Gable Clerestory House by Sonelo Design Studio

Located in Melbourne, Australia, Gable Clerestory House by Sonelo Design Studio reimagines a heritage terrace into a light-filled, mid-century-inspired family home. Designed for a young family, the project balances heritage preservation, modern living, and sustainable design within a compact footprint.

Context and Heritage Integration

Set among a street lined with well-preserved Federation-era red brick houses, the residence presents a quiet and harmonious façade that blends seamlessly with its historic neighbors. While the frontage respects heritage character, the interiors unfold into a dynamic spatial sequence, revealing a home that embraces natural light, outdoor connection, and modern family living.

Spatial Experience

The design carefully orchestrates the journey from old to new. The heritage front rooms retain their tall ceilings and period detailing, leading into a transitional passage defined by varying ceiling volumes. A skylight introduces unexpected brightness, while a compressed threshold opens into the expansive living and kitchen areas.

Here, the gable roof form takes center stage. Inspired by mid-century architecture, it introduces a bold datum line that elevates the interiors. Clerestory windows at either end frame “Turrell-esque” sky views, filling the living space with daylight and passive warmth during Melbourne’s colder months.

Large cavity sliding doors dissolve the boundary between inside and outside, connecting the living space to a timber deck and garden patio. This seamless transition fosters an indoor-outdoor lifestyle, ideal for the growing family.

Design Details and Sustainability

The clerestory roof is more than an aesthetic gesture—it responds directly to the site’s orientation. By admitting northern light into the south-facing extension, it enhances thermal comfort while reducing reliance on artificial heating.

The rear brick wall features a subtle hit-and-miss pattern that provides both visual texture and natural ventilation for the evaporative cooling system. Similarly, the brick corbel detail in the patio cantilevers outward, doubling as a privacy screen without the need for intrusive structural beams.

Material Palette and Interiors

The interiors are grounded in an earthy, tactile palette. Terrazzos, clay tones, and soft greys interact with timber, concrete, galvanized steel, and recycled red bricks, creating warmth and balance. Clay hues enrich the living spaces while complementing the heritage brickwork outside, unifying past and present.

A Thoughtful Response

Faced with the challenges of a heritage overlay, compact site, and limited budget, Sonelo Design Studio crafted a solution that is both functional and poetic. The gable clerestory addition, material richness, and careful detailing deliver a home that feels timeless, contextual, and deeply connected to its environment.

All Photographs are works of Pier Carthew