You’ll Never Guess the House Attached to This Concrete Extension

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Project Details:

Location: Woolahra, New South Wales, Australia

Architects: Clayton Orszaczky / @claytonorszaczky

Builder: Out N Up

Structural Engineer: SDA Structures

Landscape Design: Tanya Wood Landscape Architect

Cabinetry: DSK Kitchens & Cabinetry

Photographer: Jack Lovel

From the Architects: "This new addition to a heritage-listed dwelling in inner Sydney was a response to a constrained and challenging site. We proposed to carve out the rear of the floor plan to catch morning sun, which led to an angled building clearly distinct and contemporary from the original dwelling. A roof garden over the entire new addition provides natural thermal benefit, softens the architectural form, and responds to the private green grove that this home adjoins.

"The original existing rear additions to the house connected very poorly to the context of the site and to the original terrace. The glazed conservatory was effectively a green house in summer and an ice box in winter. The narrow kitchen and small family area abutted the northeastern boundary of the site, providing no sunlight or ventilation. Creating a site sensitive response while differentiating strongly between old fabric and new spaces with a modern gesture in off-form concrete were important drivers in the design process.

"The form of the building is a direct response to site constraints, in particular the lack of northern light and the intensity of afternoon summer sun. The angle of the plan capitalizes on the neighbor’s light well to catch and draw morning sun into the kitchen and family room. A deep eave to the western elevation allows an expansive opening that draws in afternoon winter sun and connects the dwelling to the beautiful grove aspect. The roof garden and thick masonry elements provide thermal mass and address the problematic site aspect. At the same time the softness of the subtle curves create a feeling of gentle enclosure and warmth to the occupants."