Extending a Heritage Legacy – Mosman House by Anton Kouzmin Architecture

Embracing the original home’s heritage details and legacy, Anton Kouzmin Architecture brings a refined sensibility to the extension of the existing Federation bungalow, which sees a play on light, scale and texture combine.

Neatly tucked into the rich fabric of Sydney’s north shore of Mosman, the home of the same name offers a respect for its comprising parts’ history and detailing. Mosman House sees the immersive experience of entry as the central inspiring muse to the proceeding design. As a celebration of the existing, the two-story dwelling is the result of a closely collaborative approach between architect and client. Anton Kouzmin Architecture expresses the original through a play on light, encouraging it inwards, and views outward, where an accentuation of scale and texture add depth to the newly extended home.

In collaboration with stylists Acton & Rumble on the interior finishes, the sense of endurance of quality and neutrality of the home’s palette was extended through a conscious lens both internally and externally.

Built by Cook Construction, and under strict scrutiny of the conservation and heritage guidelines of council, the collaboration with the heritage consultants at Urbis was key. Embracing this, the resulting concept is born from an analysis of the existing as inspiration. Responding to the lack of natural light as a result of the formal arrangement of internal rooms, Anton Kouzmin Architecture opened up the home to consolidate the shared living, kitchen and dining areas. In the reconfiguration exercise, additional integrated storage and ventilation was incorporated. Through the conversion of the existing attic space into a master bedroom suite, all available internal volume was maximised.

Perched on its steeply sloping site, Mosman House appears as single storey from approach, with its second storey sitting under the entry level to the rear, overlooking the generous and expansive garden landscape to the south. Expressing the entry as a portal of sorts, the experience was intentionally dramatic, connecting visually to the garden, the extension and to the added natural light. The resulting three-story rear addition was arranged to reflect a sensitivity to heritage, both in its formality of planning and form, and in the materiality selected and applied. The copper-clad roof extension acts as a directive for the extension, where the walls and ceiling follow and fold this sculptural element.

In collaboration with stylists Acton & Rumble on the interior finishes, the sense of endurance of quality and neutrality of the home’s palette was extended through a conscious lens both internally and externally. Each individual interior space is then further layered with personality, resulting in spaces that speak to the intrinsic styles of each of the multi-generational family members who live under the same roof. Mosman House captures the voice of its past, while amending its framework to envision a home for its future, embracing its heritage details and legacy.

Anton Kouzmin Architecture expresses the original through a play on light, encouraging it inwards, and views outward, where an accentuation of scale and texture add depth to the newly extended home.