LIGHT SOURCE

This is a renovation and extension to an existing cottage to accommodate a young family of five.

Our client wanted to revise and renovate the existing single-storey detached cottage, and add upstairs bedrooms and revise and add to the existing home.

The result – a contemporary double-storey home – complete with north facing living areas with easy access to a generous garden.

family living areas open plan

Adapting a Cottage – The Design Challenge

The cottage could accommodate the required renovations, but the plot has an extremely limited width when it came to accommodating an upper floor and north-facing living areas. It took a bit of negotiating when it came to appeasing the required statutory setbacks for this site.

Design Solution – Results

Over the new north facing living area there is a double-storey void, to maximize the capture of natural daylight with high windows. There is fixed shading to the north windows to minimise sun access inside during the warmer months. This void will also bring light into the upstairs guest room/study.

Our client wanted low-maintenance materials on the outside, so we chose suitable materials that were long-lasting and met the client’s budget and colour scheme. This allowed us to bring some more focus on the internal spaces and materials.

The site was challenging, but the project met the client’s brief, their site and their aspirations.

Sustainable Design Principles include:

  • Re-use and recycle the existing building as much as possible
  • Optimise opportunities for north facing daytime areas
  • Shading to north facing windows and doors
  • Minimise east and west facing windows to reduce summer heat loading
  • Windows to south side of home to enable cooling cross breezes through the home
  • Roof mounted gas boosted solar hot water service
  • Rainwater harvesting for garden use
Project Team
Architect
Cathi Colla Architects
Interior Designer
Cathi Colla Architects
Structural Engineer
R. Bliem & Associates Pty Ltd
Building Surveyor
Lorenzini Group
Builder
One Construction Group Pty Ltd
Photographer
Emma Cross Photographer
Project Details
Architectural Services
Full Architectural Design, Documentation and Contract Administration Services
Project Status
Construction Completed 2014

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