The existing 1970s brick and weatherboard dwelling on a large triangular site was well loved but had been outgrown by its family. The client had a diverse brief, including both definite and abstract goals such as maintaining and enhancing connections to the established garden, adding a master bedroom suite, providing a secure and defined entrance and reconfiguration and refurbishment of the existing layout and spaces. The combination of these elements led to the non-conventional addition of a new pavilion to the front of the site. The form of the addition closely references the typical gable form of the existing house but juxtaposes it with fiercely contemporary detailing and materiality.
Once through the sheltered entry and front door, the garden aspect is immediately appreciated with a large-scale, fully glazed sliding door that opens onto the landscaped rear yard. This glazed bridge forms the connection between the old and the new and is set down from the main living zone, helping the extension sit snugly on the site.
The internal rearrangement of living areas, kitchen and bathroom now complement the existing 3 bedrooms and take full advantage of the northerly aspect and elevated position of the house on this steeply sloping site. A secondary entry, rumpus room and home office, along with amenities and ample storage, are tucked into the undercroft at the rear. The outcome is a fully updated home, suitable for the changing demands of a contemporary family lifestyle. It maintains a comfortable and lived-in ambiance and pays homage to the best aspects of the original cottage.
Q. What is/was unique or interesting about the site of the project?
- A triangular shaped and sloping site - The siting of the existing house optimises northern solar access to the backyard as well as the house - Building regulation required all new work to be set back minimum 9m from the street. Which would mean the extension being right in the centre of the backyard. We successfully gained approval to build with a minimum streetback to maximum backyard.
Q. Tell us a little about the client/s – who are they and what (if anything) is unique about them?
- A young family of four. A professional couple with 4 years old twins. - The client brief was challengingly simple. To add an extra bedroom suite with minimum disruption to the exisitng house and the backyard. - Love the existing house with good natural light, view of a mature garden and seclusion from the neighbours
Q. When did the project begin and when was it completed? What factors affected the timeframe?
Being the architect's own residence, it's proven to be the most difficult project to undertake. On and off the design process took about 12 months. With every possible options explored and rejected, we finally came to the ideal scheme - to put the extension right in the frontyard. As easy as it sounded, it required a dispensation from Council and consents from neighbours for the non-compliance with the building setback. It was a slow process but the result made it all worthwhile.
Q. The concept behind the entry space
The entry can often get overlooked in a house design. It's common to see houses with entry that's a narrow corridor or a staircase. In apartments you often enter directly to the living room or kitchen.
Because of my cultural heritage, been born and raised in Taiwan, which was once a Japanese colony. Taking shoes off as you enter a house and putting shoes on when you leave may seem as a trivial part of life. But then you realised you spend a lot of time at the entry other than just handling shoes. You greet guests, seeing they off, getting the kids out of the door to go to childcare or getting harassed by sales people trying to get you to switch power company.
So we asked the question what if the entry can be more than just a corridor or somewhere you leave your shoes and umbrellas? Talk to us if this interests you :)
Q. What are the elements of the project contributing towards sustainability (in all its forms)?
- Adapting and revitalising an exisitng dwelling to minimise the embodied energy of new build - The remodelling follows passive solar design principles - The siting of the new extension minimises overshading of living areas and backyard - Efficient planning to maximise backyard and introduce stronger visual connection with easier access for enjoyment - Existing lower floor concrete slab and retaining wall are retained for thermal mass, keeping downstairs cooling free in summer - Openable windows are strategically positioned to allow cross ventilation - Within the budget constrain, all new windows are timber framed with double glazed, high spec insulation are installed (including upgrading the existing house), external wall finishes are low maintenance render, internal wall finishes are low VOC paint, original floor boards are kept and finished with low VOC organic oil. - Solar powered roof ventilators are installed to both new and old roofs to help regulate the temperature in the roof and condition the internal spaces - Old ducted heated were replaced with hydrontic heating for better indoor air quality and more efficient heating - Air conditioning units are limited and strategically positioned to maximise coverage across spaces.
