St Marys Bay

Heritage villa renovation + extension

We transformed a three-storey heritage villa through a carefully considered renovation and rear extension across all levels. While the home retains its traditional villa character from the street, the design opens up dramatically toward the rear, revealing a contemporary, three-storey form.

Location: St Marys Bay 
Project type: Heritage villa renovation + extension
Architect: Ingram Architecture

View of a rooftop balcony with outdoor furniture, potted plants, trees, and a cityscape with clouds and blue sky in the background.
A staircase with carpeted steps and a white curved handrail leading to an upper floor, decorated with framed artwork on the walls, illuminated by natural light from a skylight.
White hallway with framed pictures on the wall, a small antique table on the left, and a colorful patterned runner rug on the floor, leading to a bright room with view outside.
A small outdoor patio with two large potted trees, a white table, and two black wrought iron chairs. There are green shrubs and trees in the background, with a blue sky overhead.
Interior of a living room with a wall-mounted television, a fireplace with logs, and two black nested tables beside a window with white blinds, sunlight casting shadows.
Interior living room with dark green walls, white sofas, a lamp, and a fireplace. Adjacent to the living room is an outdoor balcony with white furniture, potted plants, glass railing, and a view of houses and trees under a blue sky.
Modern kitchen with dark teal cabinets, granite countertops, a double-door stainless steel refrigerator, a chandelier, and some small appliances on the counter.
Living room with white sofas, dark hardwood flooring, blue walls, two large windows with white blinds, a wall-mounted TV above a fireplace, and a sliding glass door to the right, letting in natural light.
Open sliding glass door showing green leafy trees outside on a sunny day.

The site presented significant constraints. One side of the house sits directly on the boundary, with only a narrow one-metre access path on the other. With limited external access, the build was meticulously sequenced from the inside out, starting at the rear and progressing forward as each stage was completed.

Aerial view of a modern house with a rooftop terrace, outdoor furniture, potted plants, and surrounding greenery.
Dark tiled shower with black showerheads, built-in shelf with a bottle, and ceiling lights.
Modern bathroom with skylight, freestanding bathtub, marble countertop with vessel sink, large mirror, and window with blinds.
Bright living room with large sliding glass doors opening to a balcony view of a cityscape, blue sky, trees, and rooftops.
Modern white balcony with glass railing and decorative architectural elements against a clear blue sky.
Close-up of a modern white building with angular architectural design, featuring large glass windows and white horizontal beams against a clear blue sky.
Balcony view of a residential neighborhood with a gray outdoor sofa and potted flowers, overlooking houses with white roofs on a sunny day.
Front view of a light gray house with white decorative trim, windows with white shutters, a small porch with a white picket fence, and a large lantern-style light fixture next to the entrance door.
A white house with an ornate porch and decorative trim, featuring attic windows with angled shutters, a small fenced patio, and a hedge in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

The finished home look like a villa from the street, while unveiling its true scale and complexity behind. It’s a project that highlights Astute Build’s expertise in technically complex construction, heritage-sensitive builds, and delivering high-quality outcomes in tight urban environments.

Aerial view of white multi-story houses with spacious balconies, surrounding lush greenery, and cars parked on the street.