Creating Character and Comfort: A Sustainable Renovation in the Inner West

Project description, challenges & solutions

A character-filled inter-war weatherboard cottage with a playful materials palette that draws from a workers cottage scheme. Native Australian hardwoods, zincalume wall cladding on the exterior and an internal palette that is paired back with an exposed concrete floor balanced with warming timbers and brass tones that will age with character through time. The light-filled open plan living, dining and outdoor entertaining area operates as the heart of the home, highlighted by an introduced central light passage and generous raked ceiling. A series of intimate nooks are dotted through the home and framed by generous windows to allow for adaptive spaces to gather for moments, and potentially read a book in solitude. 

The materials palette was not only considered to stand the test of time, but to be healthy and have a low impact on the environment. Some of the key elements included non-toxic paints, native FSC Certified timbers and natural fibre carpets. Beauty and practicality were key attributes to the client brief, but also to provide a high performance solution to the existing envelope as well as the rear extension. 

The existing weatherboard envelope was re-insulated to enhance thermal comfort and the rear living and dining space was constructed upon a waffle slab with 8 star wall and ceiling build-ups, plus maximising passive solar principles to allow natural ventilation during summer and north facing windows to ensure solar gains during winter to naturally heat the home.

Site Context Challenges & Solutions

When we first walked into this home, the windows were quite small and even though it had a north-facing frontage it was cold and dark inside the main living room. Then I immediately noticed the two bedrooms were accessed off the living and kitchen rooms. The bathroom was situated awkwardly off the back porch. Understandably it just wasn't a very comfortable house to live in and had no connection with the backyard at all. 

Even though it had a double-fronted facade, the front entry porch entered directly into the living room, resulting in no central corridor through the house, making it problematic to separate and zone the spaces. 

For a family of three, this house didn't require too much more additional space, but it definitely needed a lot more light, far more comfort and connection to the backyard.

Our strategy was quite simple: separate the living areas from the bedroom areas, and try and get as much light into those living areas as possible. This resulted in a separate new side-entry that linked the two zones. This side entry results in a small central courtyard, providing a generous north facing window to the living room.

Sustainability Considerations

Energy:

All electric home, Heat pump hot water, single split system to new living zone, ceiling fans and electric radiators to bedrooms. 

Decommissioned the gas connection.

Existing solar system with the capacity for future expansion.

Insulation:

R2.7 walls, R2.5 timber floors, R5+ ceilings. No lighting or power penetrations into the insulated envelope. Sealed window & door openings. 

Water:

Stormwater collection from new additions, primarily for use in gardens. 

Building Materials:

Sustainably sourced & FSC certified hardwoods for timber cladding, decking, posts & beams.

VicAsh timber doors and windows with Low E coated double glazing.

Low-VOC internal finishes, concrete sealant, Dulux paint, E0 joinery carcasses.

Primary Features

This is by no means a large house: three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living area at the back. We've made this house extremely functional with versatile spaces during the day and through the seasons.

The gabled ceiling over the living room creates a great sense of space, and one side of that pitched roof continues over the kitchen, allowing the north-facing windows to flood daylight deep into the kitchen and dining space.

Externally, this house is fortunate enough to have off-street parking. We created a new carport just beyond the bedroom wing and provided direct access into the link between the existing house and new extension, and also an external storage lock up.

Credit must be given to our clients for wanting to minimize their footprint and prioritise and maximize the efficiency of their home, which empowered us to execute high-performance features.

Builder: Carland Constructions (Passivhaus Certified builder)

As featured in Hunting For George.