The King

Residential
Alteration and Addition
2025
Whadjuk
East Fremantle

Builder
Base Construction

Stylist
Matt Biocich

Photographer
Dion Robeson

Videographer
Chad Gerber

Structural Engineer
Total Structural Consulting

Energy Efficiency Assessor
Northern Aspect Energy Consultants

Building Surveyor
Constructive Building Consultants

Modern house with brick and white exterior, outdoor seating area, garden, and large trees cast shadows, in sunny weather.

The evolution of a family home

This East Fremantle house represents a new chapter in a house long held and deeply cherished. For the owners, this project marked a moment to reimagine their family home as empty nesters as well as an opportunity to improve the home’s functionality, energy efficiency and overall amenity.

The brief was measured and direct from the outset: to re-establish strong connections to light and landscape; to create calm, open living spaces and to work sensitively within the heritage and local conditions. This considered restraint and appreciation for the home’s history, ensured that the architectural response focussed squarely on detail, proportion and material performance rather than excess.

A desire for natural ventilation, controlled solar exposure, the retention of a large Jacaranda tree and the need for increased privacy informed the home’s orientation and spatial configuration, resulting in a plan that balances openness and intimacy. The character of the original cottage remains intact, its amenity upgraded and rebalanced to support contemporary living whilst a seamless threshold between interior and garden enables the house to expand for entertaining or contract for quiet retreat. As a result, the living zones are fluid, encouraging daily interaction with the outdoors - through framed views, garden courts and filtered light - creating a sense of dynamism and layered transparency within.

The geometric forms of the extension (which reveal themselves in controlled vignettes from the street), are grounded in East Fremantle’s material language. Corrugated tin, jarrah, stucco render and stone are reinterpreted in a crisp, tactile palette that connects to the suburb’s maritime and residential heritage, including the tin cladding which recalls the hulls of Fremantle’s cargo ships.

Internally, the material expression is honest and tactile. In acknowledging the clients’ love for colour and art, a palette of soft render, timber, texture and muted tones sets a neutral scene for their beloved artworks and daily life. 

With heritage overlay viewed as an opportunity versus a constraint, The King’s considered scale, rhythm and setback have ensured that this house sits comfortably within the existing street context, whilst boldly expressing a new phase of life.

Line drawing of a modern house with large windows, a flat roof, and a surrounding tree, with a pathway leading to the entrance.
White house with brick steps leading to front porch, surrounded by garden beds with plants, and large tree partially obscuring upper right corner, under a clear blue sky.
Side yard of a modern house with a narrow stone pathway, green lawn, small trees, wooden fence, and mixed siding of wood and metal panels under a clear sky.
View of a modern house with wooden exterior and large glass windows, showing a white sofa and wall art inside, front yard with plants, small trees, and stone pathway.
Outdoor patio with a brick floor, white chair, small wooden table, and a white building with a wood and stucco facade featuring an outdoor fireplace and wood storage underneath. Shadows of tree branches cast on the wall.
Modern living room with white armchairs, a small black side table, and a view of the backyard with a tree, outdoor furniture, and a brick patio.
View from inside a modern living room looking out to a patio with small trees and a built-in outdoor kitchen area.
Modern kitchen with a marble island, dark cabinets, a window with greenery outside, and minimal decor.
Modern kitchen with granite island, gray cabinets, and a window with greenery outside.
Close-up of a granite countertop and cabinet with a marbled pattern in black, white, and brown tones.
Indoor staircase with dark carpeted steps, a white wall, a wooden railing, and a wooden partition with vertical slats.
Interior view of a staircase seen through an arched doorway, with dark steps and minimal lighting.
Modern bathroom with a large round mirror, terrazzo countertop with a white vessel sink, and a beige wall with rectangular tiles. There is a vase with dark purple flowers on the left side of the countertop.
Modern bathroom with beige tiled walls, a marble countertop with a white vessel sink, gold fixtures, a towel, and a mirror.
A minimalist bedroom with a large window and balcony, featuring a bed in the foreground, a window seat with a cushion, a small round side table, and a black console table with decorative items, and a piece of wall art.
Residential street with vehicles parked in front of houses, including trees and a clear sky.
A modern house with a brick and wood facade, white siding, and decorative trim, situated beside a sidewalk and a large leafy tree.