KUD creates void-like entrance into ivanhoe house in australia

located in the inner suburb of ivanhoe in australia, the ‘makris house’ visualizes as a seemingly calm, unassuming contemporary suburban home which sits in its moat of australian granetic sand. from the street, the flat-roofed structure is wrapped in white tiles, made up of two forms that are bifurcated by the entrance which forms the recessed entry inside.

all images © billy kavellaris

its light exterior is juxtaposed with the dark, tunnel-like entrance, giving the home a mysterious character. designed by melbourne based firm KUD architects, the house is inherently an orchestration of balancing tension to create unexpected moments throughout. the architects explore the concept of contrasts; between heavy and lightness, public and private and of light and dark. these themes are carried throughout the exterior and interior to create an inviting home that is filled with light and fitted with contemporary details.

 ‘on the one side we have a solid, rigid, rectilinear form, seeming weighed down by its own mass. on the other, elevated from the earth by a shard of black glass, symbolic of emptiness or absence.’

the house is generous in its depth in comparison to its width. this led to the open-plan organization of programs with the communal programs near the front and the bedrooms based at the back on the slightly raised level. the timber ceiling adds warmth to the otherwise, pale palette of materials seen in the kitchen and dining. in addition to the features that take advantage of the australia climate, a private pool featuring glass wall bisects the interior to offer a view of the underwater activity from the comfort of the living room.

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