John Street House

2017 Gadi Country / Woollahra, NSW

The extensive alterations and additions to this Woollahra home comprise our fourth project for this family. They had purchased the property with an approved development application, and asked us to redesign the building within the approved envelope so as to expedite the project.

We reinstated the street address of the original cottage, constructed in the 1860s, and re-established the front entry door. A clear delineation was then established between the old and the new – by way of a change in ridge height, a change in materiality, and a change in scale for the garage addition.

Beyond the front rooms of the cottage, the dwelling was completely rebuilt. This third volume, hidden from street view, is clearly articulated through form and the use of white washed handmade bricks.

Bedrooms are located on the street level while the lower ground level contains the living, kitchen and dining rooms. These rooms open to both the central courtyard, and the rear garden and pool. Connectivity through the building and linking the two outdoor areas is key to the success of the design. This open flexible layout allows for expansion and contraction, allowing a couple to live in the house comfortably, while also easily accommodating children and grandchildren.

2019 Woollahra Design Excellence Awards – Shortlist

Project Team

Sam Crawford, Antonia Frey, Nicole Cusack, Madeleine Rowe, Matthew Bolton, Luke Grey

Builder

SQ Projects

Consultant Team

Geotechnical Engineer – JK Geotechnics
Heritage – Weir Phillips Heritage
Hydraulic Engineer – NB Consulting Engineers
Landscape – Christopher Owen
Land Survey – Geographic Solutions
Lighting – LPA
Mechanical Engineer – Arup
Planner – Tony Moody
Structural – Cantilever Engineers
Quantity Surveyor – QS Plus

Council

Woollahra

Photographer

Ben Guthrie