3-in-1 House
Architecture Residential Collingwood, Victoria, Australia
14 Images
Want to download these images?
Make sure you confirm usage rights with the BowerKit owner / contact person.
|
1. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio extension A modern extension respectfully set back behind existing heritage cottage 7017 px 4680 px 8 MB A3 print |
|
|
2. ABA_3-in-1-house_front view-sunset A modern upper storey extension respectfully set back behind existing heritage cottage. Roof forms match the pitch of the original roofs 4668 px 6999 px 4 MB A3 print |
|
|
3. ABA_3-in-1-house_rear-sunset Upper storey extension shades existing ground floor walls of the house. New walls lined with unpainted fibre cement sheet for durability. View of historical brick shot tower chimney in the distance 5464 px 8192 px 7 MB A3 print |
|
|
4. ABA_3-in-1-house_exterior-day Upper storey extension shades existing ground floor walls of the house. New walls lined with unpainted fibre cement sheet for durability. View of historical brick shot tower chimney in the distance 6731 px 10096 px 10 MB A3 print |
|
|
5. ABA_3-in-1-house_garage-back Upper storey extension shades existing ground floor walls of the house. New walls lined with unpainted fibre cement sheet for durability. 1134 px 1512 px 465 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
6. ABA_3-in-1-house_extension_streetview Sleek concealed direct entry to the studio from the street. Extension respectfully set back behind existing heritage cottage 2000 px 1989 px 1 MB Print - Low res only |
|
|
7. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio-entry-closed Sleek concealed direct entry to the studio from the street. Extension respectfully set back behind existing heritage cottage 1134 px 1512 px 409 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
8. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio-garage-front-open Sleek concealed direct entry to the studio from the street. Extension respectfully set back behind existing heritage cottage 1500 px 2000 px 729 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
9. ABA_3-in-1-house_stair Single run timber staircase with timber handrail 1134 px 1512 px 304 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
10. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio-view-kitchen Studio with gable form cathedral ceiling. Roof of structural insulated panels. Exposed timber trusses. Photography studio equipment fixed to the trusses. 2000 px 1481 px 513 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
11. ABA_3-in-1-house_kitchen A small but functional kitchen. Kitchenette in the studio allows possibility for the upper storey extension to be occupied separately by the house owners. 1134 px 1471 px 309 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
12. ABA_3-in-1-house_OSB-detail unlined oriented strand board face to structural insulated panel construction 1134 px 1512 px 526 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
13. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio-view Exposed SIPs panel wall and timber truss to roof in this studio workspace 2000 px 1491 px 662 KB Print - Low res only |
|
|
14. ABA_3-in-1-house_studio-workspace Desk workspace in studio of structural insulated panel construction (SIP). Exposed oriented strand board wall 1134 px 1512 px 569 KB Print - Low res only |
Description
This job consisted of an upper storey extension to an existing Victorian cottage in inner-city Melbourne and a garage added to the side of the house to give privacy to the side garden. Despite being in a street with just about every style of housing, Council heritage requirements were really strict. The clients wanted their upper storey extension to be able to be used in a multitude of ways over time – initially the owner wished to move his photography business home and so the upper storey was designed around the size and functional reguirements to suit the photography business. Over time the upper storey may serve as semi-independent accommodation for their young adult child, or perhaps be able to be private rental accommodation. As well as the main studio room there is a bathroom, kitchenette and an alcove that can be curtained off as a bedroom. A lovely feature is the north-facing rooftop deck that provides separate private outdoor space and has views of significant local buildings whilst maintaining privacy for the occupants next door.
The extension has been designed around sustainability principles with passive solar orientation and local and durable materials. Construction was simplified by using Australian-made prefabricated Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) wall and roof panels so the shell of the building was erected really quickly. Being an upper storey durability and low (no) maintenance was required for all external finishes.
All projects by Ande Bunbury Architects have sustainability and energy efficiency at their core. The house is carbon neutral with a 6.66kW on the extension roof designed for optimal solar energy collection but also to relate to the pitch of the heritage front roofs. All new services are electric, as is the new car but really the garage was designed as an external covered playspace (the back is open to the garden) and for good bicycle storage. A new external toilet tucked under the stairs adds to the ease of entertaining in the back garden and alleviates a shortcoming of the existing house.
Questions and Answers
What are the sustainability features?
All projects by Ande Bunbury Architects have sustainability and energy efficiency at their core. This project includes:
passive solar design
• North-facing windows to main living area fitted with blackout blinds for lighting control within the photography studio
• High levels of both thermal and acoustic insulation to all external surfaces.
• No windows to west orientation to avoid hot summer sun.
