Birchgrove House

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Design Development                     |     NSW

RODA was engaged to undertake the design of major alterations and additions to an existing one bedroom workers cottage. The brief was to create a compact, functional, energy-efficient, family home. The final design achieved three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large eat-in kitchen, casual seating area and formal lounge within the existing footprint on a 124 sqm lot.

While not heritage listed, the front of the cottage does contribute to a general pattern of development of single storey row housing with dormers and small balconies. The dormer design was refined to create a suggestion of the contemporary reimagining of the interior. The front of the ground floor was left largely intact although insensitive layers of joinery and plasterboard were removed to reveal intact original sandstock bricks and the original fireplace. The rear section of the ground floor is separated from the living area by a family bathroom and laundry cupboard situated in a transition space between the two zones. There is visual connection from the front of the terrace house through to the micro garden and courtyard at the rear.