Gadigal people of the Eora nation
New South Wales
With no interest in architecture, our clients intended to commission a project home builder. Fortunately, their son convinced them otherwise.
The approach balanced heritage and reality, with original features restored when possible and no Pinterest driven gimmickry.
Skylight shafts were placed between original plaster details. An extension and new laneway structure provide parking and new accommodation.
A new roof sits behind the existing tiled roof and houses a new attic with perforated screens for shade, privacy and security.
An unexpected gift was the discovery of sandstone bedrock which was flooded to create a calming pond.
Ground level includes comfortable/accessible accommodation while additional multi function bedrooms accommodate frequent family visits.
The design also accommodates a lifetime’s accumulation of bric-a-brac and the home is now truly lived in.
From the overall scheme to the finest detail, our team has successfully negotiated 100 year old materials with contemporary amenity to see Arcadia into its next chapter.
Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
Arcadia is an exemplar transformation of a 1920s home: a complex and multilayered architecture that’s full of surprises. Although highly resolved and meticulously detailed, the house never feels uptight and is unafraid to break with convention while introducing multiple moments of delight.
Precise sightlines connect spaces from front to back and above to below, offering unexpected views. Careful material selection and craftsmanship lift and refine the heritage elements, elevating its original character.
The great care for materials and details crescendo in finesse and refinement as one ascends to the extension above and out to the back wing, which sits across the sandstone pond uncovered during construction. The pond now serves as the home’s centrepiece while aiding in temperature regulation across the seasons.
Designed for clients that initially had no interest in architecture (it was their son who convinced them an architect would respect the home’s heritage better than a project builder would), this meticulously crafted house isn’t too precious to receive the client’s non-designer furniture and many knickknacks accumulated over a lifetime. It’s a sign of any great project that meets its user exactly where needed to provide a perfect backdrop for real life to unfold.
The people who originally built the house lived there for most of their lives. Their son lived there his whole life. We hope to spend the remainder of our lives living here.
The design of the home and garden, including self-contained studio addition, enables us to maintain our lifestyle and independence as we get older.
We love the unpretentiousness of the original house and the contrast with the contemporary yet unassuming additions which make full use of the small site within a heritage conservation area.