cullen

An alteration and addition to detached single-family home in LANE COVE WEST.  This project spanned the COVID lockdowns and was completed in early 2022.  The clients, builder and architect worked closely to manage challenges including supply chain issues and a shortage of tradies.  We never lost sight of the move-in date, the family welcomed their second daughter during the design/build, and their eldest daughter was able to attend her first day of class, as planned (at a school across the street).

​

The design brief included a desire to improve the thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption.  We talked about backyard chickens and a large veggie patch in the lower north shore.  To reduce costs, very little of the existing home was demolished.  The main bed and office are unaltered, and the family bath now forms the ensuite.  The kitchen was not altered, and a new roof added above.  Where possible, including floorboards which were in good shape, were refinished with the original wall locations expressed/celebrated.
 

It’s a challenge to both minimize demolition and achieve an alteration/addition with a significant improvement to thermal comfort.  In this instance, as with many in Greater Sydney, a double brick home is a challenge to insulate and therefore performs relatively well in Summer, but poorly in Winter.  For floors and ceilings, it’s possible to insulate with good results, but without additional thermal mass it’s a challenge to see great improvement.  Finally, doors and windows tend to be single glazed and poorly sealed.  The strategy here was to insulate where possible (floor, roof, new walls) and to fine tune the UPVC windows in terms of size,  location, and type to balance winter solar gain and cross-ventilation.  Operable screens to the north and west provide further control in summer, and deep eaves minimize summer heat gain.  Water tanks were added to capture runoff, and the size and slope of the roof was informed by the relocated and expanded solar array designed to meet their current, and also future needs.

Overall, the home opens to capture norther light, and flow through the home is continuous from front entry to living spaces, rear deck and garden.  The result is a contemporary home balancing period features, and indoor-outdoor living.

Address: 25 Cullen Street, LANE COVE WEST
Architect: Mits Delisle (kind architecture pty ltd) at Delisle Hunt Wood Pty. Ltd.
Builder: Francis Oliver Construction Pty, Ltd,
Photography: Luke Butterly