Before & After: In Australia, a Tumbledown Midcentury Is Leveled Up With a Sculptural Stair

Penny Carroll
·2 min read

Fabrikate strips away asbestos and termite-ridden timber to realize the hidden potential of a coastal home.

A steel staircase connects the living room to the new second story while acting as a functional sculpture in the space. Cameron repurposed the timber paneling from another building site.
A steel staircase connects the living room to the new second story while acting as a functional sculpture in the space. Cameron repurposed the timber paneling from another building site.

It’s not always easy to spot a hidden gem in real estate, but builder Cameron Keen could see past the superficial flaws of this midcentury home in Adelaide, Australia, when he and wife, Georgy, stumbled across it in 2016. Hiding beneath its asbestos roof and shabby interior was a solid, double-brick shell and loads of potential.

"It was a lucky one—we weren’t really looking in the area," Cameron says. "It was full of asbestos and termites but we thought, well, the termites can’t get into the hardwood—and they can’t get into double bricks! It had really good bones and a really good vibe about it as an original midcentury house."

Before: Dining Area

Before: Although it enjoyed great views, the living room was small and separated from the kitchen and dining room.
Before: Although it enjoyed great views, the living room was small and separated from the kitchen and dining room.

After: Dining Area

The open-plan kitchen, dining and living room honors the home's original design and heroes the existing stone wall.
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living room honors the home's original design and heroes the existing stone wall.

Cameron and Georgy initially planned to "just tidy it up," but as their family grew (they’re now parents to three young children) and the home’s beachside location began to explode in popularity, they realized it made sense to give the house a full overhaul.

"It became viable to spend a bit more money on it," Cameron explains. "There was no real budget per se—it was more just, ‘hey, let’s build a cool house we like and see how we go.’"

Set on a hillside block, the home had fantastic coastal and city views and pretty good passive design: it captured sunlight through large windows to warm the living space in winter. Cameron, who’s passionate about sustainable design, wanted to double down on these elements with the remodel.

Before: Living Room

Before: The living room enjoyed plenty of natural light and had a feature timber wall.
Before: The living room enjoyed plenty of natural light and had a feature timber wall.

See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: In Australia, a Tumbledown Midcentury Is Leveled Up With a Sculptural Stair
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