Booth House

A sunlit pool in front of a single-storey Modernist house built with large concrete blocks. The entire visible facade of the house is lined with large glass windows framed with wood.

A progressive reimagining of a 1970s Iwan Iwanoff modernist home in the coastal sub­urb of City Beach, Booth House honours the architect’s original intention while res­pect­fully updating it for contemporary life.

Originally completed in 1970 with an exten­sion added in 1973, Booth House is one of the much sought-after homes designed by Bulgarian Brutalist architect Iwan Iwanoff, who came to Perth in 1950 and left a lasting mark on the city’s suburban and public archi­tecture. As with many mid-century struc­tures, Booth House had been sig­nifi­cantly alter­ed over time without respect to its his­toric value, shifting from its original cohesive modernist character to something un­recog­nisable.

The inside of a front entryway, opening onto a polished stone platform that leads three steps down into an open living area.
State of Kin’s reinterpretation reflects Iwan Iwanoff’s signature use of levels, creating interest while maximising space.
A fuzzy olive-coloured stool in front of floor-to-ceiling timber cabinetry.
The interiors com­bine the clean geo­met­ry of custom timber cabi­netry, polished stone floors, and elegant light­ing and fixtures in a con­tem­porary homage to mid-century des­ign that feels refined and reposeful.
A stone kitchen bench in front of timber panelling with hidden cabinetry. A stovetop sits flush with the surface of the bench. The only object on the bench is a red vessel containing reddish foliage.

A series of renovations and additions meant the home’s façade was structurally comp­ro­mised and the floor plan cramped. The client’s brief called for the restoration of an open, grounded and textural feel, while the project also needed to consider the owners’ spatial and habitual needs.

Close-up of details on the base of the kitchen bench. A curved timber panel overlays an accordion-like wooden surface. Dark olive tiles line the base of the bench.

A rigorous audit of the home at the outset of our design process made it clear that we needed to peel back the superficial layers added over time. This re­vealed that much of the spatial integrity of Iwanoff’s design re­mained, as did evidence of some original interior details like his signature teak panel­ling and concrete block work, which is re­ins­tated in our reinterpretation.

Kitchen interior with dark wood paneling and green tile highlights. The kitchen island countertop and the sink area backsplash are in white marble. A black sculptural vase and a white oval tray is on top of the island.
The design choices incorporated particular colour and material pairings, resulting in a personal space that has undeniable links to its original creator.
Views in to the ensuite and backyard through a bedroom portal and slats. Attached to the bedroom is a short bench with vertical wooden slats and a olive cushioned top.
Filled with natural light, the private bed­room quarters were adapted to suit con­tem­porary living.

Due to the disrepaired state of the home’s existing façade, we first carefully demolished it and then meti­culously re-built it using Iwanoff’s original plans. Slight modifications in the design enhance its func­tion­ality for modern use, restor­ing the home’s low-slung, intelligent mid-century form and re-inte­grating the home into the wide, flat topo­graphy of the neighbourhood.

Ensuite with dark wood cabinetry, white marble countertop, brass cylindrical fittings can be seen atop the sink and reflected in the mirror. A small striped towel hangs from the countertop. In the background, above the bed, are two oval shaped pendant lights.

We optimised the internal layout, prioritising the correct flow of movement and light that was so important to Iwanoff and that makes his homes so timeless, and open­ing up the kitchen and living spaces to suit contem­porary living. Some of the added rooms from previous reno­va­tions were re­moved to de-clutter the floor plan, creating a more func­tional home with independent bedroom quarters.

A straight-on view through the wooden slats partioning the bedroom and ensuite. The wall opposite is made of blue and brown patterned marble. In the foreground is a wide wooden bench with an olive cushioned top.
The timber detailing continues into the pri­mary bedroom’s bathroom area, allowing for permeability between spaces and a cohesive aesthetic throughout the home.
Bathroom vanity and shower area. Material like dark wood, light concrete, small beige tiles, and tri-colour patterned marble are used and arranged in balance.
Teak window frame that incorporates a bench top. The window above the bench top opens out vertically providing a clear view in to the backyard.
A teak window frame incorporates a bench, perfect for enjoying a coffee overlooking the pool area.

The interiors were inspired by Iwanoff’s approach to space, sig­nature use of levels and archi­tec­tural com­mand of Perth’s charac­ter­istically stark daylight. This is reflected in the custom timber detailing throughout living and bedroom spaces, as well as our use of mos­aic tiles, rare natural stone and, around the pool, playful crazy paving — all hallmark features of Iwanoff’s work. Our design choices incorporated the client’s affinity for particular colour and material pair­ings, resulting in a truly personal space that has undeni­able links to its original creator.

The house’s wide, rectangular, single storey façade: The wooden, glass, and concrete brick exterior stretches across the image. A short, alternating cement block divider extends from the house and curves around the house. The house number: 59, is displayed on a concrete block postbox on the lawn. A vintage light brown Benz convertible is parked in the driveway, in front of the custom, wooden-slatt garage door.

Booth House is a true reinstatement of an important architectural work that remedies the mistakes of renovations-past and provides an adaptive space for current and future lifestyles.

This project demanded a passion for the past as well as a creative insight for the future. (Ara and Ale) led the way, but were always open to our ideas and feedback. We felt part of the process the whole way and looked forward to every meeting. We have an amazing home that we absolutely love, and we loved working with State of Kin! Jenny and Terry Childs, Homeowners