Better not bigger #1

By Envirotecture

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The new owners of this concrete and brick 80’s iconic home wanted to renovate to make the home more functional, comfortable and thermally efficient. They were keen to keep the architectural lines and envelope of the house whilst giving it a new lease of life to bring it into the here and now.

This is a great example of how a home can be dramatically improved without making it any bigger #betternotbigger.

The external facade was cleaned up, given a fresh coat of paint and the dilapidated pop-out window which frames the view to Sydney Harbour Bridge and the City skyline was replaced to provide a comfortable spot from which to admire the great view.

Project Details

Internally the separate kitchen was opened up and reconfigured to provide open plan living. While the brick walls were lined and painted to enhance the space and light. New LED lighting was integrated to enhance the functional light as well as to showcase the original architecture.

Original terracotta tiles were covered with an engineered floorboard to soften the look and feel. While the gallery running the length of the first floor had its heavy steel balustrades replaced with glass to open up the narrow space.

New custom joinery and robes ensure the owners have functional storage.

New UPVC, double glazed windows and doors throughout replaced single glazed aluminium, drafty ones. A new feature timber front door to the south is fully sealed.

The double brick walls and the skillion roof cavity were filled with blow in, mineral wool insulation. The roof was subsequently covered in photovoltaic panels and coupled with a battery.

Unused space at the side of the house was filled with slimline rainwater tanks connected to the laundry and bathrooms and a new heat pump hot water system replaced the existing gas storage tank.

Air conditioning was utilised and integrated into discrete bulkhead units to help maintain comfort on the more extreme weather days.

The result was a light, bright, airy, contemporary home that, when managed, by opening and closing windows and doors, is much warmer in winter and much cooler in summer!

Opening up the new bifold doors onto the rear northern patio to bring the outdoors in as well as gathering around the kitchen island bench whilst seeing the sky change colour through the new skylights has got to be the highlight for coming home to this renovated house

Photography by Petri Kurkaa

Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1
Better not bigger #1

Professionals used in
Better not bigger #1

Envirotecture
Envirotecture
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About the
Professional

At Envirotecture we design beautiful, sustainable buildings that work for you, your family or your business.

With over 35 years’ experience in sustainable architecture, we can offer you a full range of building design and consulting services to deliver the best possible built outcome for your build.

Facilitate and future-proof your lifestyle with our cost-effective designs that provide stylish design solutions. See our sustainable design portfolio.

We Design for Comfort
Our designs, using state-of-the-art materials and passive design principles, will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter.

We Design for Style
You want you to enjoy spaces that inspire your soul. We will design your building so that it not only works really well, it looks great too!

We Design for Value
We can give you the biggest bang for your buck. Our sustainable designs are an affordable alternative to traditional design and will significantly reduce your long-term operating costs.

We Design for the Environment
When you chose our sustainable architectural solutions your build will have a direct beneficial impact on the environment by helping to:

  • protect the ecosystem
  • reduce emissions
  • improve air and water quality
  • conserve water
  • reduce waste
  • conserve and restore natural resources

We Design for the Future
Our architectural solutions will help create you a responsive, beautiful, energy efficient home that will continue to work for you and your family as your needs changes.

Sustainable design will also optimize the life cycle of your building and increase your property value.

We use the latest technology to ensure clever, creative design solutions that last the distance.

We Design for Business
You want your commercial building to provide environmental, economic and social benefits to your business.

We can design your building to:

  • help reduce your operating costs
  • improve workplace environment
  • optimize the life cycle of your building
  • increase your property value
  • improve your employee’s attendance and productivity

We Believe in Giving Back
At Envirotecture we always have a pro bono project, or ‘love job’ on the go.

The current Love Job is for the Read Triplets who are wheelchair bound with muscular dystrophy

Previous love jobs include:

  • Wakisa Foundation's shelter for homeless pregnant girls in Kampala, Uganda
  • the Laotian School project

We Believe in Sustainable Architecture

We have over 35 years’ experience in sustainable design, and our team are all leaders in their fields.

We each bring different skill sets to the business but we all are inspired by sustainable design because we see the difference it makes on so many levels.