Seven homes with shiny metal exteriors: A UK and Australian showcase
In our latest roundup, we explore seven unique homes across the UK and Australia, showcasing a range of architectural styles and designs. From new builds to extensions, these homes feature shiny, metal exteriors that stand out for their modern aesthetic and innovative use of materials.
- Stewart House, Australia
Located in Melbourne, this single-storey brick home has been renovated by SSdH, an Australian practice. The renovation involved creating new openings while preserving the 1970s character of the original structure. Aluminium was used to frame a full-height window and a projecting window box at the rear, as well as for reflective surfaces across the interior.
- Tabberner Cook House, UK
James Alder Architects designed a brick-clad timber extension for the Tabberner Cook House in south London. The extension features zinc panels and aluminium-framed glazing, complementing the existing brickwork. Inside, the spacious extension includes rooms for gardening and bicycle maintenance, as well as a new kitchen with an exposed waffle-slab ceiling and integrated skylight.
- Bondi House, Australia
Nick Kent Design completed this two-storey home in Sydney with a minimalist design. The exterior is clad with polycarbonate screens and metal louvres, creating a translucent and reflective effect. The lightweight, steel-framed structure allows for easy reconfiguration in the future.
- Red Hill House and Studio, Australia
Zuzana & Nicholas transformed a Brisbane cottage into a home and studio for the founders of their Australian practice. The design uses a robust palette of stone, concrete, and steel to maintain a division between the ground-floor studio and the home above. Exposed concrete and metal are used across the lower level, creating a utilitarian aesthetic.
- Covent Garden Apartment, UK
Carmody Groarke overhauled a Grade II-listed penthouse apartment in London, adding a glazed kitchen extension and a sheltered rooftop terrace. The studio used slanted panels of 25-millimetre-thick aluminium to construct the shelter, arranged to mimic the spacing of windows in the building below.
- Proclamation House, Australia
State of Kin completed this light-filled family home in western Australia, featuring aluminium awnings that contrast with the olive-toned exterior. The home's sculptural concrete form is coated in hemp render, and it accommodates a couple and one of their elderly parents.
- House on a Hill, UK
Hugh Strange Architects restored and extended a hillside Victorian home in London. The extension features a series of stepped timber volumes clad with metal. The studio added a rear extension with three glazed volumes, complete with green roofs and galvanised steel elements, aiming to reinstate the home's connection to its terraced concrete garden.
These seven homes showcase the diverse use of metal in residential architecture, from minimalist designs to more traditional Victorian homes. Each project highlights the potential of metal to create modern, functional, and aesthetically pleasing spaces.
