Feature Gallery of the Month: 20 Stunning Architectural Backsides

At WOLF Architects, we believe great design is beautiful from every angle and especially the rear. While most homes are designed to impress from the street, we focus on the views that matter most to those who live in them. Our rear elevations often outshine the front façades of typical homes, thoughtfully crafted as part of a complete architectural sculpture.

This month’s gallery showcases 20 exceptional rear views that redefine why a home’s backside should be private, functional and breathtakingly beautiful.

Enjoy this gallery and see why WOLF designs stand out from every angle.

How does a design brief for a young couple starting a family evolve over a 12 month period to being one for a retiring elderly couple? No, our clients did not simply age a few decades over night. The younger couple had a change of plans that brought about selling their contemporary Mt Martha dream to a couple looking to retire in a modern home with a view. Testimony to great design the project did not necessitate a return to the drawing board. The Bones of the home were in the right places, so only minor adjustments were required to make things perfect for the overjoyed new owners. For more information about the G House please contact the team at Wolf Architects today here.

The WOLF Contemporary Beach House project consists of two houses. Initially, the owners built the first house, but as their family grew and their collection of cars and a boat expanded, they found themselves outgrowing the space. When they acquired the adjacent vacant block, they decided to construct a second house, primarily intended as a guest house, while also accommodating their cars and boat.

The challenge was to design the new house without obstructing the stunning views from the original house, which were a key feature. WOLF Architects skillfully positioned the second house slightly offset from the first and carefully arranged the rooms and windows to capitalize on the breathtaking views, ensuring that both homes maintained a strong connection to the natural surroundings.

This project was one of WOLF Architects’ first waterfront designs, and even after 10 years, it still looks as fresh and modern as it did on day one. The houses stand among the finest beachside homes on an international scale, with a strong presence that complements, rather than overwhelms, the stunning setting. The client’s brief called for a home that embodied “understated elegance” and the result achieves exactly that.

The project celebrates the natural magnificence of its environment, embracing the sand, sea, sun, and mountains. With such a prime location, it was vital that all key spaces in both homes not only provided unobstructed views but also maintained a direct connection to the beach. A minimalist design approach was applied to both the interiors and exteriors to honor the landscape.

The defining external feature of the first house is a generously sized infinity pool that runs along its length and connects visually to the sea. This pool enhances the entertainment area, wrapping around three sides of the building and creating a seamless transition between the interior spaces and the beach. The basement houses a multi-car garage and wine cellar, both of which are illuminated by natural light filtering through the underside of the pool. The pool’s glass wall, a significant design and construction challenge, became one of the most expensive features. To balance the budget, the lift, pool spa and retractable outdoor roof coverings were omitted from the design.

“To stand out, or not to stand out… why not both?”

Both houses offer nearly 360-degree views, with large sliding doors and windows providing direct access to the beach. The levels of each house were strategically designed to maximize views of the horizon and distant mountains. A rooftop deck, a signature feature seen in many WOLF Architects Category 3 homes, provides an ideal space for relaxation and stargazing. Though the main house spans four levels, including the basement and rooftop deck, clever use of split leveling and horizontal proportions makes it appear as a sleek two-story home. This approach ensures the house makes an architectural statement without negatively impacting its surroundings.

The upper level’s cantilevered design appears to hover above the sea, while the transparency of the structure allows the natural landscape to remain visible through the building. White was chosen as the primary color, rendered in a durable finish that reflects the client’s heritage and memories of the Greek Islands. The materials were carefully selected for their durability and low maintenance, ensuring that the homes can be locked up and left for months at a time without worry.

