Vista Street Renovations
Kitchen, living and bathroom renovations completed to an existing timber-framed house in Vista Street, Kensington.
Kitchen, living and bathroom renovations completed to an existing timber-framed house in Vista Street, Kensington.
The clients purchased the house around 2012. It was in a state of disrepair, with some very substandard renovations originally completed in the 1970s.
Prior to my involvement, the clients restored many of the original features, while adding modern improvements such as double glazing, energy efficient lighting and insulation. As a regular client at their cafe, I was subsequently engaged as their architect to assist with designing an eco-effective addition comprising a new bedroom and ensuite, connected to a rear courtyard.
During construction, one of the biggest challenges was access, as everything had to be delivered and removed via the single width garage, only accessible from the narrow rear laneway. This included the demolition of the 1970s brick laundry from the back of the house.
Other eco-effective design features include:
The Team:
This project involved a significant addition and renovation to an existing single storey semi-detached house in the inner city. The original house dates back to the early 20th century and has been largely retained, to which was added a two-storey extension designed to capture natural light and views of the CBD. For this project, we believed the most appropriate design response was to respect the integrity of the existing dwelling, and so designed the extension to contrast as well as complement. If we had tried to mimic the old structure, the end result would have become a pastiche.
Our eco-effective approach to this project has been relatively simple – while the build does include technological “bling” such as solar PV, home automation and a transparent insulated wall (to allow light but protect against the worst of the summer sun), its design harks back to the fundamental principles of solar passive design. A small courtyard between the new and existing structures provides solar access for passive heating in winter, walls are constructed from reverse brick veneer to insulate internal thermal mass from the outside, and windows and doors are made from sustainably harvested cedar with high performance glazing to reduce heat losses and gains via conduction.
Strategically located openings provide natural ventilation for cooling during the summer, while zero-VOC paints and finishes used throughout. A rainwater harvesting system captures water from the roof for consumption (the tank is concealed under the courtyard deck), salvaged karri timber has been used for the suspended floors, stair treads and kitchen benchtops, while future provision has also been made for an extensive green roof over the new extension.
Other eco-effective design features include:
This renovation to an early 20th century cottage in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn added a new kitchen and living spaces, outdoor deck and pool, bathroom and parents’ retreat to the upper floor. The second storey was carefully designed to minimise its impact upon the streetscape, which is predominantly single storey.
The key sustainable design feature of this project is that the existing dwelling was retained. The clients loved the feel of their existing home, and wanted to build upon and complement this rather that starting from scratch. A preliminary eTool life cycle assessment revealed that retaining the existing dwelling saves around 39 tonnes of carbon over the life of the building, which was also extended by around 45 years.
Other eco-effective design features include:
Situated on Noongar Wadjuk land, Geenunginy Bo (place of looking a long way) is a solar passive upper storey addition to a 1970s brick and tile residence. Located only 200 metres from the beach in the northern suburbs of Perth, the new addition has been design to maximise access to cooling, summer sea breezes and northern winter sun, while also capturing ocean and inland views.
As part of the renovation works, the external brick walls of the existing ground floor have been retrofitted with blow-in cavity insulation, while the windows have been replaced with thermally-broken aluminium framed and double-glazing. The original rear pergola (that used to be a dark and cold in winter) has been converted to a solar pergola, allowing winter sun to enter and warm the ground floor living area.
The timber-framed upper storey addition has high, raked ceilings and also incorporates recycled brick around the stair for extra thermal mass. Windows and glass sliding doors have been strategically positioned and carefully shaded to capture winter sun and ocean views, without compromising thermal performance.
The addition also has its own private entrance, providing the option for it to be used as self-contained accommodation – or COVID self-isolation when necessary!
Other eco-effective design features include: