When a couple returned to Melbourne after years of traveling and working abroad, they sought an eco-friendly home extension that would capture the adventurous spirit of their overseas experience.

Impressed by the sustainably minded projects of Ben Callery Architects, the clients tapped the local firm for their renovation. To create the light-filled addition, the team prioritized viable, renewable features such as high levels of insulation, double glazing, as well as recycled and locally sourced materials.

As a result, the team has designed a corrugated metal roof to glide over the 1,650-square-foot home, which gives rise to the project’s name—the Glide House.

“The roof twists symmetrically around a central ridge, soaring up and out over the backyard to embrace the winter sun,” explain the architects. They also added dramatic sweeping eaves to shelter the dwelling from harsh sunlight.

The north-facing extension embraces a verdant landscape of native trees through clerestory windows and large operable glazing that fill the interior with natural light, which blurs the lines between indoors and out.

“The materials are an eclectic collection (as is a traveler's way), selected to express and accentuate the form: The lines of the white timber ceiling express the shape of the hyperbolic paraboloid roof,” continues the firm. “The raw, charred-black timber cladding contrasts the white ceiling to heighten the sense of lightness.”

Recycled and locally sourced materials are used throughout the home, including recycled timber cabinetry, recycled brick pavers, and timber windows built of locally sourced hardwood.

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Adherence to passive solar principles and an emphasis on high thermal mass ensures stable climates year-round, along with a level of natural comfort that the clients say is “hard to leave.”

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Ben Callery Architects

Builder/General Contractor: Truewood Construction

Structural Engineer: Keith Patrick Engineer

Cabinetry Design/Installation: Chris Cabinets

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An Uplifting Melbourne Addition Embodies its Owners’ Sense of Adventure