Hawthorn East is characterised by Victorian cottages and terraces that define a consistent suburban typology across the area.
Oberon House retains the existing cottage while introducing a contemporary rear addition, responding to heritage constraints and the characteristics of a narrow inner-urban site.

The original building has been reconfigured over time through a series of incremental additions, resulting in fragmented and poorly lit internal spaces with limited connection to the garden.

The new intervention establishes a compact and efficient plan, prioritising a sequence of generous living spaces over maximised room count. The ground floor accommodates kitchen, dining and living functions within a continuous spatial arrangement, while the upper level is dedicated to a singular master suite.

Joinery elements are integrated as spatial devices, organising the interior and providing layered storage, display and separation within the plan.

The upper level operates as a continuous spatial volume, with softened boundaries between bedroom, bathroom and library zones, and a central void connecting both levels of the house.

Daylight is introduced through a combination of large sliding openings to the north and south, and a continuous skylight above the kitchen that delineates the transition between existing and new construction.