A heritage Edwardian house in Melbourne’s inner-north is a rare find. But as with many older homes, they’re not necessarily thermally comfortable — particularly in Melbourne winter!

So, when architect Ben Callery was enlisted to transform this historic family pad in Northcote, the brief was to improve its thermal performance and create a passive, solar design (as he does with every house he works on).

Inspired by the natural energy of the property — a lush 465 square metre block — Ben and his team sought to enhance the natural beauty of features such as the vibrant colours of the rear garden, and the sunlight that floods the east-facing backyard.

The living room floor is one such example. Rather than opting for a solid grey concrete, they chose a finish with speckles of ochre, yellow and pink to reflect the natural hues of the garden, further reinforcing this connection to the surrounding landscape.

Elsewhere, a central pop-up roof reveals a north-facing highlight window that draws in the warmth of the winter sun, playing a key role in the passive solar design. Also in the dining area is a large, south-facing louvre window overlooking the backyard. It opens up in summer to bring in the cooling southerly breezes, while external blinds help to block out the summer sun.

‘I’m very pleased with the fact that it’s a compact house that feels spacious and is environmentally conscious — energy efficient and resource efficient in operation and construction,’ Ben says. ‘Every corner has been considered with a focus on a contemporary Australian approach to environmentally conscious design.’

While the front rooms of the house were retained, the original living room was converted into a bedroom, and the kitchen into a multi-purpose study, guest room and living area. Here, corner sliding doors open up directly to the main living room to allow the spaces to expand and contract.

‘The majority of the time it is open, connecting the family across rooms,’ Ben explains. ‘But it can be closed when a Zoom call needs to be taken or extended family visits from overseas or interstate.’

Exposed recycled bricks in one corner of the living room add an industrial vibe and help to unify the disparate elements of the space into a cohesive whole, while still allowing their individual character to shine. Corner sliding doors open right up to the landscaped garden, which comes directly up to the house!

From here, a staggered edge boardwalk deck meanders through the greenery and out to an open patio, where a natural swimming pool becomes the focal point. The deep, mossy coloured water and shade from the overhanging eucalyptus ‘euky dwarf’ tree creates a calming effect — perfect for those lazy summer days.

‘I love the feeling of tranquillity in the space,’ Ben adds. ‘The sense of natural light hitting the natural materials. The chirping of the birds attracted to the red flowers of the euky dwarf tree. The calming presence of water in the natural pool. It’s a space that is both energising and calming to occupy.’