In Fairfield, Australia, House K by Kart Projects elegantly negotiates the constraints of a modest suburban block, crafting a single-story family home that privileges both spatial economy and garden preservation.
Rather than expanding indiscriminately, the architects adopt a strategy of layering and multifunctionality—eschewing excess in favor of a carefully choreographed interplay of light, volume, and materiality. A lean 50 m² extension dissolves the boundary between old and new, introducing connected living spaces that avoid compartmentalization in favor of fluidity.
A key spatial move is the setback from the northern boundary, ensuring a double-aspect living area bathed in natural light. The coffered ceiling volumes echo the cellular logic of the existing weatherboard house, creating a series of implied spatial thresholds without rigid division. These volumetric gestures, combined with the strategic placement of a skylight, cultivate an atmosphere of expansiveness, drawing daylight deep into the home. Meanwhile, a central storage volume, cleverly integrated with a retractable TV and a daybed, acts as both a functional core and a spatial mediator, linking the study and the new living area.
Beyond the interior, the outdoor spaces mirror the house’s architectural intent—zones for planting, swimming, and gathering are overlaid in a seamless sequence of interactions. The above-ground pool, a long concrete bench, and a custom steel outdoor fireplace act as sculptural counterpoints to the interior’s subdued materiality. The dialogue between old and new extends into a carefully orchestrated palette: the original house is split into a light-toned wing for the children and a moody, darker retreat for the parents, while the extension embraces brightness with terrazzo floors, plywood surfaces, and minimalist black kitchen cabinetry. Dark cladding punctuated by deep red fins and door reveals ensures the new addition reads as a distinct yet harmonious intervention, enhancing the home’s depth and texture.
