WRITTEN IN BLACK AND WHITE

The chronological evolution of this home’s multiple interventions is showcased through material exploration and a monochrome colour palette

- KARSHA GREEN

In the inner-city suburb of East Brunswick in Melbourne, architects Chris and Asha of Splinter Society Architecture purchased a "tiny, very run-down, one-bedroom worker's cottage" due to its well-positioned site and orientation to sun and light. Over its 100-year lifespan, the remnant cottage had been "tinkered" with, but Chris and Asha were happy to let the project evolve over time, spending the next 17 years renovating and creating their dream home.

"In the 17 years we spent on the project, we had a little scruffy dog named Fern who passed away last year at 16 years of age, and we have a six-year-old. We spent from our mid 20s into our early 40s working on this project. As our family changed, we were able to modify the home to grow with us and in doing so, it was like a living being that we were inhabiting," shares Asha.