As one of Australia’s most lauded architecture studios, Breathe is known for having a distinctive and sustainable approach to every project they touch.

But with this expertise also comes an understanding of how to make their mark on a home, without disrupting the original framework.

In the case of Merri Creek House, Breathe project architect Emily McBain says there was already a ‘lot to love’ about the Northcote family home.

Perched at the edge of bushland, the unique property was designed by Goad Fink Architects and built by its original owner, Ian Ezard in 1990, who used tongue-and-groove timber flooring from a nearby warehouse workshop and even built the home’s steel frame himself using a forklift.

Then in 2005, Fink&McMahon Architects added a third level to the top floor.

Despite its 90’s origins and later addition, when Breathe architects were invited to envision a new chapter for the home, they felt it radiated a distinctly modernist energy, with its floor-to-ceiling timber-framed windows, flat rooflines, and red steel beams.

‘The extensive glazing allowed for an abundance of light and warmth to penetrate the spaces, which was welcomed in the winter months, however proved problematic during summer,’ Emily says.

‘It also meant there was limited wall space, which wasn’t ideal for the clients’ art collection!’

Appreciative of the building’s unique character, Breathe knew they had to approach the project as a gentle retrofit rather than a complete renovation: ‘No new floor area, just a more comfortable and artful version of itself.’

The strategy was to effectively fill in the gaps, introducing a series of almost undetectable updates that transformed the house’s thermal performance.

One of the key moves was to retrofit the existing cedar framed windows with double-glazed units and sections of insulated, timber clad wall panels, which not only stopped the home from overheating, but offered new wall space for the owners’ art and objects.

Emily says it was also the family’s love of art, including pieces by Michael and George Johnson, that inspired the saturated use of colour amongst the otherwise ‘restrained palette’ of timber and glass.

On the ground floor, the new cobalt-blue kitchen now tucks neatly under the stairs, offering views across the revived gardens and a natural pool, designed by Sam Cox Landscapes.

The dramatic curved staircase takes its rightful place as the breathtaking hero of the house. Deliberately bold pops of orange and red across the furnishings tie in with the original steel elements, while a yellow laundry and green carpet upstairs also offer moments of delight.

The oversized main bedroom upstairs was reimagined as a sequence of spaces: for sleeping, dressing and bathing, all with uninterrupted views out to Merri Creek.

‘The design approach was one of careful restraint, to honour the existing house. The interiors are filled with timber, glass and vibrant moments of colour; they feel as if they are a natural evolution of the house, almost as if they’d always been there,’ Emily adds.

‘Merri Creek House makes a case for renewal and reuse, demonstrating how strategic and considered alterations can have a widespread impact. The project harnesses the unique opportunities of the existing home to create a comfortable and joyful home that will stand the test of time.’