Sonelo Architects reimagined the Garden Wall House as a seamless extension of its environment, creating a home that thoughtfully connects architecture, family life, and the natural world.
Situated in Fairfield, Australia, this two-story family home for a professional couple and their teenage children began with a clear brief: to refresh the living spaces without expanding the building's footprint. The goal was to optimize light, functionality, and connection to the garden while rethinking the cold and dimly lit south-facing living areas.
The design centers on a “thick hedge,” a conceptual and physical threshold that bridges the house and garden. This addition, lined with a grid of green battens and espaliers, extends beyond the original structure, creating new entry points and maximizing the northerly aspect. Generous sliding doors and skylights invite views of the garden and sky, dissolving barriers between indoors and outdoors.
At the rear, a paved dining area integrates effortlessly with the lawn and raised brick plinth seating, designed to catch sunlight throughout the day. Brick vegetable beds and a barbecue further enrich the garden’s role as a functional and social extension of the home. Inside, the remodeled kitchen and living areas prioritize openness and clarity, with timber veneer cabinetry and muted stone countertops preserving sightlines to the outdoors. A pantry and powder room strategically shape the transition into the living spaces, concealing utility areas while enhancing flow.
Upstairs, the redesign consolidates outdated bathroom layouts into a generous shared space, where a central vanity anchors access to the bath, shower, and basin. This restructuring continues the home’s focus on clean, efficient, and adaptable design. The alterations transform the home into a light-filled, flexible space that invites both solitude and connection, indoors and out. The reimagined Garden Wall House is not just a place to live but a thoughtful framework for how the family engages with their environment, their routines, and each other.
