Sycamore Cottage is located on a picturesque Adelaide Hills block. The project includes upgrades to the existing cottage and an extension that builds upon the quaint cottage aesthetic that is dear to the clients. Skein developed a design that is sensitive to the existing building but that reflects the client’s contemporary design taste and passive design requirements and a solution that responded to their future plans.
The design maintains the cosy, cottage feel of the existing home while incorporating natural materials that compliment the existing red brick and cedar siding of the original cottage build. Skein focussed on crafted an economical floor plan layout that connected the internal spaces to the wild, natural landscape of the westward-sloping garden, drawing attention to the site’s flora and wildlife.
Skein were mindful that the front garden and street-facing aspect of the existing cottage clearly highlighted the cottage character. All upgrades to the cottage, including new window and door suites, re-cladding of external siding walls, and new roofing and trimwork has been detailed to reinforce that character. All new works are set up to drop away from the street frontage and into the dense native garden to the ‘rear’ of the property.
Cost effective and utilitarian material selections were used that reflected the austerity and simplicity of existing home. Solar orientation and passive heating and cooling was integrated into proposed design to provide good thermal comfort and healthy and light-filled living spaces. This was achieved using considered approaches to insulating the structure and integrating plentiful natural light into the addition and existing home.
Architecture: Skein
Engineering: Magryn Engineering
Construction: Enduro Builders