To add to an iconic English Cottage designed by HL Massey. The original drawings prepared by H L Massey are dated 1936 for Mr J S Caughey. The challenge of the design was to preserve the original architecture, add to the house, keeping the form, mass, proportion and scale of the existing house. However, the client’s request was that the alteration also must meet the requirements now accepted as part of contemporary living.

The alteration shows a carefully considered siting of a four car garage and top storey gym, placed to the front yard of the existing house. The scale and proportion of this ancillary garage building is designed to compliment the main existing form.

A frameless glass link forms a recessive element, connecting the ancillary garage building to the main house, and this avoids a collision of the two forms, also allowing an unobstructured view of the original house. Internally the whole ground and upper floors have been reconfigured. The reconfigured ground floor results in new glazing to the living room and a frameless glass dining room reflecting the garage connection. The addition of this transparent dining cube, is a counterpoint to the original structure while still allowing the existing external walls of the house to be seen.

The dining room connects to the new hardscape of the gazebo and the elongated infinity pool. There is the construction of a new steel pergola to define the outside living area connecting to a newly formed grass playing area. The result of this alteration gives the client his desired requirements for contemporary living, yet preserves the architecture of an iconic H L Massey Residence.

Photography: Jeremy Toth