D house

2016 | Gadigal Country | Queens Park

The D house is a renovation of an existing semi-detached dwelling set within a heritage conservation area, transforming formerly dark, dingy spaces into a light-filled retreat. Located in a dense urban environment, the site presented a number of challenges, including poor orientation, a lack of privacy, and a problematic kitchen extension disconnecting the existing house from the garden. The crucial first move was to demolish the extension, while the original semi was kept intact with its roof line restored. A ‘breezeway’ transition space offers a view through to the garden from the entry, and connects the original house and its new split-level contemporary addition. Along the northern party wall, a linear skylight introduces soft natural light deep into the plan, and full-height pivot doors open the new living space out towards the rear garden. On the first floor, north-facing highlight windows and operable external blinds allow light into the bedroom spaces without compromising privacy. Tying together old and new is the continuous brick breezeway, constructed with recycled bricks from the previous extension so as to minimise waste produced during construction.

Built by Pro-Active Constructions
Photography by Katherine Lu