North Adelaide Residence

Adelaide lives in our collective conscience as a place of churches, tramlines and the seaside, and while it is most famously known as the City of Churches, it is perhaps more aptly associated with the charming Colonial and Federation sandstone architecture which gives the city its quintessentially Australian aesthetic.

Many of these sandstone homes are heritage listed, which can turn any alteration ambitions into an obstacle course of regulations and paperwork. The locality of the residence is considered by the Local Council to be one of the most historically intact residential areas in South Australia, characterised by nineteenth – and early twentieth – century mansions and villas: a profusion of finely detailed balconies and elegant blonde sandstone. Luckily for the clients, Bruce Harry & Associates are experts in the field of historic building refurbishment and conservation, renowned for approaching such tasks with intelligent sensitivity. There was only one case of “out with the old, in with the new” in this home renovation: the demolition of an unsatisfactory 1970s extension to make way for the new contextually appropriate and client-specific additions.

The client brief requested extensive expansion of the residence, incorporating four bedrooms with separate parents’ and children’s sleeping quarters; new kitchen, laundry and bathrooms; a library and children’s rumpus room; carports and a pool to the rear of the home; as well as maximised views to the garden and pool from the casual living and outdoor entertaining areas. While meeting these specific goals, the architects also had to contend with local site factors, such as overlooking and overshadowing onto neighbouring properties, east-west sloping land with primary garden views to the west, access to natural light, cross ventilation and shade control. And of course, the key to the whole design was the need to maintain the heritage aesthetics of the home and the neighbourhood by minimising the appearance of contemporary twostorey additions in the streetscape.

The design needed to incorporate all these requirements of the modern family into the existing architectural style, and indeed it does. The new structure is certainly a chip off the old block, joined at the hip to the original home, featuring the same classic sandstone and verandah details but in a more youthful, streamlined model. It is neither intrusive (the greatest crime for any home extension) nor boring (which some might consider a crime in itself).

The “new” North Adelaide Residence is characterised by two primary axes: north-south and eastwest. The north-south axis is defined by a blade wall, aligned with the existing hallway to enable a fluid circulation between the old and the new, and between single and twostorey components.

The east-west axis is highlighted by a glazed link, which acts as a transparent passageway connecting the old and the new halves of the home. Not only does this play an important conceptual role, it also allowed for the full attachment of the additions without demolishing or modifying the existing roof and support structures. The steelframed roof to this glass atrium was designed as a sculptural element, extending beyond the building footprint to provide a sheltered entryway, and enabling northern light to enter into the casual living areas.

Inside, the east-west axis is where all the action happens, and while its modernity is downplayed on the exterior, on the interior, it is filled with chic ultra-modern décor and open-plan living spaces. The two-storey additions to the east accommodate the rumpus room and amenities at the ground floor level, with the children’s sleeping quarters above. The casual living and meal areas are situated in the singlestorey addition to the west, which is clad in Waikerie limestone, and rests on a solid masonry base. This contemporary interpretation of the materials used in the existing residence also acts as an interface between the built additions and the west garden on the lower part of the site, creating a harmony between all the new and existing elements. The new living areas were located to the west and south so as to capture the primary views to the garden and pool respectively. Deep steel-framed verandahs wrap around the western and southern facades, with operable louvres to provide shade control and shelter from the often intense South Australian heat. Roof drainage of the interconnecting louvred bays, coupled with the cruciform profile of the steel columns provided an interesting design challenge, which was overcome by the use of continuous underguttering within the depth of the PFC fascia beam, and more uniquely, by the use of chain downpipes, which have become an architectural feature in themselves.

The North Adelaide Residence project is typified by the generous yet judicious addition of space, sophistication and modernity. The rest, as they say, is history. +

PHOTOGRAPHY by Tony Lewis

1 The old and new halves of the home are connected by a custom-made glass passageway, which allowed for the existing roof structure to remain intact. 2 The architects worked with the interplay between old and new, highlighting elements such as this existing raw brick wall. 3 The new additions are typified by ultramodern and stylish interior design and layout, while still remaining true to the elegance of the heritage home. 4 Special touches that help create harmony between the modern and rustic styles include this custom-made Western Red Cedar tilt-up garage door.