- Project: Charles House
- Architect: Austin Maynard Architects
- Location: Australia, Kew
- Year: 2017
- Area: 348 m2
- Photography: Peter Bennetts
Located in Kew, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Charles House by Austin Maynard Architects is a 348 m² (3,746 sq ft) family residence designed to adapt across generations. Completed in 2017, the home responds to the clients’ request for a durable, low-maintenance dwelling that could grow and change with the family over the next 25 years. Instead of creating a static suburban structure, the architects envisioned a flexible, sustainable framework that evolves alongside its occupants.
Design Concept
The project rethinks how Australian families inhabit their suburban lots. Austin Maynard Architects divided the home into a series of smaller interlocking volumes rather than a single monolithic form. This modular strategy softens the building’s presence on the street while creating opportunities for distinct functions within each segment. Bridges and reflective ponds connect the volumes, emphasizing lightness and a strong visual dialogue with the landscape.
One of the key ideas driving Charles House is adaptability. The ground floor can operate as a self-contained unit for aging parents or young adults, while the upper levels accommodate the main family living areas. Over time, partitions can open or close, allowing spaces to merge or separate according to changing needs. This flexibility transforms the home into a living framework — a structure that matures with its inhabitants.
Materials and Detailing
The exterior is clad in slate — a material choice derived from site covenants that required stone or stone-like finishes. Instead of using stone as a token gesture, the architects collaborated with slate roofing specialists to experiment with vertical slate applications and intricate patterning. Each façade displays a different texture or rhythm, creating a subtle variation across the home’s sculptural volumes. The slate, typically reserved for roofs, is reimagined as a dynamic façade material that grounds the building in craftsmanship and context.
Behind the aesthetic expression lies a robust environmental strategy: double-stud walls with heavy insulation, double glazing, adjustable louvres, and solar panels with micro-inverters. Together, these reduce heating and cooling demands while maintaining visual comfort and acoustic insulation.
Spatial Planning
The internal organization is driven by light, privacy, and flexibility. The open living spaces flow toward the north-facing garden, ensuring natural illumination throughout the day. The kitchen, dining, and living zones occupy a continuous space that extends outdoors through large sliding doors. Upstairs, bedrooms and a study overlook the courtyard, connected by a bridge that provides both separation and visual continuity.
A standout feature is the ground-floor “granny flat” concept — a multi-purpose living area that can be sealed off for independent use. Equipped with its own bathroom and garden access, it supports multi-generational living without compromising the coherence of the home. This layer of adaptability transforms the project into a timeless framework capable of housing different life stages gracefully.
Sustainability and Innovation
Environmental performance is fundamental to Charles House. The design incorporates passive cooling ponds that run between volumes, lowering temperatures through evaporative cooling while enhancing sensory experience. Solar panels feed the household grid, and a 15,000-liter water tank beneath the slab supplies irrigation and toilets. Zoning controls allow energy to be used efficiently, heating or cooling only the occupied zones.
Thermal comfort is ensured through extensive insulation, while sun-shading devices regulate exposure throughout the year. The overall effect is a sustainable home that minimizes resource consumption yet delivers high comfort and visual delight — a hallmark of Austin Maynard Architects.
Connection to Landscape
The house is inseparable from its garden. Instead of fencing off the plot, the architects extended greenery from the street front through to the rear sports fields, creating the sensation of an open park. Ponds, bridges, and planted courtyards link the volumes, reinforcing a sense of calm and retreat. The landscaping, completed by Bush Projects, uses native and edible species, echoing the natural palette of the surrounding context.
From the street, the composition appears fragmented and inviting — a collection of slate-wrapped pavilions that speak to both modern sensibility and traditional craftsmanship. Within, the atmosphere is tranquil and filled with filtered light, where material honesty defines every surface.
Conclusion
Charles House by Austin Maynard Architects is a model of contemporary, adaptable living — a home that honors family growth, sustainability, and craftsmanship in equal measure. With its distinctive slate façade, energy-efficient detailing, and thoughtful multi-generational planning, it stands as one of Melbourne’s most innovative suburban dwellings.
By integrating flexibility, environmental performance, and timeless materials, Austin Maynard Architects have redefined how architecture can support evolving family life — proving that true sustainability lies not only in technology, but in the capacity to adapt gracefully to time.