This house came about because the clients knew they had an exceptional site and understood well that it required great architecture. A contemporary home that worked with the site’s steep slopes whilst capturing the breathtaking sea views was necessary. WOLF ARCHITECTS being well known for very contemporary homes on challenging sites was thus commissioned to accomplish those most challenging tasks.
Further to working with the difficult context the brief required for a home that would grow and adapt to a young family. There had to be room for expansion of activities with storage, outdoor areas, and even swimming pool to be built at a future time. As with many WOLF homes, the internal spaces have a strong sense of connectivity that allows each family member to be well aware of another’s activity. Each room is generous in size, open and flexible with almost every space having a direct view to the sea.
For a site that felt very connected to nature it was important to create a home that was both energy efficient and able to stand up to the test of time in both materials and style. Orientation of important rooms had to be carefully balanced between the northern light and views. A pallet of concrete, stone, brick, and rammed earth allowed for low maintenance as well as good thermal mass.
Rammed earth was building material envisioned from the onset as structural feature that would form an essential part of the homes character. While rammed earth has been around for centuries it is a relatively innovative and unique building material for Melbourne. It has a textural ambience which feels warm, natural and earthy. For the Trewin house it forms a continuous solid 400mm thick wall that defines the entry from outside and then extends through the entrance, along the stairs to finish as a balustrade on the first floor. WOLF architects wanted it to be a continuous surface that you could run your hands across from the moment of arrival through to the upper levels.
As owner builders, the clients remarkably overcame what is a highly complex structure that zigzags and twists from one space to the next. Strict and geometric and proportions had to be adhered to not only for structural purposes but so as to to achieve the timeless aesthetic. The resulting home sits proudly and almost perfectly amongst its native context as if having stood there for decades.
The owners are overjoyed and have remarked that “everyday feels a blessing” in a such a home. The Trewin house marks not only the very first WOLF house in Mount Martha, and usage of rammed earth but a home that truly delivers joy to its users and built to last.

The Wolf House was designed for a young family of 5.
It has a subtle East meets West theme inspired by the owners, who grew up in South East Asia and are ethnically Anglo-Chinese.

A House That Meets the Heart …

When you arrive at the house you enter via a formal pedestrian entry. Beyond that is a contemporary Chinese garden which in itself is a playful expression of east meeting west. A bridge over a dry riverbed directs you to the office at the rear. The office can accommodate several people and has its own bathroom and kitchenette. This allows for future use as an additional bedroom or granny flat. Resale is always an important consideration and most of the spaces were designed to be flexible in use. It was agreed that one of the most unsustainable things in houses is doing premature renovations. This house was designed with a long-term vision in mind.

Life is Art. Live a Masterpiece.

At the front of the house is a large north-facing yard, which provides a great space for children to play privately and securely. It leads onto a generous double-height front porch, which then directs you into the house. The front porch has a dark polished concrete floor with a sealant that allows for the floor to also be a large blackboard for children to draw on. The main living space opens onto this northern yard with a set of quality commercial-grade bi-fold doors which open completely. The floor level between the inside, front porch and lawn is very slight and this further blends the inside to the outside.
Entry into the house is through a large walnut-veneered door. Instead of a sculpture ahead or painting hanging on the wall, the wall is in itself a piece of art. This approach was taken throughout the house with many of the family’s collections. The objects for display are integrated into the architecture. The Star Wars action figures for example, are on individual stands on a wall and this forms a part of the walls texture making the whole display a feature in the interior architecture.
The heart of the ground floor is triangulated by the living, dining and kitchen spaces. These areas were considered in the brief to be where the family spend most of their time together and therefore had to be interconnected. They are separated primarily by a double sided fireplace, an example of clearly defined spaces without walls. The kitchen is positioned at the western point of the triangle and acts as a control tower from which most of the house and landscaping beyond can be overseen.

