2025 Destinations

OPEN 15 NOV 12pm to 2pm - BOOKING REQUIRED Designed by architect Ben Caine of Leanhaus as his own family home, this 8.8-Star all-electric dwelling demonstrates how smart design, prefabrication and adaptability can deliver comfort and sustainability on a modest budget. Built using prefabricated wall and roof modules, the single-storey, 235-square-metre home (including a self-contained apartment) was erected in under a week, saving both time and cost. A compact square footprint maximises usable space while minimising materials, heat loss and complexity. Rather than investing in luxury finishes, Ben prioritised performance. The walls feature deeper-than-standard 170mm timber framing with R5 insulation, giving the home exceptional thermal comfort and airtightness comparable to Passive House levels. In winter, no heating is required, while in summer a 6kW air conditioner quietly maintains 23–24°C, powered by rooftop solar. Material choices reflect a lean, durable ethos: low-maintenance Colorbond protects the sun-exposed façades, while naturally finished timber warms shaded outdoor areas. Inside, the design focuses on simplicity, flexibility and light. A key innovation is the integrated apartment, occupying a quarter of the footprint. Currently used as short-stay rental accommodation, it shares services like solar power and hot water with the main home. In future, it can adapt to family needs; housing grandparents, adult children, or even serving as a home office. With typically seven people living under one roof, the project proves that comfort, density and sustainability can coexist beautifully. True to its name, Leanhaus focuses on what matters, editing out the fluff to achieve a home that is efficient, adaptable and deeply livable.   Lysaght product featured in this project    

OPEN 15TH NOV 9AM - 12:30PM  This building at 33 BOADWAY was originally constructed in 1965 to be used as a showroom for furniture designer David Foulkes Taylor to a design by Architect Julius Elischer. Elischer’s design was for a double height, single-volume building with two steel framed mezzanine floors accessed by steel stairway and connected suspended central mezzanine. His took into account the brief that the windows had to be designed in a way to provide sufficient light but protect displays from direct sunlight. Windows were provided in a deep revealed, abstract sculptured arrangement, the mass form was cubic, painted white with window reveals in colour. The building was praised at the time for its use of light and the changing scales of space and was the recipient of a citation in the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) Bronze Medal Award in 1969 in Western Australia. In 2005 the RAIA purchased 33 BROADWAY in 2007 carried out refurbishments for its occupancy as Chapter headquarters along with complementary tenants in the Architects Board of Western Australia and Archicentre. Refurbishment works were designed by Architect Bernard Seeber Pty Ltd to adapt the original open showroom architecture to that of offices and meeting spaces while retaining and embracing its spatial qualities. Reversible changes to the original architecture have been made and new elements and materials added with a craft reflective of the original

OPEN 15TH NOV 10AM to 12:30PM With a lack of regard for resale norms, this inner-city bachelor pad was designed to be a dramatic little building designed solely for the client’s enjoyment and lifestyle. Located on one of West Leederville’s most desirable streets, we were to create a home for our client and his quick little cat, Catty Freeman. The character cottage facing the street was to be retained and improved, and we were to build an addition to the rear facing the laneway. With much consideration it was decided we would only provide for two dedicated bedrooms in the home, creating a small bar and library in what could have been the typical third bedroom. The addition comprised a new living zone on the ground floor and master bedroom on the first floor.   Woodpecker flooring featured in this project

OPEN 15TH NOV 10AM - 3PM - NO BOOKING REQUIRED Nestled on a compact corner site in Mt Hawthorn,  Ellesmere House is a carefully considered two-storey home designed for a warm and creative couple and their two dogs. Inspired by their admiration for Klopper & Davis & all things mid-century, the design embraces crafted detail, robust materials, and a strong connection between inside and out. Responding to the site’s challenging fall and dual frontages, the home presents as a sculptural composition of curves and contrasts: a white, sweeping upper level floats above a grounded base of dark, textured brick. This interplay of lightness and weight gives the residence a distinctive presence within its suburban context, whilst the dog inspired brick motif improves the laneway. A key focus was to create spaces that feel both intimate and expansive. The darker brick living room nook offers a sense of retreat, while double-height volumes and carefully positioned windows draw in northern light and city views. The kitchen and alfresco merge seamlessly, a reflection of the owners’ love of cooking and entertaining, with lush landscaping softening the architecture. Materiality and detailing are at the heart of the project. Warm timber joinery, curved brickwork, window boxes, and metal cladding form a rich palette that balances durability with refinement. Inside, the interiors are furnished with care, extending the architecture’s tactile sensibility. Public living areas are located on the ground floor, with private sleeping spaces above, ensuring privacy and efficiency within a small footprint. The home employs passive solar principles and was proudly supported by the City of Vincent through its GreenTrack priority assessment program, later being featured by the City. Ellesmere House celebrates craftsmanship, collaboration, and the joy of designing a home that truly reflects its owners’ lives and personalities. It remains a pleasure working with these clients.   Woodpecker flooring and Lysaght featured in this project        

