Unlocked potential
D House
Author: Hannah Slater
The original plan of this semidetached home has been “unlocked” by Marston Architects to allow light and air into an elegant and finely detailed alteration and addition.
Desinged by Marston Architects
The D House by Marston Architects is located in the urban green belt of Queens Park, Sydney, where parkland meets dense suburban development. Situated in a heritage conservation area, the house was originally a semidetached dwelling with a poorly oriented kitchen extension that disconnected it from the garden and street. The interiors were dark and cramped, with privacy issues due to the dual interface of a public street and service laneway. The architects responded sensitively to these urban challenges, respecting local heritage while improving the site’s function and connectivity.
A large, full-height window in the main bedroom has a view into the garden and across neighbouring rooftops.
Reconnecting Home and Garden: A Sensible Response to Light, Privacy, and Flexibility
The client’s brief sought a home that embraced natural light, privacy, and a connection to the garden, while offering a retreat within a dense neighborhood. Marston Architects’ first move was to demolish a problematic kitchen extension, opening up the home to light and integrating new and existing elements. A northern breezeway connects the house to the street and garden, bringing natural light deep into the space and creating a new circulation path. Exposed original brickwork reveals the building’s urban history, with scorched bricks serving as a subtle reminder of a past fireplace.
The kitchen is tucked alongside the main circulation zone and connected to the main living area.
Seamless Integration of Old and New: A Harmonious Urban Retreat
The D House cleverly integrates old and new, with a breezeway made of recycled bricks linking the original cozy home to a light-filled, split-level extension. The sloping site creates a functional division, with spaces that cater to privacy and openness. Large openings frame garden views and align with the breezeway, enhancing light and air flow. A linear skylight and pivot doors connect the living room to the garden, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. Marston Architects’ attention to materials, light, and spatial flow delivers a calm, sustainable urban retreat in a dense neighborhood.
