Suzanne Dance

Suzanne Dance is a Melbourne-based architect who has spent over four decades focusing on architectural conservation and residential work in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.

At the time, these nineteenth century buildings were inexpensive and required renovation, thus her first projects as a sole practitioner were from clients owning these particular houses and requesting alterations and additions.

[1] Whilst completing her postgraduate course, she identified Rome as a "benchmark for a successful city" for its utilisation of space and common outdoor areas, while still incorporating occasional architectural outbursts.

[1] Originally built in the early 19th century, located on outskirts of the city (Carlton), this terrace house remained untouched until the addition designed by Dance in 1994.

[5] The clients requested that the addition to the house create two separate living zones; one for the couple of the household and another for their teenage daughter.

A similar aesthetic was also applied to the upper floor at a smaller scale to allow light into the bedroom.

[1] Corrugated iron was used as a primary material for this structure as it was used internationally and locally for its flexible and malleable properties,[9] which then helped Dance achieve a primitive and a strange futuristic image.