Garrett House
2010
Haberfield, NSW
This addition aims to be respectful of the heritage of both the original house and the surrounding
heritage subdivision of Haberfield. Our clients very much appreciated the early 20th century heritage of their house, and surrounds, including later changes, and wanted the new work to contribute to that in
an early 21st century way; to express how they live, and want to live, now. As a result the design
process developed into an exploration and ongoing conversation about the notion of heritage itself, its
conservation and creation; and the idea that heritage, like culture, is a living thing. It has a past, present and future.
Many parts of the existing house, and the lives of its occupants, are incorporated into the new work; recycled timbers, newspaper clippings, and family stories are all woven into the furnishing and fabric of the building.
As with many of our projects we collaborated closely with our clients, a professional couple with two children, on all aspects of the design of this house, particularly in working towards a sustainable outcome - a key objective of their design brief.
Important sustainable features include an 18000L water tank; in-slab heating and domestic hot water sourced via heat from evacuated solar tubes on the roof (with instantaneous gas back-up); photovoltaic panels to offset electricity use; polished concrete floors and reverse brick veneer walls to provide thermal mass; double glazed timber framed windows and doors to minimise winter heat loss and summer heat gain; low-emissivity glazing to all eastern and western windows to minimise summer heat gain; ample cross ventilation; low energy lighting, and the use recycled timber throughout.
The new living rooms are pulled back from the existing building, separated by a central courtyard which is pivotal to the design of the house as it provides light, winter sunlight, natural ventilation and a connection to outdoors for all of the new living areas. The gable roofs, a requirement of Council's Heritage regulations, provided an opportunity to further provide natural daylight into the living spaces via large high level gable-end windows at 3 room ends.
Project team:
Sam Crawford, Karen Erdos, Jolyon Sykes
Builder - Tricon Constructions
Consultants/ collaborators:
Structural - Simpson Design Associates, Andrew Simpson
Landscape - Melissa Wilson Landscape Architecture, Glenn Murray
Sculpture - Morgan Shimeld, sculptor
Hydraulic - Northrop
Land Surveyor - Daw & Walton
Quantity Surveyor - Donald Bayley
Council - Ashfield
Photography: Brett Boardman
Awards
2011 Houses Awards - High Commendation for House Alteration under 200 square metres
Published
Houses, Issue 79, April 2011
The Renovators, September 2011