The Modern Californian Bungalow – Edge House by Dean Dyson Architects

Edge House sees Dean Dyson Architects thoughtfully rework a quintessential Coburg California bungalow to connect with its surrounding landscape. Interiors have been updated and a modern extension added to the rear of the original weatherboard to create more space for the family of five living there.

The inspired renovation of the once dark, disjointed three-bedroom house reminds of the importance of a home’s connection to the surrounding natural environment, especially in an urban context. Lead architect Dean Dyson responds to the needs of the inhabitants by opening up the original bungalow to create more space for a family to live and retreat within, and through reconditioning the interiors of the home to communicate directly with its environment.

Inside the home, considered structural choices maximise natural light, flow, privacy, and comfort without compromising the home’s heritage.

Dean Dyson Architects has completely reimagined the original building. The front façade is all that remains untouched, an ode to the timeless appeal of the Californian bungalow synonymous with Melbourne’s north. From the rear it is a completely different home, with a geometric, rendered black façade that opens to the backyard. Furnishings are kept simple and uncomplicated, and the interiors are modern, dominated by a monochromatic palette and polished concrete floors, reminiscent of deep tones found in the surrounding foliage.

Inside Edge House, considered structural choices maximise natural light, flow, privacy, and comfort without compromising the home’s heritage. Dean Dyson Architects reconfigures the long hallway to create a new lounge room that connects with the kitchen and dining to open the space. Responding to the needs of a family of five, the master bedroom is reworked entirely — the entrance is completely concealed, and the bedroom connects to one of the courtyards, creating a private, parents-only retreat.

The renovation nurtures a strong connection to the surrounding greenery and the home’s park-side location.

The renovation nurtures a strong connection to the surrounding greenery and the home’s park-side location. A window in the living room opens onto the park, framed by a semi-translucent perforated metal screen that can also slide completely open. In the kitchen, a carefully placed splashback reflects the greenery outside. Outside, the front and back garden consists of two courtyards that offer flexible indoor-outdoor living all year round, one offering a shaded space for hot summer days and the other a more open space to soak up the sun on cooler days.

Also integral to the home’s rejuvenation is a consideration of its heritage. Design choices merge the old and the new throughout the home, seen in the juxtaposition of the front façade compared to the rear. Similarly, upon entering the master bedroom wing there is a picture-framed window where on one side are the weatherboards of the old house and, on the other, the contemporary concrete render.

Grounded by a connection to the treetops, greenery and park surrounding the home, Edge House welcomes the natural environment into the very function of the home. By modernising and reworking the humble bungalow, Dean Dyson Architects illustrates how to execute a considered, balanced renovation in a way that profoundly alters the way the inhabitants live and relate to their surroundings.