An Urban House That Encourages Graffiti

March 3, 2015

Australian firm John Wardle Architects have designed the Fitzroy House, that features walls full of colorful artwork by graffiti artists Urban Enchancement.

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The architect’s description

The Fitzroy residence is located within a dense pocket of Victorian houses. The house adopts the terrace house typology of its neighbours, and co-opts the party wall graffiti as a backdrop to the entry.

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A generous central courtyard space is at the heart of the house and provides northern light into the living area and main bedroom. A private library over the garage is a solitary retreat overlooking the rear laneway. An open walkway through the courtyard connects the two pavilions.

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This thoughtful house riffs on diverse inner-city conditions of local materials, history, and form.

Located in a gritty pocket of an inner-city suburb, this house is wedged between an existing Victorian residence and a 1960s garage.

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The facade wears its influences up front. Brickwork is patterned in a pixellated representation of a spray can’s sweep.

A large window frame reverses the expected order of planning by exposing the activity of the kitchen theatrically to the street.

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The scale and ridge line of the existing adjoining houses is reflected in the roofline, crumpled accordion-like to exaggerate the story.

Typical terrace or row house typology found in the neighbourhood is modified by pulling away on one side to co-opt some intricate party wall graffiti as a backdrop upon entry.

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To avoid a light locked interior on the slender site, a generous central courtyard space is at the heart of the house and provides northern light into the living area and main bedroom.

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A private library over the garage is a solitary retreat overlooking the rear laneway. An open walkway through the courtyard connects the two pavilions.

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Architect: John Wardle Architects
Builder and Landscaping: Buildingmakers
Structural Engineer: Perrett Simpson Stantin
Building Surveyor: Wilsmore Nelson
Graffiti artists: Urban Enhancement
Photography: Trevor Mein