Bandi Drew House

2006

Paddington, NSW

The project forms an addition to an early 19th century sandstone cottage, thought to form part of the convict built stables of the nearby Juniper Hall, built in 1824 for Robert Cooper. The cottage is located at the end of what is now a quiet, narrow, dog-legged lane, a Georgian remnant in the largely Victorian inner city Sydney suburb of Paddington. To the rear of the site, a 5m high face brick wall is all that can be seen (or heard) of the busy Oxford Street retail strip.

Our clients requested that we retain and repair the sandstone cottage, to be used as their bedroom and library, and add a new kitchen, laundry, bathroom and living space. An attic level over the new section was to house the owner's extensive model train collection, a study and outdoor dining platform.

A narrow entry courtyard is formed between the cottage and an adjacent Victorian terrace house. Apart from a new rendered block wall and timber gate/ utility cupboard facing the lane, the new work sits to the rear of the cottage, and forms a second courtyard space to its rear, between it and the 5m high brick wall at the back of the site.

The stone walls of the original cottage, possibly plastered at the time of construction, but now revealed externally and rendered internally, are of 400mm thick roughly cut and found sandstone set in lime mortar.

The new kitchen and living room wrap the rear external wall of the original cottage, and the rough sandstone wall forms one side of the kitchen and dining room, contrasted by the white walls, concrete floors and exposed timber rafters of the new spaces.

Traces of an earlier 1980's addition have been retained and can be seen in the concrete floor.

The bathroom is accessed via a space screened from the living area and open to the rear courtyard. The rear courtyard is lushly planted and a small fountain provides a soft trickling soundscape.

Our very lovely clients - originally from New Zealand and Italy - have two dogs and two cats. Angelo loves cooking, cleaning, and building miniature landscapes for model train sets. Danielle works long hours, many from home. They both love fine food and wine. They were a pleasure to work with, and very trusting in us. 

Project Team:

Sam Crawford, Miles Heine

Consultants:

Landscape: 360 degrees
Structural: Dynamic
Quantity Surveyor: Coutts Consulting
Land Surveyor: Denny Linker and Co

Builder: To The Mill
Council: Woollahra

Photography: Brett Boardman