Stickybeak: Worker's Cottage Addition Transforms Modest to Modern
A gabled extension fusing Scandinavian style and Aussie vernacular adds space and modernity to this historical home
The modest worker’s cottage was once such a prevalent form of architecture that it established an Australian vernacular in the 1800s. Many of these humble abodes were demolished in the 20th century, while many others have been updated and extended to become sought-after modern homes.
The extension to this worker’s cottage is “a foray into a new Australian vernacular”, says Matiya Marovich of Sans-Arc Studio. “Familiar forms and materials are used with a high consideration for context and passive design.”
The extension to this worker’s cottage is “a foray into a new Australian vernacular”, says Matiya Marovich of Sans-Arc Studio. “Familiar forms and materials are used with a high consideration for context and passive design.”
The cottage is on a narrow corner block that runs east-west. To balance privacy to the street, openness to the yard and natural light and ventilation, Sans-Arc designed one simple shape: a rectangular form with a gable roof. It comprises an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area that flows out to a courtyard, outdoor dining space and garden beyond.
“The external form aims to acknowledge both the client’s aspirations for a Scandinavian aesthetic but also the historical cottage and the greater Australian vernacular style,” says Marovich.
“The external form aims to acknowledge both the client’s aspirations for a Scandinavian aesthetic but also the historical cottage and the greater Australian vernacular style,” says Marovich.
The material selection, which includes galvanised Custom Orb roofing and Australian silvertop ash shiplap cladding and battens (a local and environmentally friendly choice), reinforces the vernacular, as timber and tin have long been associated with Australian housing.
Colorbond Custom Orb roofing with galvanised finish; Silvertop Ash Secret Fixed shiplap cladding and Silvertop Ash Screenboard timber battens: Radial Timber Sales
Colorbond Custom Orb roofing with galvanised finish; Silvertop Ash Secret Fixed shiplap cladding and Silvertop Ash Screenboard timber battens: Radial Timber Sales
The gable roof is also a nod to domestic Australian architecture. It is constructed with a steel portal frame that removes the need for horizontal beams. This helps create a clean, open and light-filled internal space. The reverse brick veneer walls and burnished concrete floor with hydronic underfloor heating are critical for comfort, liveability and environmental performance of the extension.
The large room is divided into four 4x4-metre spaces: kitchen, dining, living and outdoor dining. It allows for lines of sight internally and externally, yet screens against neighbours and the street.
White plasterboard walls and a burnished concrete floor provide a clean backdrop for the clients’ furniture, art and joinery, which they designed themselves. The unit in the lounge is recessed into the wall for cleaner lines and to enhance physical and visual space.
The lower ceiling height in the kitchen mediates the old cottage and new extension where the ceiling reaches a five-metre apex.
Glass doors on the south and north allow for cross ventilation and heat stacking as cool air is drawn in from the south and vented at a high level to the north.
Glazing on the north and west faces have timber canopies to protect against the strong sun in the summer, while allowing for solar heat gain in the winter.
“This project embraced the idea that a small budget didn’t mean an average outcome; instead it meant that there needed to be priorities and efficiency,” says Marovich. “We delivered a beautiful, happy space on a limited budget and the extension provides a functional, light-filled living area for the clients to raise their family.”
“This project embraced the idea that a small budget didn’t mean an average outcome; instead it meant that there needed to be priorities and efficiency,” says Marovich. “We delivered a beautiful, happy space on a limited budget and the extension provides a functional, light-filled living area for the clients to raise their family.”
Extension at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four with two young children and a one-eyed dog. The family enjoys cycling, gardening, food, arts and crafts.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Size: 100 square metres; kitchen, dining, living, outdoor dining, courtyard and laundry
Architecture and design: Sans-Arc Studio
The house has been in the client’s family since around the 1920s and with a growing family they decided to extend instead of move. After considering a project builder, they engaged Sans-Arc Studio and used Houzz as well as other online platforms to collect images for inspiration.
The client’s brief called for a new open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. They wanted a light, airy and private space and a clean Scandinavian-style aesthetic. “The budget was very tight and the paramount constraint of the project, so the main move was to spend the budget on form and function over finishes,” Marovich says.