Crows Nest House is a 3-bedroom home for a young family. When the owners purchased the late Victorian era semi, it had an
overshadowed and underutilised rear yard. Our design strategy was to relocate the main living spaces along the rear southern
boundary, giving them a northern aspect and creating a garden courtyard in the centre of the plan.
The courtyard is designed as a private outdoor room, where large
sliding and bifold doors dissolve the threshold between inside and
out. It also separates the social spaces from the private spaces,
allowing each to function independently. A new link hallway joins
the two zones, offering an axial view from the front door to the
kitchen benchtop.
The original late Victorian facade, roofline and bullnose verandah
were retained and restored at the front, whilst the new works at the
rear are largely concealed from the street. Brickwork is a unifying
element between old and new, carried into the interior of the new
living pavilion. A deep brick soffit and blade walls deliver shade in
summer and sun in winter.
Neutral tones and textures are punctuated with accents of timber
and brass, designed as canvas for the client’s furniture and
artwork.
The attic has been converted into a multipurpose space, providing an additional 48sqm.
Country: Cammeraygal, Eora
Structural Engineer: SDA Structures
Builder: Keedah
Joinery: Keedah
Doors & Windows: Acacia Joinery
Photography: Kate Hawkins
Completed: 2019