The house is located in the inner Sydney suburb of Birchgrove in close proximity to the harbour. The original section of the house is a simple timber weatherboard cottage. The rationale was to improve the house by simplification and maximise the outdoor experience on a tight site with neighbours in very close proximity.
It was felt important from the outset that the new works drew from the original house as a basis for investigation, concrete as a heavy material was selected over framed construction. The new works boldly reinterprets the structure and materiality of the elements that make up the original Victorian era cottage. The off form concrete draws on the solidity of the original masonry structure whilst introducing a new materiality. The narrow openings of the original facade are reinterpreted in similarly proportioned forms for a new period. An emphasis on vertical openings creates an alliance with the original fenestration.