OPEN 15 NOV 10AM TO 3:30PM - NO BOOKING REQUIRED Karijini National Park, known for its grandeur and tranquillity, inspired the design of Karijini House. The goal was to create a home that offers the same sense of solitude and connection to nature. Karijini House may appear modest from the street, but inside, it features 7-meter-high rammed earth walls and large glass windows that showcase the native landscape and natural pool. The design includes multiple level changes that mimic the varied terrain of a gorge. The colour palette is organic and simple, with natural shades of bronze, taupe, and sand. Face brick is used to echo the horizontal banding seen in Karijini. At night, the dim, warm lighting emulates a campfire glow, with task and accent lighting creating a cozy ambiance. Brick breezeways and glass louvres bring playful light and reflections into the home. The underground basement, designed as a cave, serves multiple purposes, functioning as a music hub, guest room, play space, home office, and reflection room. It offers a tranquil retreat with water reflections dancing on the ceiling. The top floor, bathed in natural light, provides private spaces with views of the suburbs green canopy. Karijini House seamlessly blends natural beauty with architectural sophistication, creating a sanctuary that inspires relaxation and creativity. It exemplifies how the serenity of a holiday can be integrated into everyday living.    

TOURS 15TH +16TH NOV 2PM - BOOKING REQUIRED Memorable buildings, scandalous plays, and one sarcastic guide: join Eddie Marcus, an architectural historian with a taste for theatrical excess, for a 90‑minute romp through our history of stage and screen. A lively tour of Perth’s surviving and vanished entertainment spaces, and the façades that still dream about their glory days. Sharp, witty, packed with anecdotes about architects and audacious programming choices. Corinthian columns that doubled as civic bravado. Dressing the street in an Edwardian excess of detail. Melodramas with real tigers onstage. Vaudeville, scandal, and the first flickers of cinema. A walk that will entertain local history lovers, architecture nerds, and  fans. Spaces are limited, book early to avoid disappointment. Bring comfortable shoes and a readiness to applaud your guide at the appropriate moments.      

  OPEN 15TH NOV 2pm to 5pm  OFFMARKET Gallery — Where Architecture Meets Art Hidden within Claremont, OFFMARKET Gallery occupies a private residence designed by architect Richard Reilly . The architecture unfolds around a central pool, with expansive glass openings that draw the outdoors in and create a constant play of reflections, transparency and calm. Natural light moves throughout the day, animating the surfaces of the house and the artworks it hosts. Within this architectural setting, OFFMARKET operates as a gallery within a home. Open by appointment, it offers an intimate encounter with contemporary art by international and Australian artists including Nathalie Du Pasquier, George Sowden, and Ortaire de Coupigny. The current exhibition, Mutina Editions, celebrates the Italian design brand’s collaboration with leading contemporary artists and designers, exploring the intersection of art, design and materiality through ceramics. For Perth Open House 2025, OFFMARKET opens its doors to share this dialogue between design and art, space and emotion, everyday life and creative expression.

OPEN 15 + 16 NOV 10am to 2pm - NO BOOKING REQUIRED Originally a modest 1940s three-bedroom, one-bathroom home, Portland Street has been thoughtfully reimagined through extensive structural alterations for contemporary family living. The transformation adds new bedrooms, a living area, games room, bathroom, powder room, laundry, and an alfresco—delivering a home that balances modern functionality with enduring style. Careful window and door placement invites natural light deep into the interiors, framing views to the pool and landscaped gardens to strengthen indoor–outdoor connection. A redesigned entry and carport create an inviting street presence, with limestone details and sympathetic rooflines that honour the original character. Portland Street blends heritage charm with modern convenience to create a light-filled, highly liveable home for a growing family. Winner — 2025 HIA Renovation / Addition Project $500,000–$650,000 Finalist — 2025 HIA Housing Awards Renovation / Addition Project of the year