Considered Curiosity – Hood House by Mihaly Slocombe Architects

Bridging the old and new, Hood House connects its different eras through a cohesive materiality. Mihaly Slocombe Architects embeds a flexibility into the core of the residence, allowing for dynamic function through a playful and experimental lens.

Located in Carlton North, Hood House integrates an acknowledgement of future changes – as a family home, flexibility was a key driver of the brief. As an original heritage workers cottage within a narrow site, the home is given a contemporary rejuvenation through expanding its footprint to create open and connected living zones. Mihaly Slocombe Architects adopts a playful approach through colour and challenging convention to produce the resulting home.

As an original heritage workers cottage within a narrow site, the home is given a contemporary rejuvenation through expanding its footprint to create open and connected living zones.

In the building’s renovation, the older parts of the home were opened, and skylights were incorporated to bring natural light down into the living spaces. The new addition extrudes the existing form outward and deeper into the site with a continued warm materiality – combining an elevation of the everyday with nods to the home’s history. The existing entryway directs movement to the rear that opens generously to the outdoor landscaping; the play on compression and release then reflects the internal functionality of the home.

The renovation of the home was inspired by the idea of downsizing – reducing the number of occupants whilst reinvigorating the home with quality insertions. This shift saw the motivation for more open spaces and having lived in the home for a decade prior, the owners were well-versed on how the volumes interacted with light, ventilation and climate. Though the addition sits concealed from the streetscape, its impact is significant and allows the home to feel contemporary, open and connective.

Mihaly Slocombe Architects adopts a playful approach through colour and challenging convention to produce the resulting home.

Hood House retains its history whilst being brought into the modern context. Despite the narrowness of the allotment and slightness of the existing home, Mihaly Slocombe Architects creates a home that is generous and outwardly connected.