Coil House Restoration: A Sensitive Modernist Home Extension in Melbourne

The Coil House Restoration by Australian studio Karen Abernethy Interiors and Architecture is a masterful example of how to extend a heritage-listed modernist home while preserving its original charm. Located in Melbourne’s Ivanhoe East suburb, this 1950s residence was designed by architect Peter McIntyre in 1954 and is known for its distinctive curving shape that wraps around a sloping courtyard. In 2018, the family occupying the home sought additional space without compromising the home’s architectural integrity. Karen Abernethy Interiors and Architecture answered this challenge by designing two small pavilions that sit harmoniously alongside the original structure. Connected by glazed links, these pavilions expand the living areas while maintaining the elegant flow and unique form of the Coil House. This restoration embodies respect for architectural heritage alongside thoughtful modern adaptation, setting a precedent for sensitive home extensions that balance past and present.

Thoughtful Extension with Minimal Disruption

The main challenge in the Coil House Restoration was expanding the home without interrupting its original curved design or views. The solution involved carving two minimal pavilions at the rear of the property, on the ‘back’ of the coil, which effectively extended the home’s footprint while preserving its distinct shape. The northern pavilion is a two-story addition that enlarges the living room, adding a study and an extra bedroom. On the southern side, a single-story pavilion expands the dining area and introduces a double-height family room and laundry. These new volumes are connected to the original house via glazed link structures, visually separating old and new while maintaining harmony.

This strategic arrangement creates new sightlines through the central courtyard, with steps leading down to a swimming pool nestled at the garden’s lower end. The existing one-room width of the home was preserved along the coil’s curve, with bedrooms connected by a narrow corridor, respecting the house’s original rhythm and spatial qualities.

Material Contrast and Interior Harmony

To differentiate the additions from the original grey-painted masonry, Karen Abernethy Interiors and Architecture opted for standing seam metal cladding on the exterior of the pavilions. This choice provides a striking contrast to the home’s heavier masonry and dark tones, highlighting the new additions without overshadowing the heritage structure. Internally, the design balances minimalism and warmth, featuring white-painted brick walls, travertine tile floors, and exposed timber ceilings. Large window openings frame garden views, and built-in bench seating creates intimate connections to the outdoors.

Karen Abernethy emphasized that the material choices were intentional to create dialogue between the old and the new, offering contrast that respects the architectural narrative while introducing modern textures and lightness.

Architectural Analysis

The design logic behind the Coil House Restoration prioritizes preserving the home’s unique curved form while providing practical modern living spaces. The use of glazed linkages serves as a respectful architectural gesture, visually separating the new volumes from the original structure and allowing each to maintain its identity. This approach avoids overwhelming the historic house and preserves important sightlines and the integrity of the curved courtyard.

Material use plays a critical role in communicating this distinction. The lightweight metal cladding on the additions contrasts with the heavier masonry of the original home, symbolizing a temporal and stylistic shift. Internally, the minimal palette of whites and natural woods creates a serene backdrop that emphasizes connection to the lush garden setting.

Contextually, the project responds thoughtfully to its suburban Melbourne location, respecting the heritage status of the home and local planning regulations. The extensions accommodate the lifestyle needs of a modern family without sacrificing architectural heritage, which is a key challenge in adapting mid-century modernist houses today.

Project Importance

The Coil House Restoration teaches architects and designers how to sensitively intervene in heritage properties by respecting original design principles while accommodating contemporary needs. It contributes to architectural thinking by demonstrating how additions can be differentiated yet harmonious, using material contrasts and transparent connections. This approach enriches typology discussions on how mid-century homes can evolve sustainably without erasing their character.

The project’s relevance today is clear: as urban infill and densification pressures increase, sensitive extension models like Coil House provide sustainable alternatives to demolition or insensitive renovation. It highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage while addressing modern living requirements. The design encourages architects to creatively balance past and present, fostering architectural continuity and community identity.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Coil House Restoration skillfully balances heritage preservation with thoughtful contemporary additions. The use of metal cladding and glazed linkages introduces a clear distinction between old and new, enhancing the visual dialogue on site. However, one might question if the contrast risks overshadowing the subtlety of the original design or if it successfully elevates the home’s narrative. This constructive tension invites reflection on how far additions should assert their presence in heritage contexts. Ultimately, the project offers valuable insights into respectful adaptation, suggesting a path forward for sustainable heritage architecture.

Conclusion

The Coil House Restoration in Melbourne exemplifies a delicate balance between honoring a mid-century modernist masterpiece and adapting it for a modern family’s needs. By carefully integrating two new pavilions through transparent connectors, the project preserves the iconic curved form while expanding living spaces. Material choices create a respectful dialogue between original and new, while interior designs enhance the connection to the lush garden setting.

This project sets a thoughtful precedent for heritage home extensions, showing how careful architectural interventions can sustain cultural legacy without compromising functionality. In a broader context, it contributes to ongoing conversations about sustainable urban living and heritage conservation. The Coil House Restoration stands as a compelling example of how architecture can simultaneously preserve history and embrace contemporary life.

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