Waterfall House by Clare Cousins Architects

Set amid the brick interwar charm of Glen Iris’ Summerhill Estate, Waterfall House is a reimagination of the home’s classic art deco features, where design elements are blended with enhanced space and modern liveability to create an abode that supports family life.

The owners of this 1920s residence sought to transform the inward-facing, two-bedroom home into a light-filled, family-oriented space. Enamoured with the home’s original character, they enlisted Clare Cousins Architects to reinterpret its period details in a contemporary way, all while forging stronger connections to the outdoors, enhanced by a prominent garden.

In reinventing the house, Clare Cousins Architects drew inspiration from the striking curves of its well-preserved art deco facade.

In reinventing the house, Clare Cousins Architects drew inspiration from the striking curves of its well-preserved art deco facade. The new addition echoes these influences, combining sculpted forms in cream, handmade brick by Krause Bricks with “sinuous glass rolling delicately underneath,” describes Cousins. This gentle feature, reminiscent of a waterfall, envelops the family in light and allows “the new living spaces to flow from one room to the next,” says Cousins.

Inside, a series of level changes follow the site’s natural slope, defining interior spaces while fostering connections to the rear landscape – once situated well below the original house. One step down from the facade, a generous kitchen and dining volume unfolds, with a sunken living area beyond, nestling into the site. “A narrow outcrop of the lush garden creeps towards the centre of the house, giving occupants in the new sunken living room the feeling of being immersed in the garden during all seasons,” says Cousins. Polished concrete floors are paired with spotted gum window frames, cabinetry and wall panelling, creating a cohesive palette that complements the vintage furniture pieces collected by the owners.

With thoughtful planning and creative ingenuity, Waterfall House demonstrates how design can both honour history and elevate contemporary living.

Upstairs, three bedrooms provide a restful sanctuary for the young family, offering a quiet retreat. The brick facade of the addition rises to form a parapet, concealing a private roof terrace that is accessible from the main bedroom. This open-air setting features an outdoor bath and a unique brick porthole, framing views of the garden below. Designed in collaboration with Eckersley Garden Architecture, the landscape’s freeform arrangement of Castlemaine slate is beautifully showcased from this elevated vantage point, adding a relaxed touch around the firepit and lush garden beds.

With thoughtful planning and creative ingenuity, Waterfall House demonstrates how design can both honour history and elevate contemporary living. Drawing on the robust, tactile materials that define Clare Cousins Architects’ practice, this alteration and addition playfully reinterprets the home’s original architecture through a contemporary lens, creating a harmonious space for modern living.

Architecture by Clare Cousins Architects. Build by Original Projects. Landscape design by Eckersley Garden Architecture.