Unfurled House by Christopher Polly Architect is an articulated two-storey framed volume which is sensitively stitched to the rear original fabric, while retaining its front Federation masonry and hipped envelope as part of its environmental, economic and planning values.

Existing demolished bricks and removed timber floor beams and ceiling joists from the former rear addition were salvaged and re-purposed wherever possible. New work is built from a restrained and robust material palette for a long term outcome to enable a return of its embodied energy over a long lifespan.

The house is passively lit through a range of orchestrated window types, and by low energy LED lighting at night. Glazing placement promotes passive cross ventilation, assisted by ceiling fans in the warmer months in confluence with the existing openings of the original house.

Energy efficient fittings and fixtures are used throughout the house.

A two-storey volume mediates the scale and massing of its larger and smaller neighbours, with the existing southern setback extrapolated to the extent of a former rear wall and rear setback of its southern neighbour to mitigate adjacent impacts.

An intermediary form folds from the underside of the reinstated rear edge of the old dwelling to meet the two-storey volume, serving as a nexus for utility spaces, circulation and a northern courtyard at the centre of the plan.

Projecting 'wedges' at the rear further unfurl the envelope to provide ground floor outdoor storage on the terrace, a daybed nook within the 'public' living space, and a private reading space within the upper bedroom, for strengthened access to natural light and connections to sky, trees and outdoor spaces.

KEY INITIATIVES

  • The conscious retention of the original front Federation envelope forms part of its overriding environmental sustainability objective
  • This enables the new work to be arranged within a 'new build' crafted footprint and envelope that is modestly sized, lightweight-framed and sensitively stitched at the rear - augmenting the sustainability value entailed in the retained front half, while nestling closer to the landscape without any loss of lawn and garden areas
  • A central vaulted ceiling allows a volumetric expansiveness over a rigorously organised core and glazed circulation link for light, ventilation and sky access within the middle of the plan where the new programme unfolds in three dimensions
  • Generously carved voids expand a tight plan to promote a spatial interplay between levels, enabling multiple slight lines across interior spaces and diverse views to sky, trees and outdoor spaces - while projecting 'wedges' at the rear craft strengthened connections to its external environment

PRODUCTS

PLYWOOD WALL CLADDING
GUNNERSEN, SHADOWCLAD

ROOFING
BLUESCOPE LYSAGHT, KLIP-LOK COLORBOND STEEL ROOFING

GLAZING
VIRIDIAN NEW WORLD GLASS, COMFORTPLUS AND SUNERGY LOW-E GLAZING SELECTIONS

RECYCLED BLACKBUTT FLOORING
AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURAL HARDWOODS