20 Blackbutt Street, O'Connor, ACT 2602

H House

"The house is both transparent and blank walled, introverted and extroverted, radical and traditional." Joanna Nelson Architect

H house is a three-bedroom home resting on the high end of Blackbutt Street, moments from bushland reserve and parkland. The house was constructed in 1959, utilising an innovative plan that sees two parallel wings connected by a hallway in the shape of an H. Both sides of the house open to private courtyards, providing outdoor spaces that cool the home and invite people to gather.

Important textural and whimsical details have been lovingly kept, and there is a unified ambience to the plan, a meticulous simplicity that gentrifies the lived experience. Light dapples white walls and the presence of nature is very much felt within.

The simple modernist form is sheltered by a towering brittle gum and enveloped by lush gardens. Entrance is to one side, via shady courtyard greened by climbing vines. The placement of a corrugated water tank combined with bright yellow door and slate crazy paving, create a magical entry sequence.

Within, multiple thoughtful small changes have been made to elevate the lived experience and contribute to the subtle poetry and story of the home. The renovation which included extending upward, was awarded both the Small Project Architecture Award and the Canberra Medallion which acknowledged the gentle nature of the design decisions and the resulting elevation and preservation of the original house.

The re-worked central bathroom is characterised by a bath that floats in the middle of the space and by the replacement of opaque glass with clear, gifting a magical sightline from the shower through five windows to back garden. This combination of transparency and privacy is thematic of the home as expanses of glass welcome light, air and landscape.

The original breakfast bench was returned to its place beneath the window within the kitchen and a clever lean-in-pantry added, which also partially delineates the new library beyond. New appliances and sleek stainless-steel benches have also been incorporated.

The combined living and dining room has been kept intact with its large windows and flow to sunny courtyard and alfresco dining. The room's focus is the original crazy paving inspired feature wall, imbuing the space with a lively tactile soul.

A new studio and balcony sits above the entry hall, accessed via an elegant spiral staircase within the courtyard. This addition gifts a light and airy, versatile space with balcony that looks out across treetops to Mt Ainslie and down to the swimming pool below.

The original rendered brick garage was ingeniously reimagined to become a private aquatic room, the now roofless structure allowing for a unique and intimate dialogue with the open sky as you swim and float.

Garden walls provide a sense of containment, and a citrus orchard hedges the rear fence line providing a bounty of fruit. Vegetables prosper within a dedicated caged enclosure that protects the harvest from the resident possum. The glass doors of the whimsical garden shed look out to green lawns, while finely worked wrought iron, depicting the elegant form of the ibis, adorns the original garden gates.

features.
.original plans developed by 'The Australian Women's Weekly Home Planning Centre' in Sydney
.double brick construction
.architects for renovation work - Nino Bellantonio, AiL Studio and Joanna Nelson Architect
.tallowwood and Victorian ash parquetry flooring
.hallway with original timber panelling
.steel casement windows
.three bedrooms overlooking the front garden and towering brittle gum
.large master bedroom with wall of built-in-robes and built-in-dressing table
.second bedroom with study nook
.third bedroom with built-in-robe
.combined dining and living with study nook
.acoustic panels to living and dining room ceiling and ceiling fan
.upstairs studio with viewing balcony
.mosaic tiled bathroom with open shower and island bath
.linen cupboard
.kitchen with breakfast bench, lean-in-pantry, and new appliances including oven, induction cooktop, fridge and dishwasher
.library nook
.internal laundry with toilet
.original hydronic heating radiators with upgraded boiler
.rainwater tank
.solar heated, saltwater swimming pool
.garden shed
.private gardens featuring a variety of mature fruiting trees
.slate paved alfresco barbecue area with solid terrazzo seating
.under house storage
.permeable driveway pavers
.carport

Blackbutt is a sought-after, leafy street, moments from O'Connor Ridge and Lambert Place Playground. The home is an easy stroll to the schools and shops of Lyneham and the famous Tilley's Divine Café and Gallery. The central locale of this beautiful inner north suburb connects you to a lively mix of independent cafes, restaurants, and shops while ample green spaces, shared bike and walking paths, and beautiful street trees create a tranquil village experience just a stone's throw from the CBD and ANU.

FINE DETAILS (all approximate):

Land size: 754 m2
Living size: 166 m2 (approx.)
EER: 0.5
Zoning: RZ1

Build year: 1960

Rates: $6,039.22 pa
Land tax: $11,441.96 pa (investors only)
UV: $1,290,000 (2023)