When Jesse and Vanessa first bought their house in Melbourne’s Westgarth, it was in need of attention. Built in the late 1800s, the home was rich in history but showing its age. After living in the house in its original shape for three years, the couple decided to seek out an architect who was aligned with their vision, to design an extension at the rear of the existing dwelling. After some searching, the couple met Phil Snowdon of Ola Studio, who understood their aesthetic and style.
At the time of designing the Garth House extension, Jesse and Vanessa weren’t short of things to keep them busy – Jesse is a successful chef, and together they are business owners and operators as well as parents. They were eager to maintain as much of the original dwelling as possible, but over their first three years in the house, parts had fallen into irreversible disrepair, with progressively less of the original house being salvageable. At the rear of the home, existing external walls were rebuilt in their original locations, helping to distinguish the old from the new and establishing a framework to set the new against.