IN ITS EXISTING STATE THE HOUSE was a medley of unsightly additions from different eras, attached to the main 1920s masonry structure. The first step was to dismantle the 1960s lean-to at the rear, and similarly the enclosed circa 1970 verandah at the front.
To meet the brief architects Anthony Solomon and Paul Connor had to achieve a lot within the parameters of a long narrow block and a strict budget. One objective was to take advantage of the site's north-east south-west orientation by designing double volume living spaces to catch the northern light at the rear of the property. To meet the accommodation requirements of the clients (namely Anthony, his partner and their three children) they retained the three front original rooms as bedrooms and designed a first floor attic-style addition comprising the main bedroom, en-suite and sitting room. This upper floor addition is a lightweight timber -framed structure clad in miniorb. It rests on the solid masonry base of the existing worker’s cottage.
Behind the three bedrooms on the ground floor, the house opens out to an open plan kitchen, dining and outdoor living area. In this zone, existing walls were demolished to open up the kitchen/dining area, and a new wall was added to create a bathroom space adjacent to the kitchen. The entire rear wall of the building comprises clear laminated glass doors in anodised aluminium frames, an arrangement, which enables the indoor living area to be opened fully to the secluded courtyard. A steel frame provides the bones for the glazed section.
Opposite the dining area, a timber stair on a steel stringer leads up to the attic-style rooms tucked under the pitched roof. Upstairs, the steel balustrade continues across the width of the roof, to maintain an open mezzanine-style communication with the kitchen/dining area below. Here, soft carpet contrast with the polished timber boards of the ground floor and comfortable furniture provides a cosy setting in which the whole family can unwind. Being elevated, the room also enjoys an outlook over neighbouring rooftops. The robe and en-suite provide an acoustic buffer zone between the sitting area and the main bedroom.
The back courtyard is divided into two areas, with a flight of steps leading up to an elevated grassy plateau. High walls create a sense of privacy in this sunny patch, and trees have been planted along the back fence to provide a future screen of foliage.
The front of the house has been updated in keeping with the contemporary mood of the rear alterations. The existing facade, front walls and new upper level have been rendered, and the windows that once enclosed the verandah have been removed. A new balustrade to the front stairs, and generous aluminium framed glazing to the upper and lower levels complete the contemporary look. The pitched roof emulates the character of the streetscape, and affords the upper rooms their attic-like charm The uppers part of the house is set slightly further back than the lower facade to make room for terrace leading off the main bedroom.
With its thoughtfully arranged spaces, good cross ventilation and safe, sunny outdoor spaces this house is ideally suited to a family with young children As designer and client, Anthony Solomon can vouch for it.