SHORT STREET RESIDENCE

The brief for the Short Street residence was to increase the living areas of the existing house and rationalise the rear lean-to extension. The key to this design was to ensure whilst providing the m2’s the client desired that the home would still be able to function as a family home when the kids come home or for the dog to enjoy some outdoor space. With the heritage overlay it was also important to ensure we created a contemporary extension that whilst was clear it was of 2013 design and build was non-dominant in the streetscape. Retaining the lean-to wall facing short street and chimney, allowed the streetscape to remain intact from a pedestrian level and for the extension to be setback and tucked in behind. This also helped to disguise the two storey bulk of the new works.

Being in a heritage area it was very clear from the start that the addition would be contemporary in nature but could play with “traditional” materials such as zinc and hardwoods with crafted elements such as the windows, doors and joinery to “tip its hat” to the past era features now restored to former condition.

These simple and clear concepts were carried thru the entire design to ensure a consistent approach to the design was adopted and is clearly present in the final result. The joiner for example built the windows, doors and joinery from the same Blackbutt timber and this was also used for the floors. You can read the same hand of the craftsmen throughout the project. These simple yet long lasting materials are of such quality that they are effectively “set and forget” the hardwood once initially oiled can now be left to delicately silver off over time, the zinc will never need maintenance.

The clients choosing to develop their existing inner-city property to maximise the potential value in the site was also an attempt to maximise and “unlock” the inherent value in the property. We are now seeing an approach to infill development in the heritage overlay areas of inner city Bendigo which is creating a rich tapestry of architectural typologies which increases the desire to live in these locations rather than the urban sprawl in the suburbs.

Photos: Glenn Hester Photography

Builder: Todd Newman Builders