HOMES – Renovation & Extension

Julie Baker Erskineville “From dark and enclosed to light-filled”

Project Descripn

THE CHALLENGES
1.There were no windows to the existing living, dining and the enclosed side courtyard. There was neither natural light nor ventilation to these three rooms.Initially a Development Application for a modest two-storey house,tucked into the roof with two dormer windows was submitted, but rejected.The adjoining owner and the Timber Houses Lobby objected,restricting the possiblity of altering the scale, massing and materials of the house and roof that was visible from the street. But behind the roof ridge line – anythig goes.THE SOLUTIONThe purpose was to introduce light and ventilation to the the internalliving areas and to provide a second bedroom. To achieve these goals, without building a second storey, a ā€œCā€-shaped plan was created. A Courtyard between the existing front and a new rear portion was built to the back boundary.

The wall between the Dining and Living were removed to provide an open-plan Living/Dining/Kitchen with sliding, glazed doors openingto the Courtyard and a Link with glazed doors, joining the rear building containing a Bath and Bed, opening forward onto the Courtyard. From the Entry there is a long storage cupboard containing the kitchen cupboards, display units, the Laundry facilities and wardrobesextending to the Bath.The rear skillion roof matches the profile of the existing roof, but hasthe middle cut out and dramatically raised towards the rear, withfixed, clerestory windows to allow more light into the centre of the rooms. On both East and West windows there are externally fixedvertical louvres to control the summer sun penetration.

Building Details

Project type: Single Residential House
Size: Existing 58.4m2 Renovation 65.6 m2
Courtyard 12.2m 2
Local Government: City of Sydney
Architect: Patrick Brookes
ArchitectBuilder: Create Construction
Structural Engineer: Birzulis Associates
Surveyor:Building Certifier: Council