Bronte Terrace by Ellis Constructions

Working with a heritage home, Ellis Constructions crafts an innovative new dwelling respectful of its past. In Bronte Terrace, signs of modernisation appear across the foundation, floor plan and facade.

Embodying 1900s Federation-style architecture, Bronte Terrace was purchased because it was both affordable and settled in a coastal-urban environment. Its renovation, therefore, addresses the disadvantages of the existing home, including dark interiors, awkward spatial arrangements and a severe lack of connection to the outdoors. As site conditions and council controls rule out the possibility of expanding the house upwards or outwards, Ellis Constructions instead excavates downwards, underpinning the existing structure.

Cutting a new level into the ground, Ellis Constructions nestles Bronte Terrace into the landscape.

Each facing a busy street, the two facades of Bronte House are designed to maintain the privacy of the home’s interior. Large stone walls support frameless windowpanes, which accompany the entrance and circulation areas. Balancing the visual heaviness of the masonry, the glass enables residents to control their level of engagement with the street. Space is left around the glazed entry so that, if desired, greenery can be added to shield the home from the view of a nearby park. Aluminium awnings and rendered surface treatments present the facades as modern and merely reminiscent of an earlier design style.

Cutting a new level into the ground, Ellis Constructions nestles Bronte Terrace into the landscape. Adjacent to the street, the additional volume reimagines the building’s relationship to the neighbourhood; without forming a spatial imposition, the home embraces the urban outdoors and by extension, the friendly Bronte community. To fill the semi-submerged space with natural light, a central staircase is placed at the core of the building, topped by a skylight. Spanning all three levels, the staircase establishes clear spatial zones and an ‘intimacy gradient’ – the quietest rooms, located closest to the top of the staircase, are characterised as private, while the lower spaces are dedicated to communal activities.

In contrast to the exterior, which sees many Federation style elements remain in situ, the interior architecture of Bronte Terrace is thoroughly reworked.

In contrast to the exterior, which sees many Federation-style elements remain in situ, the interior architecture of Bronte Terrace is thoroughly reworked. The upper floor is reconfigured to champion practicality and the lower level opened to facilitate spatial flow. Complementing the soft character of the existing building, the material palette of the interior captures warm timber veneers, off-form concrete and mild steel. Large windows extend the visual space offered by circulation areas while framing striking views.

An impressive feat of economical design, Bronte Terrace reflects determination in the face of architectural challenges. Creating order within the home, Ellis Constructions develops a relaxing ambience that allows residents to appreciate life in a coastal-urban suburb.

Building design by Ellis Constructions and Stukel Architecture. Interior design by Maker + May. Build by Ellis Constructions. Landscape design by Contour Landscape Architecture.