Adhami Pender Architecture

This project involved the rebirth of an old Narrabundah “ugly duckling”. The old house, which was typical of the period, was cavity brick construction with a low pitched metal roof and timber floor. It had had a uninsulated addition to the back yard and an add-on carport to the front. It was positioned on the block parallel to Captain Cook Crescent resulting in a NNW/SSE orientation.

This work involved adding an upper level with a parents’ bedroom, ensuites and study/guests room. Downstairs, a new family room and kitchen were added. Where possible, windows were relocated to the northern sector walls, a carport added to the west (street) elevation, and an entrance added to provide beauty, scale and layering to the street. The old house was also re-roofed and all walls were rendered to unify the new with the old.

The end result has achieved an energy-efficient, light-filled house. The old house is underneath but its previously inefficient cavity brick has been insulated, including some internal brickwork which previously was sheeted externally now has glass to transform them into Trombe walls. The use of a void in the stair well has introduced more sunlight from upper-level NNW facing windows than was previously in the southern rooms of the house.