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Finished project with The Nut National Park in the background. What was an original folly of a windmill and other outbuildings has been collected and curated into a comfortable 1 1/2 bedroom cottage. Orientation of the building makes the best of the views to local beaches and to the Green Hills beyond. Recycling and up cycling was a core focus of the project and was featured on Grand Designs Australia
Finished project with The Nut National Park in the background. What was an original folly of a windmill and other outbuildings has been collected and curated into a comfortable 1 1/2 bedroom cottage. Orientation of the building makes the best of the views to local beaches and to the Green Hills beyond. Recycling and up cycling was a core focus of the project and was featured on Grand Designs Australia

Stanley Village Project

Location

Alexander Terrace, Stanley, Tasmania

Category
Residential

About This Project

Stanley is a historic fishing village in far north western Tasmania surrounded by water. Geologically interesting, the town is built on the scree slopes of the core of an extinct volcano, tied to the mainland by a sand isthmus.

Our client runs a guesthouse on the front of the site, and has been living with two unconnected spaces when guests are in the home. This is not a thrilling prospect in the harsh winters they experience. As a consequence, he has missed out on letting opportunities as he has been taking up residence in the main house.

A better solution for permanent living was required to enable the guesthouse to be ready to produce an income at a moment’s notice.

A renovation project was part of the brief bringing together three separate existing structures:

– a Hut, with bathroom;
– a windmill folly, with kitchen & viewing loft;
– a rough timber toolshed.

The building was to include a small living area, an additional toilet and an inglenook-a cosy hole for daydreaming and the odd guest.

Budget was, of course, almost non-existent.

Originally the building was to be more inclusive of recycled materials but the adoption of Victorian Bushfire codes after recent fires in Hobart, which were gazetted during the DA process, meant we had to change a number of our material choices.

It has been filmed by Fremantle Media for broadcast on Foxtel’s Lifestyle channels Series 7 of Grand Designs Australia.

Our client loves his new home and often remarks that we could only achieve such a great result as we were lacking in adult supervision.

It is a home of contrast and whimsy.

Completed
2013
Price to build
$0 - $0.25m
Building style
Contemporary
Plans
plan 1
plan 2
plan 3
plan 4
Stanley Windmill Facebook link video
Stanley Windmill Facebook link
Front, northern elevation, inclusive of the original windmill, new verandah, lounge and bed nook
Framing under construction. Builders grew a few more grey hairs connecting to the irregular geometry of the windmill folly.
Moonrise over The Nut. This small cottage is built to the closest proximity to this remnant volcanic plug of any structure apart from the chairlift gift shop. Elevated position gives the site extraordinary sea and local area pastoral views
Front elevation. Materials had to be lightweight to be accommodated on the geotechnically challenging site, fire resistant given the proximity to National Park lands, and weather tough to stand up to the often extreme weather of Stanley
Connecting link space. Golden ceiling reflects the afternoon sun and warms the space. Custom perspex artworks are illuminated for ceiling lighting. Recycled weatherboard floor (not as hard as you would think). Bookcasing and other custom joinery made from Huon Pine reclaimed from crayfish holding tanks. Original wall of the windmill and bedroom shed seen towards the rear
Windmill Cottage is the highest built point before the National Park lands of The Nut
Carpeted flooring, 100% wool gives the room real warmth and comfort. Recycled weatherboards are from the demolished North Western Tasmanian Fishermans Association building. Recycled commercial windows still show the names of the workers (the client decided to remove their mobile numbers). Bay window is a favourite spot. Clients own furniture is a mix of family antiques including the cast iron chandelier from his grandfathers family home in Queensland
Materials are robust. Ecoply shadow clad v-joint board, with harries vero board (floor had to be enclosed for BAL requirements). Builder put the gutter on the front of the cottage, without instruction, between site visits. Colours are taken from the landscape-charcoal of the basalt of The Nut, red for the iron rich soil
Entry door from The Fishermans Association Hut, salvage art deco 'mountain deer' motif acid etched doors as sidelights (protective 3m film to flat side for safety), original duck shed, now guest wc, was removed during construction and re-erected on new slab .
Inspired by the artist Rosalie Gascoigne, the receded weatherboards were used in the living areas. Boards were sealed to limit potential lead paint contamination. Grass green to bed nook is continued to the ceiling-the room glows Greenland carries views to The Green Hills to the north and The Nut to the south
The street view of the main cottage at the front of the site which is rented out as holiday accommodation-the owner lives in the new building to the rear of the site. Stanley is a "Historic Township' thus requiring consideration of the impacts of the building on the town.
The Nut from Gordons Beach. Stanley is well know for its natural beauty. Our client has resident pademelons, echidna and a grumpy old male devil. Straight at the end of this beach is a graveyard where the lLittle Penguins live
Weatherboard puzzle awaiting installation. Reuse of materials was driven by cost and a love of artefact
The owner, on the right, with some of the film crew from Gran Designs Australia
Featured also in Grand Designs Australia Magazine
Original site prior to demolition. Buildings are the windmill, bedroom shed and duck shed. The duck shed was removed from the site by crane during construction and returned and placed afterwards.
Early sketch plan showing the arrangement of structures
Early sketch elevation showing the arrangement of structures
The cottage emerges from the site. It was important to maintain the visual dominance of the Windmill. New works do not interfere with the outline of The Nut from the village

About the
Professional

We work with you to design the places where you live, work and play.

We listen to your ideas, visions and dreams and work with you to achieve them.

The process of dealing with councils can be daunting. We have over twenty years of experience running a design practice in Sydney and have in that time dealt with most Councils and experience a wide range of project types and challenges.

Our clients come to us looking for solutions to projects in residential, commercial and industrial categories. Heritage is a large part of working in the more established areas of Sydney.

Our projects have been featured in media including print and television, including Grand Designs Australia and work with Selling in the City.

Our name reflects that the process and production of our built environment brings with it a responsibility to be an agent of positive change. Benefits should be felt and experienced not only by our clients, but also for all others impacted by it. This is especially true in regards to our use of resources during construction, and the long term consumption of resources.

Are you looking for help with your next project? Contact us today.

Karmatecture
Karmatecture

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