Woollahra Treehouse

by Bones Studio

The owners of this beautiful Late-Victorian home wished to create a ‘Fonzie Flat’ on their property to provide self-contained accommodation for their grown children or visiting family. The new building is nestled in a tight corner of the property’s front garden that shares frontages with both a prominent inner-city street and a narrow service lane. Its envelope is truncated to address the street and create a pronounced connection with a magnificent Camphor Laurel tree. Accessed off the service lane, a new brick garage that seamlessly integrates with the existing brick fence provides a robust plinth for a striking metal-clad volume over.

A curved brick wall evades the Camphor Laurel’s root system and enhances the journey through the garden to the Fonzie’s entry. The upper floor provides a flexible living area with full sized kitchen, a separate bedroom, and an ensuite. The perceived size of the small interior is increased by high pitched ceilings and a simple palette of just three materials; white paint, travertine tiles, and Victorian Ash cabinetry. A large picture window with deep baffles immerses the occupants in the tree canopy, whilst maintaining privacy from passing foot traffic below.