Enhancing Everyday Living…

Encouraging Connectivity Throughout…

The residence is separated from the office by an operable glass wall located at the southern end of the dining room. Within the office is a space for one of the classic cars. The dining room is at the bottom of the vertical corridor, and by looking upwards, one understands why the house is so light-filled. Light penetrates in most areas from multiple windows. No artificial light is required throughout the day and at night the house’s lighting is almost 100% LED. The dining room is strategically placed in the centre of the home and with a large void above it to enhance the feeling of sacredness, representing how the family regards meal times spent together daily.
The site was not without its challenges. Certain elements of the previous 1940’s residence we retained for cost-saving reasons and in consideration of embodied energy and sentimental value. These areas included:

– The existing master bedroom and ensuite which had been renovated several years prior
– A yellow brick tunnel which now has a mural painted by the owner
– The front fence
– The rear yard
– A large 4-car tin shed

The result was a house that consisted of 28 interconnected spaces unfolding over 10 subtle level changes. The key to the design is a multi-purpose vertical corridor which acts as a thermal chimney. It also allows for many internal views and vistas which are integral to the houses connectivity. Light can also penetrate through the space, allowing the Northern sunlight to penetrate to the deepest parts of the house.

A Home that Brings the Family Together…

The Wolf house was designed for a young family of 5.
It has a subtle East meets West theme inspired by the owners, who grew up in South East Asia and are ethnically Anglo-Chinese.

A House That Meets the Heart …

When you arrive at the house you enter via a formal pedestrian entry. Beyond that is a contemporary Chinese garden which in itself is a playful expression of east meeting west. A bridge over a dry riverbed directs you the office at the rear. The office can accommodate several people and has its own bathroom and kitchenette. This allows for future use as an additional bedroom or granny flat. Resale is always an important consideration and most of the spaces were designed to be flexible in use. It was agreed that one of the most unsustainable things in houses is doing premature renovations. This house was designed with long term vision in mind.

Life is Art. Live a Masterpiece.

At the front of the house is a large north facing yard which provides a great space for children to play privately and securely. It leads onto a generous double height front porch which then directs you into the house. The front porch has a dark polished concrete floor with a sealant that allows for the floor to also be a large blackboard for children to draw on. The main living space opens onto this northern yard with a set of quality commercial grade bi-fold doors which open completely. The floor level between the inside, front porch and lawn is very slight and this further blends the inside to the outside.
Entry into the house is through a large walnut veneered door. Instead of a sculpture ahead or painting hanging on the wall, the wall is in itself a piece of art. This approach was taken throughout the house with many of the family’s collections. The objects for display are integrated into the architecture. The Star Wars action figures for example, are on individual stands on a wall and this forms a part of the walls texture making the whole display a feature in the interior architecture.
The heart of the ground floor is triangulated by the living, dining and kitchen spaces. These areas were considered in the brief to be where the family spend most of their time together and therefore had to be interconnected. They are separated primarily by a double sided fireplace, an example of clearly defined spaces without walls. The kitchen is positioned at the western point of the triangle and acts as a control tower from which most of the house and landscaping beyond can be overseen.

Enhancing Everyday Living…

Encouraging Connectivity Throughout…

The residence is separated from the office by an operable glass wall located at the southern end of the dining room. Within the office is a space for one of the classic cars. The dining room is at the bottom of the vertical corridor and by looking upwards one understands why the house is so light filled. Light penetrates in most areas from multiple windows. No artificial light is required throughout the day and at night the house’s lighting is almost 100% LED. The dining room is strategically placed in the centre of the home and with a large void above it to enhance the feeling of sacredness, representing how the family regard meal times spent together daily.
The site was not without its challenges. Certain elements of the previous 1940’s residence we retained for cost saving reasons and in consideration of embodied energy and sentimental value. These areas included:

– The existing master bedroom and ensuite which had been renovated several years prior
– A yellow brick tunnel which now has a mural painted by the owner
– The front fence
– The rear yard
– A large 4 car tin shed

The result was a house that consisted of 28 interconnected spaces unfolding over 10 subtle level changes. The key to the design is a multi-purpose vertical corridor which acts as a thermal chimney. It also allows for many internal views and vistas which are integral to the houses connectivity. Light can also penetrate through the space, allowing the Northern sunlight to penetrate to the deepest parts of the house.

A Home that Brings the Family Together…