Exterior of a late victorian home.
Exterior of a late victorian home.
Exterior of a late victorian home, with a pool and landscaped garden.
Exterior of a late victorian home, with a pool and landscaped garden.
Close exterior view of the Treehouse where black metal cladding meets a retained tree trunk, highlighting the project’s integration with the surrounding landscape.
Close exterior view of the Treehouse where black metal cladding meets a retained tree trunk, highlighting the project’s integration with the surrounding landscape.

The owners of this beautiful Late-Victorian home wished to create a "Fonzie Flat" on their property to provide self-contained accommodation for their grown children or visiting family.

The new building is nestled in a tight corner of the property’s front garden that shares frontages with both a prominent inner-city street and a narrow service lane. Its envelope is truncated to address the street and create a pronounced connection with a magnificent Camphor Laurel tree.

The owners of this beautiful Late-Victorian home wished to create a "Fonzie Flat" on their property to provide self-contained accommodation for their grown children or visiting family.

The new building is nestled in a tight corner of the property’s front garden that shares frontages with both a prominent inner-city street and a narrow service lane. Its envelope is truncated to address the street and create a pronounced connection with a magnificent Camphor Laurel tree.

Accessed off the service lane, a new brick garage that seamlessly integrates with the existing brick fence provides a robust plinth for a striking metal-clad volume over. A curved brick wall evades the Camphor Laurel's root system and enhances the journey through the garden to the Fonzie’s entry.

Accessed off the service lane, a new brick garage that seamlessly integrates with the existing brick fence provides a robust plinth for a striking metal-clad volume over. A curved brick wall evades the Camphor Laurel's root system and enhances the journey through the garden to the Fonzie’s entry.

Accessed off the service lane, a new brick garage that seamlessly integrates with the existing brick fence provides a robust plinth for a striking metal-clad volume over. A curved brick wall evades the Camphor Laurel's root system and enhances the journey through the garden to the Fonzie’s entry.

The upper floor provides a flexible living area with full sized kitchen, a separate bedroom, and an ensuite. The perceived size of the small interior is increased by high pitched ceilings and a simple palette of just three materials; white paint, travertine tiles, and Victorian Ash cabinetry. A large picture window with deep baffles immerses the occupants in the tree canopy, whilst maintaining privacy from passing foot traffic below.

The upper floor provides a flexible living area with full sized kitchen, a separate bedroom, and an ensuite. The perceived size of the small interior is increased by high pitched ceilings and a simple palette of just three materials; white paint, travertine tiles, and Victorian Ash cabinetry. A large picture window with deep baffles immerses the occupants in the tree canopy, whilst maintaining privacy from passing foot traffic below.

Credits:

Builder: Monument Building Group
Styling: inCollective
Photography: Kat Lu

Media: The Local Project, Hunting for George, Lunchbox Architect, TinyHouseZine

Light-filled kitchen and living space within the Woollahra Treehouse, featuring vaulted ceilings, timber joinery, and built-in seating oriented toward the garden.
Light-filled kitchen and living space within the Woollahra Treehouse, featuring vaulted ceilings, timber joinery, and built-in seating oriented toward the garden.
Side elevation of the Woollahra Treehouse showing the junction of dark metal cladding and pale brick base, framed by dense garden planting and existing trees.
Side elevation of the Woollahra Treehouse showing the junction of dark metal cladding and pale brick base, framed by dense garden planting and existing trees.
Side elevation of the Woollahra Treehouse showing the junction of dark metal cladding and pale brick base, framed by dense garden planting and existing trees.
Side elevation of the Woollahra Treehouse showing the junction of dark metal cladding and pale brick base, framed by dense garden planting and existing trees.
Angled floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows inside the Woollahra Treehouse, filtering soft daylight and framing views into the surrounding tree canopy.
Angled floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows inside the Woollahra Treehouse, filtering soft daylight and framing views into the surrounding tree canopy.
Full-height glazed wall within the Treehouse, opening the interior to garden views and creating a strong visual connection between living space and landscape.
Full-height glazed wall within the Treehouse, opening the interior to garden views and creating a strong visual connection between living space and landscape.
Interior view of the Woollahra Treehouse with operable steel-framed glazing, timber floors, and dappled light casting patterns across the room.
Interior view of the Woollahra Treehouse with operable steel-framed glazing, timber floors, and dappled light casting patterns across the room.
Angled floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows inside the Woollahra Treehouse, filtering soft daylight and framing views into the surrounding tree canopy.
Angled floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows inside the Woollahra Treehouse, filtering soft daylight and framing views into the surrounding tree canopy.
Minimal kitchen interior with pale timber cabinetry, integrated appliances, and a clean white palette that enhances the compact footprint of the Treehouse.
Minimal kitchen interior with pale timber cabinetry, integrated appliances, and a clean white palette that enhances the compact footprint of the Treehouse.
Built-in study nook inside the Woollahra Treehouse, with timber joinery, operable louvre windows, and soft daylight filtering through surrounding foliage.
Built-in study nook inside the Woollahra Treehouse, with timber joinery, operable louvre windows, and soft daylight filtering through surrounding foliage.
Minimal bedroom inside the Woollahra Treehouse, with white walls, soft natural light, and a quiet connection to the adjacent garden.
Minimal bedroom inside the Woollahra Treehouse, with white walls, soft natural light, and a quiet connection to the adjacent garden.
Bathroom interior featuring travertine finishes, a skylight bringing daylight deep into the space, and a pared-back, functional layout.
Bathroom interior featuring travertine finishes, a skylight bringing daylight deep into the space, and a pared-back, functional layout.
Ensuite bathroom with travertine surfaces, integrated basin, and a framed view back toward the bedroom, reinforcing the home’s compact and cohesive design.
Ensuite bathroom with travertine surfaces, integrated basin, and a framed view back toward the bedroom, reinforcing the home’s compact and cohesive design.

The owners of this beautiful Late-Victorian home wished to create a "Fonzie Flat" on their property to provide self-contained accommodation for their grown children or visiting family.

The new building is nestled in a tight corner of the property’s front garden that shares frontages with both a prominent inner-city street and a narrow service lane. Its envelope is truncated to address the street and create a pronounced connection with a magnificent Camphor Laurel tree.

Accessed off the service lane, a new brick garage that seamlessly integrates with the existing brick fence provides a robust plinth for a striking metal-clad volume over. A curved brick wall evades the Camphor Laurel's root system and enhances the journey through the garden to the Fonzie’s entry.

The upper floor provides a flexible living area with full sized kitchen, a separate bedroom, and an ensuite. The perceived size of the small interior is increased by high pitched ceilings and a simple palette of just three materials; white paint, travertine tiles, and Victorian Ash cabinetry. A large picture window with deep baffles immerses the occupants in the tree canopy, whilst maintaining privacy from passing foot traffic below.

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