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Collection by Diana Budds

A Renovated House in Australia

For a renovation located in Glebe—an inner-city suburb of Sydney, Australia—Carterwilliamson Architects took an environmentally friendly tack. "We believe that 'fit' buildings, buildings that are not big, but ‘big enough’ and flexible enough to accommodate changing lifestyles and that minimize spatial, material, and energy wastage are one of the biggest contributions we as architects can make towards a more sustainable future," says firm principal Shaun Carter. To that end, they repurposed an existing structure, relying on passive heating and cooling principles and natural daylight to guide the project.

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A sliding glass wall separates the dining room from the small backyard. The floor is polished concrete and references the humble materials of the original structure.
A sliding glass wall separates the dining room from the small backyard. The floor is polished concrete and references the humble materials of the original structure.
A band of clerestory windows illuminates the interior. The walls are recycled brick, whose thermal mass insulates the house. "One of the most challenging aspects of the build was negotiating a tight budget; however it was also one of the most exciting aspects and led in part to the refined palette of raw materials which give the home so much of its character and echo the pastural vernacular of the old cow shed," says Carter.
A band of clerestory windows illuminates the interior. The walls are recycled brick, whose thermal mass insulates the house. "One of the most challenging aspects of the build was negotiating a tight budget; however it was also one of the most exciting aspects and led in part to the refined palette of raw materials which give the home so much of its character and echo the pastural vernacular of the old cow shed," says Carter.
The archtiects placed a bedroom on the mezzanine level above the dining room.
The archtiects placed a bedroom on the mezzanine level above the dining room.
Exposed ceiling rafters add warmth to the stone-and-brick building.
Exposed ceiling rafters add warmth to the stone-and-brick building.
The architects designed the sloping roofline due to the existing jacaranda tree on the lot. Foliage used to collect on the old roof, clogging the gutters. The new structure's dramatic pitch prevents leaves and branches from accumulating.
The architects designed the sloping roofline due to the existing jacaranda tree on the lot. Foliage used to collect on the old roof, clogging the gutters. The new structure's dramatic pitch prevents leaves and branches from accumulating.
The kids' room features a playful hammock.
The kids' room features a playful hammock.
Vibrant green tile adds punch to the bathroom. For more houses in the region, view "Super Sydney: 5 Modern Houses from Down Under" and "A Hillside Family Home in Australia."
Vibrant green tile adds punch to the bathroom. For more houses in the region, view "Super Sydney: 5 Modern Houses from Down Under" and "A Hillside Family Home in Australia."