Openly Engaging – Grid House by Doherty Design Studio and Ari Alexander

Fusing a generosity and openness, Grid House sees the transformation of an existing Edwardian-era home into a modern and connected family residence. Together with Ari Alexander, Doherty Design Studio embraces colour and the surrounding landscape, opening and extending the existing home whilst retaining the essence of the original.

Sitting behind its quaint and neatly restored façade in Malvern East, Grid House is expanded to the rear – both outward and upward – allowing for the changing needs of its family, both now and over time. The home and its frontage play a vital role in the story of the area; retaining it and the overall silhouette played an important contributing part in the streetscape. With building design by Ari Alexander and interior design by Doherty Design Studio, the new home aims to bind time and create a deliberate expression of its owners, setting them up for their next chapter as a family.

The combination of unexpected colour selections alongside natural timber and black metal accents allows natural light to interact softly with the interior, whilst an overhead circular skylight above the stair brings additional light deep into the home.

As a mark of honour to the existing, the new addition sits to the rear, perceptively behind the overall form of the original. Whilst the home had already been renovated in the 1990s, the addition unfortunately was void of a connection with how homes are occupied today. A sense of separation between the sleeping and living areas needed to be balanced by an open space, acting as the hub of the home. By creating the additional spaces as an extension of the original, there is a better sense of separation and flow between both old and new, and inside and out. The newly formed separation also allows the family their own spaces for retreat and recharge whilst creating a centrally located area to gather.

Having lived in the area for many years, the clients wanted to avoid moving to a larger home. Instead, the focus was redirected to re-sculpting what they already had. Grid House overlays a sense of consistency between eras, aligning structural elements and services, allowing the functional backbone of the home to remain hidden and the spaces to be open and unencumbered. The combination of unexpected colour selections alongside natural timber and black metal accents allows natural light to interact softly with the interior, whilst an overhead circular skylight above the stair brings additional light deep into the home.

By creating the additional spaces as an extension of the original, there is a better sense of separation and flow between both old and new, and inside and out.

By defining the overall flow and movement internally, Grid House is given a new structure and sense of connection to its site. Through this process, both Doherty Design Studio and Ari Alexander have expertly infused the personalities of the owners within the structure.