Facing the laneway, the new structure is conceived as an “inhabited façade”. Two sculptural concrete bays rise above the ground floor, their concave profiles framing large expanses of glazing and sage-green infills. Matching green garage doors and window frames create a strong chromatic identity, while a mustard-yellow entrance door provides an unexpected counterpoint. Planting spills from integrated boxes beneath the windows and from a small pocket of landscaping beside the entrance, further signalling that this is a lived-in part of the neighbourhood rather than the mere back of a property.

Programmatically, the project is equally concerned with extracting more from a part of the site normally given over entirely to cars. The garage can be opened completely towards the garden, allowing it to operate as an extension of the family’s outdoor space for play, work or gatherings when not accommodating vehicles. Above, a compact, fully serviced studio has been designed to shift between guest accommodation, workspace and, potentially, an independent dwelling in the future, with separate access from both the garden and the laneway.