chelmsford 

mount lawley, 2018

the alterations to the interior of this mount lawley house sought to address the typical disconnect so often found in our suburbs between heritage houses, poorly conceived extensions, and external spaces. the footprints of these residences are often more than sufficient and further additions seldom necessary. the approach used for this project essentially employs two design elements; the first is light, and the second, more tangible element, is jarrah. the organisation of the existing spaces required a considerable degree of re-planning as the earlier compartmentalisation was dysfunctional, dark and dissociated from the outdoors. the proposition ruptures the linear planning, which begins at the front door and extends through the existing grand hallway all the way to the back yard.  this is done through the introduction of a cruciform ‘hinge’, defined by a nine-metre-long overhead roof light, and a cantilevered island bench, unlocking the awkward layout through luminosity and material continuity.

photographs: mathieu cocho

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