Bent Annexe is the renovation and extension of a 1960s home to create a light-filled family home fit for indoor-outdoor living.

THE BRIEF

The clients, a family of four, were looking to transform their dark and introspective 1960s home into a large, outward-looking home that opens itself up to the garden.

DESIGN RESPONSE

The architects designed an annexe that sits neatly under the existing eaves with the addition of some new spaces that connect to the existing home, all united by a continuous roofline.

The annexe has been made to feel like part of the garden by separating it from the existing house with a courtyard and creating green spaces on both sides. The central courtyard has the added benefit of improving cross-flow ventilation and allowing natural light to enter the master bedroom.

Meanwhile, full-height windows on both sides of the living area (which is connected to the annexe) create the illusion of a continuous space, blurring the boundary between outside and inside.

SUSTAINABILITY

Passive design features reduce the need for heating and cooling. For example:

• Full height windows in the living area allow light to penetrate deeply into the home, warming the concrete floors for passive heating.
• Louvre windows can be opened up to encourage a breeze for passive cooling.

BUILDING PRODUCTS

Exterior Wall Linings and Cladding

• ‘La Paloma’ bricks by Austral Bricks in colour ‘Gaudi.’
• ‘DesignAclad batten 55’ sawn face Kiln Dried Cypress ship-lap wall cladding by Frencham Cypress
• James Hardie ‘Scyon Matrix’ external facade system
• 120 x 19mm dressed KDHW (blackbutt or approved equivalent) ship lap cladding to external wall areas

Exterior Soffit Linings

• 40x32mm dressed KD Blackbutt battens with pencil round edges by Urban Salvage
• 12mm thick A-A grade marine plywood lining by Gunnersen

Roofing

• Lysaght ‘Custom Orb’ roofing in colour ‘Monument.’

Interior Wall Linings

• 100mm wide x 12mm thick recycled re-milled messmate T&G lining boards by Urban Salvage
• 9.5mm thick ‘Easy VJ’ MR MDF v-groove sheet cladding by Gunnersen
• Innovations ‘Yesterday’s News’ wall covering in colour ‘#YN-106 Tribune’ by Instyle

Floor Tiles

• 25 x 25mm ‘Seta Appiani’ mosaic tiles in colour ’01 Ghiaccio’ from Classic Ceramics
• 25 x 25mm ‘Seta Appiani’ mosaic tile in colour ‘10 Olivia’ from Classic Ceramics
• ‘La Paloma’ bricks brick paving by Austral Bricks in colour ‘Gaudi’.

Floor Linings

• 95x19mmT&G re-milled recycled messmate boards by Urban Salvage
• ‘Garden’ range carpet from Edwardstown Carpets in colour ‘Pomegranate 0028’
• ‘Residence’ range carpet from Edwardstown Carpets in colour ‘0094 Ninety Four’
• 135x19mm re-milled recycled ironbark decking boards by Timber Zoo

Other

• Above ground Aquaslim Squared 5008 rainwater tank by Slimline Rainwater Tanks

PLANS