The brief was to enrich and enliven the house, bring natural light into mostly south facing closed off spaces and improve its thermal performance to create a healthy home. Our design approach was led by a narrative to bring permeability by reaching out to the garden and up to the sky, and to introduce warmth and texture to the interior.

The project reworks a common typology in our suburbs; a 1980s single fronted brick veneer and tile house, with a back room laundry with the only toilet in the house. These houses are cold and leaky, but they still don’t breathe.

A small extension to the east boundary takes pressure of the living spaces and allows for a ‘light snorkel’ with north facing windows and cross ventilation. To the rear, wide covered thresholds protect the interior from weather, and timber blades focus views out to the garden, while minor adjustments to internal planning allowed for a second bathroom and a rumpus space for the kids.