Acute House is the transformation of a ‘renovator’s nightmare’ into a compact 21st century family home. The severe limitations of a tiny, very triangular site and the demanding heritage context have resulted in a pointy new wedge of house that is designed to exploit its problems.

Project Name: Acute House
Studio Name:
OOF! architecture
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Photography: Nic Granleese
Completion date: 2017

Acute House by OOF! architecture - Sheet1
Kitchen ©Nic Granleese

The original, and extremely decrepit, Victorian weatherboard cottage had become impossible to inhabit but was well loved by the neighbourhood as well as its new owners.

Acute House by OOF! architecture - Sheet2
Bedroom ©Nic Granleese

We tried to retain its weathered character by re-using as much original fabric as possible from warped weatherboards and fence palings to random accumulations such as door knobs, vents and street numbers.

Acute House by OOF! architecture - Sheet3
Exterior View ©Nic Granleese

Like fragile museum artefacts, these were carefully removed, labelled, stored and re-installed in their original location on a new mount that not only highlights their charms by contrast but allows the house to live again in a new way.

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