor condition and had lost much of its original character. Although the couple considered tearing it down, they decided against it to preserve the streetscape, as a row of matching bungalows lined the street. The house was restumped, and the original weatherboards were replaced. Mr. Welsch also redesigned the front to connect the home more effectively with the neighborhood, adding French doors to the front spare bedroom for easy access to the front yard. The revamped house now offers distinct spaces for children, guests, and parents, along with communal and transitional zones. The change in flooring from timber in the older part of the house to polished concrete in the new extension visibly marks these different areas. The kitchen is a highlight for Ms. Rengasamy, featuring a large island bench, Corian countertops, and extensive outdoor views through numerous windows, including a curved bank of glass doors. She notes that the kitchen’s design makes cooking enjoyable and that the entire living area remains bright and cheerful even on dark winter days, fostering a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors. #BrunswickRenovation #RammedEarth #SustainableDesign #ArchitecturalInnovation #HomeExtension #CaliforniaBungalow #NaturalMaterials #MelbourneRealEstate #BrunswickRenovation #RammedEarth #SustainableDesign #ArchitecturalInnovation #HomeExtension #CaliforniaBungalow #NaturalMaterials #MelbourneRealEstate

75 months ago

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