• Good cross ventilation through windows and stack ventilation from front door to high level north-facing windows.
• Roof form designed to optimise orientation for PV electricity generation on site.
• 100% electric for all new services – largely produced on site
windows & doors
• Thermally broken aluminium double glazed windows selected for low maintenance.
• Tilt & Turn opening mechanism means windows can be washed from inside.
• All glazing is double glazed, argon filled. Low-e glass has been used to exposed windows to limit summer heat.
• Eaves and external fixed sunshades to north-facing windows
• External blind shades west-facing window
insulation
• SIPs wall panels have an R value of 3.25
• SIPs roof panels have an R value of 3.88 and was further boosted with an Earthwool R1.8 reflective blanket.
• R4.0 Earthwool batts to other roofs
• R2.7 Earthwool batts added to existing walls
materials
• Australian-made prefabricated Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) from Structural Panels Australia for upper storey walls This avoided the need for timber stud framing and avoided the timber shortages during COVID. One wall of the studio is unlined and celebrates the OSB face of the SIPs panel.
• Roofing is Tridek Australian-made prefabricated Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). This has insulation and metal internal and external linings all installed in one go.
• Exposed timber trusses in the studio – used as lighting rig for photography studio
• Extension cladding is Cemintel Barestone raw unpainted fibre cement panels. This was selected as it will never need repainting.
• Timberlast composite timber decking boards to studio entry deck and rooftop deck.
• Comcork rubber & recycled cork sheet flooring to studio and first floor bathroom
• Timber used sparingly to acknowledge it is a precious (and diminishing) resource - recycled Messmate floorboards to stair and kitchen & bathroom benchtops.
• Concrete use minimised. Low carbon concrete slab to the garage has 30% less Portland cement & 20% recycled aggregate
• low VOC emission E0 MDF for joinery
• Resene low VOC paints (most have zero VOCs).
equipment
• Roof designed for optimal orientation for photovoltaic panels. 6.66kW system installed consisting of Fronius Primo inverter and 18x 370W REC panels. Each panel is cleverly divided into two so if partially shaded then this only reduces energy production from half the panel.
• Garage has a Tesla fast charger for an electric car.
• Existing gas hot water system retained.
• Daikin Cora 3.5kW split system to studio
water
• 4 Star taps and shower head
• 2000L Kingspan Slimline rainwater tank
lighting
• All new light fittings are LED
• Ceiling and wall mounted lights instead of recessed for better building insulation and sealing
• pendant lights (with LED globes) used preferentially as they provide the light closer to where it is needed so less fittings are required.
• Existing pendant lights changed over to LED globes
Key products used:
To speed up construction on site, and ensure a really good insulated external skin for the upper storey, we used locally made Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) from https://structuralpanels.com.au for both the walls and the roof of the upper storey. These are a 2D method of prefabrication and are a key part of the passive solar design. Some areas of the oriented strand board surface have been left exposed in the Studio as a feature - minimising both the amount of materials required in the build, and the finishing trades such as painting.
The upper storey section of the extension is obviously really difficult to reach for future maintenance so external materials have been selected for their durability. The windows have thermally-broken aluminium frames and the walls are clad in raw fibre cement sheet that doesn't need any surface treatment (Cemintel Barestone).
What was the brief?
The brief was to create a separate functional space to the existing heritage cottage to be able to be used as a photography studio. This determined heights and lengths of the studio space to fit backdrops and needed fixing points to attach lighting. They also wanted the potential to be able to use the new space in a variety of ways over time - this is a key sustainability strategy that Ande Bunbury Architects use. In this case the space was designed so that it could also serve as an independent dwelling for an adult child, or able to be rented out in the future. In Melbourne, Australia, we currently have a huge housing affordability problem and a lack of dwellings so tactics such as this are a way of creating a solution to the problem.
The original house is a 120 year old weatherboard cottage with fairly intact period detail at the front of the house which meant that the Council heritage officers really didn't want any visible change made to the house at all. There was an open garden space to the side of the house that made it even more difficult to hide any new building works at the rear of the house as the side of the house was visible via an oblique view from the street. To counter this we installed a side garage and really subtle entry to the new space in a dark colour and set back from the front of the house. This allowed the light-coloured original house to stand out against the darker backdrop. The upper storey is set back from the front of the house and has gabled (and skillion) roof forms that reflect the pitch of the original roofs.
Details
| Project size | 82 m2 |
| Completion date | 2023 |
| Building levels | 2 |
Project team
|
Ande Bunbury Architects | Architect |
| Fresh Form Construction | Builder | |
| Keith Patrick & Associates | Structural Engineer |