Australian Capital Territory
**Un Peu Perrault is a Testament to Light Touch Architectural Transformation**
Un Peu Perrault, by MyMyMy Architecture, stands as a testament to the transformative power of sensitive light touch architecture to enhance family connections and elevate daily life. Carefully balancing preservation of the original building fabric with the integration of a bright, inviting extension, the project caters to the evolving needs of the family.
Seamlessly blending innovation with functionality, MyMyMy Architectures design fosters moments of tranquillity and familial joy through meticulous attention to detail. Key features include a zigzag folded and perforated steel screen, which redefines street presence, and strategic apertures that infuse interiors with warmth.
This new addition by MyMyMy Architecture is an exercise in restraint. Un Peu Perrault serves as a symbol of architectural metamorphosis, seamlessly melding interior comfort with exterior aesthetics.
Un Peu Perrault is situated in Downer, ACT, on the land of the Ngunnawal people.
Commendation for Residential – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
The house retreats from the street behind a striking brick colonnade with perforated zig-zagging steel screens.
The reallocation of wet areas to the centre of the house allows living spaces and bedrooms to have northern light and direct connections to the garden. The client’s mid-century modern furniture was skillfully integrated, and hallways double as gallery walls for their art collection.
Interiors showcase a playful yet sophisticated use of colour alongside natural timbers and stone.
Commendation – COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture
Un Peu Perrault demonstrates an innovative use of steel to connect the urban and personal realms.
A delicately fixed, folded perforated metal sheet screen and canopy combine to create a façade and processional entry sequence, and featuring again as a solar screen to the rear living area.
In the kitchen, a sculptural dark fuschia semi-circular island bench support resonates with the client’s graphic novel art collection, further demonstrating a confident and multi-faceted use of steel by MyMyMy Architecture.
Without an established track record and amidst the challenging backdrop of a global pandemic, Mark Brook successfully delivered – Un Peu Perrault – a family home through thoughtful design considerations, an agile adaptive leadership approach and an open collaborative design process.
Assuming full responsibility for every project aspect, from design to on-site services, Mark’s leadership was pivotal in navigating uncertainties and ensuring stakeholders remained well-informed. The ability to balance global market dynamics with client expectations resulted in meticulously integrated architectural enhancements, both internally and externally.
Un Peu Perrault not only marked the establishment of MyMyMy Architecture but also laid down a blueprint for sustainability, design, and detailing excellence. The design assembles interior materials bravely and boldly. The entry to the home is transformed into a procession framed by custom pleated metal perforated screens. Mark’s deep understanding at the technical level seamlessly contributes to the experiential quality of the home.
Moreover, he utilised this project as a platform to share knowledge within the EmAGN community, contributing to both his professional growth and the broader architectural discourse.
As part of the EmAGN demographic, Mark’s dedication to delivering high-quality outcomes is evident in this project, making it a deserving recipient of the EmAGN Project Award.
We loved our old house’s traditional Canberra red brick style however its age and impracticalities were showing. The new layout reinvents the internal space with a small extension that combines harmoniously with the old while creating something new.
We now have bedrooms all with voluminous storage for our children and a spacious master with calm inducing ensuite, a kitchen that is a pleasure to work in, inviting living spaces, enough bathrooms for all contained in a light filled, airy and thermally comfortable package. Additionally, these spaces are a dream to live in, having a sense of individuality, beauty, and comfort.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
